Orlando "Cachaíto" López facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orlando "Cachaíto" López
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Orlando "Cachaíto" López Known as 'The heartbeat of the Buena Vista Social Club'
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Candelario Orlando López Vergara |
| Born | February 2, 1933 Havana, Cuba |
| Died | February 9, 2009 (aged 76) Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Danzón, mambo, descarga, son, Afro-Cuban jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Double bass |
| Years active | 1940s–2009 |
Candelario Orlando López Vergara (born February 2, 1933 – died February 9, 2009) was a super talented Cuban musician. He was better known as Cachaíto. Cachaíto played the double bass, which is a very big string instrument. He also wrote music. He became famous all over the world because he was a key part of the amazing Buena Vista Social Club music group.
People called him "Cachaíto," which means "little Cachao." This nickname came from his uncle, Israel "Cachao" López, who was also a famous bass player. His uncle even helped create a music style called mambo! Cachaíto's father, Orestes López, was also a well-known musician and composer. Music was a big part of the López family!
Contents
Life and Musical Journey
Early Start in Music
Orlando "Cachaíto" López was born in Havana, Cuba, on February 2, 1933. He started getting into music when he was just nine years old. At first, he wanted to play the violin. However, his grandfather, Pedro, wanted him to play the double bass. This was because the López family had a long tradition of bass players, and they wanted it to continue.
Cachaíto started learning the double bass on a smaller instrument called a cello. As soon as he was big enough, he moved to a real double bass. His musical career officially began when he was twelve. By the age of 13, Cachaíto had already written his first piece of music! It was a danzón (a Cuban dance music style) called "Isora Infantil." This name was a nod to his aunt, Coralia López, who had a famous piece called "Isora Club."
Joining Famous Orchestras
Cachaíto made his first public performance in the 1940s with his aunt Coralia's orchestra. He was very good! By the time he was 17, he took over from his uncle as the bass player for the famous band Antonio Arcaño y sus Maravillas. He played so well that they asked him to stay.
In the 1950s, Cachaíto helped make a music style called descarga popular. Descarga is a cool mix of jazz-like improvisation and Afro-Cuban rhythms. By 1957, he was playing with the very popular Havana dance band, Orquesta Riverside. In the 1960s, he became a bass player for the National Symphony Orchestra. He also took special classes to improve his skills even more.
Cachaíto also worked with many other famous musicians. These included pianists like Peruchín, Frank Emilio Flynn, and Chucho Valdés. He also played with amazing percussionists such as Tata Güines and Angá Díaz.
The Buena Vista Social Club
In 1996, a musician named Juan de Marcos González asked López to join his group, the Afro-Cuban All Stars. This led to Cachaíto becoming a member of the famous Buena Vista Social Club project. He even appeared in the movie Buena Vista Social Club, which was directed by Wim Wenders.
After playing music for about 60 years, Cachaíto released his first solo album in 2001. He continued to tour and perform with other musicians from the Buena Vista Social Club, like Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal and Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos.
Cachaíto passed away in a hospital in Havana on February 9, 2009. He was 76 years old.
Discography
- Cachaíto (2001, World Circuit)
See also
In Spanish: Orlando "Cachaíto" López para niños
