Rubén González (pianist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rubén González
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rubén González Fontanills |
| Born | 26 May 1919 Santa Clara, Cuba |
| Died | 8 December 2003 (aged 84) Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Son, danzón, mambo, chachachá, Afro-Cuban jazz, descarga |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1937–2002 |
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Rubén González Fontanills (born May 26, 1919 – died December 8, 2003) was a famous Cuban pianist. He helped create the modern Cuban piano style in the 1940s. Other important pianists who helped shape this style were Lilí Martínez and Peruchín.
From the 1940s until he retired in the 1980s, Rubén played with many popular Cuban music groups. These included bands led by Paulina Álvarez, Arsenio Rodríguez, and Enrique Jorrín. In the 1990s, he returned to music. He joined the popular groups Afro-Cuban All Stars and Buena Vista Social Club. He also made his own music and performed live until 2002.
Contents
Rubén González: A Cuban Piano Legend
Early Life and Musical Start
Rubén González was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, on May 26, 1919. When he was six, his family moved to a small village called Encrucijada. He started playing the piano at age seven. By the time he was 15, he had finished his studies at the Cienfuegos Conservatory.
He first wanted to become a doctor and studied medicine. He thought music would just be a hobby he could enjoy at night. But he loved music so much that he stopped his medical studies after four years. People around him also encouraged him to follow his passion for music. After high school, he began playing with music groups in Cienfuegos and other parts of Cuba.
From Havana to South America
In 1941, González moved to Havana. There, he played in the charanga band of danzonete singer Paulina Álvarez. He also played with other orchestras, including the CMQ radio station orchestra. He became friends with other important pianists.
In 1943, he joined Arsenio Rodríguez's famous band. Arsenio told him to "just play your own style." Rubén made his first known recordings with Arsenio's band in 1945.
In 1945, he left Arsenio's group. He traveled to Panama with a band called Estrellas Negras. This group included many musicians who used to play with Arsenio. With Estrellas Negras, González toured many countries in South America, from Mexico City to Buenos Aires. When he returned to Cuba, he joined the Conjunto Kubavana. He also played with the Orquesta Los Hermanos Castro.
Between 1948 and the mid-1950s, González performed at the famous Tropicana Club. He also played with René Álvarez y Los Astros and other orchestras. In 1954, he played for singer Rolando Laserie.
In the mid-1950s, he toured Venezuela with the Orquesta América del 55. He lived in Venezuela from 1957 to 1962. He also lived for a short time in Argentina, where he played with tango musicians. By the late 1950s, Rubén González was well-known in Cuba and other parts of Latin America.
Back in Cuba
González came back to Cuba in 1961. He joined the famous big band Orquesta Riverside. In 1962, he became the pianist for the Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín. He played with Jorrín's band for the next 25 years. In 1964, González also joined Pucho Escalante's Noneto Cubano de Jazz.
In 1975, he recorded his first solo album, called Rubén González. Members of Jorrín's orchestra played with him on this album. In 1979, he recorded the album Los héroes with the Estrellas de Areito all-star group. After Jorrín passed away in 1987, González briefly led the band. But he soon retired from music.
A New Start in Music
In 1994, singer Raúl Planas and radio announcer Eduardo Rosillo asked González to record new versions of ten songs. These songs were written by another Cuban pianist, Lilí Martínez. The album, called Son Inconcluso, was released in 1999. It featured a full band, including bassist Orlando "Cachaíto" López.
In 1995, Nick Gold from World Circuit Records and Juan de Marcos González had an idea. They wanted to record music with classic Cuban musicians. Rubén González was chosen to play piano. They also planned to include African musicians, but they could not travel to Cuba. So, Nick Gold invited American guitarist Ry Cooder and his son Joachim to join the recordings.
The recording sessions happened in March 1996 in Havana. Rubén González played piano on all the recordings. The first set of recordings aimed to bring back the sound of 1950s Cuban big bands. This music became the album A Toda Cuba le Gusta. It was released by the Afro-Cuban All Stars. The album featured singers like Ibrahim Ferrer and Pío Leyva.
The second set of recordings focused on the acoustic sound of 1940s Cuban music. This led to the very popular Buena Vista Social Club album. Rubén González played piano, and Cachaíto played bass. They played with singers like Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer, and Omara Portuondo.
In April 1996, Rubén González recorded his own solo album, Introducing...Rubén González. He recorded it in just two days, live and without extra recordings. All three albums were released in 1997. In 1998, a movie called Buena Vista Social Club was made about the musicians. This movie made Rubén and his friends famous around the world.
Later Years and Passing
Between 1997 and 2000, González recorded his next album, Chanchullo. Some of his recordings from 1999 were released as Rubén González and Friends in 2000. His last public performances were in Mexico and Cuba in 2002.
Rubén González passed away on December 8, 2003, at his home in Havana. He had been ill for a long time. He was survived by his wife, Eneida Lima. He is buried in Havana's Cristóbal Colón Cemetery.
Rubén González's Musical Style
Rubén González is seen as a pioneer in the son cubano piano style. Early son bands did not have pianos. Pianos were added in the late 1930s by groups like Arsenio Rodríguez's band and Conjunto Kubavana. González played in both of these groups, making him a leader in this new style.
Besides son, González also knew a lot about the danzón style. His improvisations were known for their beautiful and detailed harmonies. His playing style has been called "romantic and angular." It had a strong singing quality with his special "swirling arpeggios" (fast, flowing notes).
González was also influenced by jazz music, especially by pianists like Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. This made him one of the founders of Afro-Cuban jazz. His unique style has influenced many other musicians, including Eddie Palmieri.
Discography
As the Main Artist
- Rubén González (Areito, 1975)
- Introducing...Rubén González (World Circuit, 1997)
- Chanchullo (World Circuit, 2000)
As a Supporting Musician
- With Noneto Cubano de Jazz
- Jazz Cuba (Areito/Palma, 1964)
- With Estrellas de Areito
- Los héroes (Areito, 1979)
- With Afro-Cuban All Stars
- A Toda Cuba le Gusta (World Circuit, 1997)
- With Buena Vista Social Club
- Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit, 1997)
- Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall (World Circuit, 2008)
- Lost and Found (World Circuit, 2015)
- With Raúl Planas
- Son Inconcluso (EGREM, 1999) – Recorded in 1994
- Dos Grandes – Con la Orquesta Jorrín (EGREM, 2000) – Recorded in 1989
Music Collections
- Rubén González and Friends (EGREM, 2000)
- Todo sentimiento (Yemayá, 2004)
- The Essential Rubén González (Manteca, 2006)
Filmography
- With Buena Vista Social Club
- Buena Vista Social Club DVD (Road Movies/Sony VCD0040, 1999) – Directed by Wim Wenders
- With Afro-Cuban All Stars
- Afro-Cuban Legends DVD (Warner Music Vision 8573-88531-2, 2001) – Directed by Tony Knox
See also
In Spanish: Rubén González (pianista) para niños
