CubaPLUS Magazine

The Los Muñequitos de Matanzas rumbero ensemble celebrates 65 years of artistic life, and continues presentations by localities, places and institutions of the country, in addition to workshops that will teach members of the group.On October 9, 1952, in El Gallo bar, in the popular La Marina neighborhood in the city of Matanzas, located 100 kilometers east of Havana, the idea of ​​founding the group arose and materialized.Precisely on the last Saturday, in the park La Aurora of the aforementioned neighborhood, luxury guests of Cuban popular music starred in the show El Rumbazo, in greeting to the six and a half decades of the prestigious group.Diosdado Ramos, director of the group, expressed that they maintain the tradition of the genre, cultivated of parents, children and grandchildren, with a qualified task that has allowed them to be owners of a Grammy Award, besides other important recognitions.Numerous experts consider Los Muñequitos as one of the best exponents of rumba in Cuba, with all the flavor and irresistible cadence of that musical expression enjoyed to the fullest in the greater island of the Antilles."Originally named Guaguancó Matancero, they would change their name to the current one and they would undertake an unstoppable race of pride and bastion of the Matancera and National Culture", emphasized to Prensa Latina Luis Ortega, specialist of the Provincial Center of Music Rafael Somavilla.They founded the group Florencio Calle, Esteban Lanto (Saldiguera), Hortensio Alfonso (Virulilla), Esteban Vega (ChaChi), Pablo Mesa, Angel Pellado, Gregorio Diaz and Juan Mesa.Ortega remember that his singers Saldiguera and Virulilla were protagonists of one of the most famous duos of the rumba that are remembered and that made history."They popularized in their voices subjects like The Gossip of the Spoon, Maria the Snow, the Beodos, Earth of Hatuey, and Severa and Latur, among many others that cultivated with true passion", it abounded."65 years of the emergence," he said. "The Muñequitos are still on the streets conquering laurels with new members, but the same intention to make known a rhythm declared by Unesco Intangible Heritage of Humanity."The presentations of the ensemble in these 65 years have included nations like United States, Canada, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Costa Rica, Germany, Italy, and England, among others. (PL)