# Miguel Matamoros **Date of birth:** May 8, 1894 **Date of death:** April 15, 1971 **Categories:** Arts, Musician, Singer, orchestra director Guitarist and composer. Of self-taught training, but with natural talent, he ventured into almost all genres and rhythms of Cuban popular music. Throughout his artistic life he enjoyed popularity and fame. Many of his works are considered true classics that have been covered by numerous stars of Cuban and international music. A native of Santiago de Cuba, Miguel Matamoros was born on May 8, 1894 in the popular neighborhood Los Hoyos, on San Germán street # 115 between Gallo and Matadero. An intuitive musician, alongside the multiple occupations he held during his early youth as a driver, carpenter, altar boy at the Church of Cristo, slab maker, potter, among others, he eagerly taught himself the guitar in a self-taught manner. At the age of 15, and maintaining his passion for this musical instrument, he began to play in the A Major key that Ramón Navarro taught him, a coworker at the sawmill. Once again, what he knew he learned on the street with friends giving serenades and entertaining popular festivities in the neighborhoods of his hometown. Nevertheless, the first musical instrument that marked him as a performer in the activities in which he participated, as well as collecting tips to help his family, was the harmonica or philharmonic as many knew it, and later the Chinese cornet, the latter so well known in the carnivals of Oriente, which he played at the request of Rita Montaner in one of her performances years later at the Cabaret Montmatre, when she was completely dedicated to artistic life. In 1910, at age 16, he composed his first musical piece: a bolero that he titled El Consejo. From then on he would create many other works until reaching around 198 which would include boleros, sons, pasodobles, habaneras and polkas, among others. It is said that the only genre he did not venture into was rumba, in its guaguancó modality. Singing and strumming the guitar, he increasingly entered the artistic world, penetrating the world of trovador music. He learned from the great masters of traditional Cuban trovador music among them José Pepe Sánchez, Sindo Garay, Alberto Villalón, among others. He made his first public presentation in 1912 at the Teatro Heredia in Santiago de Cuba and some of his songs were known in the city for the reception they had at popular festivities. The socioeconomic and political situation that existed in Cuba under the government of Alfredo Zayas caused Miguel Matamoros to move to the capital in 1922, in search of economic improvements. Here he participated in gatherings, serenades, presentations in theaters, etc. Professional Career He received guitar lessons from Ramón Navarro Pérez. In 1909 he formed a duo with Trino Martinelli; furthermore, he worked with Salvador Adams. In 1924 he founded the Trío Oriental, made up of Miguel Matamoros, director, guitar and first voice; Alfonso del Río, accompanying guitar, and Miguel Bisbé, second voice and claves; that same year they traveled to La Habana, except Alfonso del Río, who was replaced by Rafael Cueto and performed in the Campoamor theaters and Teatro Actualidades. On May 8, 1925 he founded the Trío Matamoros, with Rafael Cueto, guitar, and Siro Rodríguez, maracas and second voice. Miguel Matamoros possessed great qualities as a singer, he could produce a high A with ease; as a first guitarist, he made the introductions, as well as interludes, with grace and rich Cuban flavor; furthermore his very distinctive, suggestive and colorful strumming stands out, which Cueto completed with an original tumbao that he made in the lower registers of his guitar, and the rhythm of Siro's maracas. As a composer, Matamoros is not characterized by making great modulations or extratonal harmonic turns. His melodies are simple. In them one always observes the simplification of the line that, in addition to being beautiful, carries implicit a fundamental balance. This way of composing made his musical personality more relevant, accentuating the elements proper to his style. In 1928 he made his first trip to the United States with the Trío; in 1929 they went to Mexico; in 1930 they went to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and in 1933 they carried out a tour through Venezuela, Panama, Curaçao, Puerto Rico and Colombia. In 1926 he founded the Sexteto Matamoros, made up of Miguel Matamoros, director, guitar and first voice; Francisco Portela (Paquito), bass; Manuel Poveda, bongó; Manuel Borgellá (Mozo), tres; José Mecía (Pepe), trumpet; Siro Rodríguez, second voice and maracas, and Rafael Cueto guitar. In 1938 he was a member of a jury made up, furthermore, by Gonzalo Roig, Rita Montaner and Eliseo Grenet, which awarded Celia Cruz, in a contest to choose the conga queen, organized by Radio Lavín - Mil Diez. In 1943 they worked at the radio stations CMQ and Mil Diez, at the latter Benny Moré joined him. In 1945 he founded the Conjunto Matamoros, made up of Miguel Matamoros, director, guitar and first voice; Rafael Cueto, guitar; Siro Rodríguez, second voice and maracas; Benny Moré, singer; Ramón Dorca, piano; José Mecía and José Quintero, trumpet; Cristóbal Mendive, bass, and Agustín Gutiérrez, bongó. That same year they traveled to Mexico, where they performed in cabarets, theaters and at the XEQ radio station. From 1948 to 1952 they worked with Matamoros in the septet and conjunto Baconao and in the Cuarteto Maisí: Roberto Díaz and Carlos Embale, singers; Felipe Torriente, bass; Francisco Repilado (Compay Segundo), clarinet; Pedro Mena, bongó and Armando Beltrán, piano. With his Trío he toured, in addition to Mexico and the United States, through Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Colombia. In 1960 he made his last trip to the United States, upon his return he retired from artistic life, and the Trío disbanded. Death He died on April 15, 1971 in Santiago de Cuba. Tributes In 2011 during the development of the Cuban International Cubadisco 2011 Fair, a statue by artist José Rolando Montero was unveiled, made in bronze that represents him life-size at the corner of Callejón del Carmen and San Bartolomé, in his hometown of Santiago de Cuba[1]. Works Afro-son Bing-bong-bang, Tambó tambores Blue-son Conciencia Bolero What's it to you? Desolation The Advice Elixir of Life Oath The Miraculous Drug Light that Does Not Shine, Mata and Beby Oblivion Promise or Offering, Mystical Complaint Longings Delirium of Love Sweet Mouth Sweet Enchantment I Don't Doubt Your Love To My Friends How Much I Love You Delights of Love Pure Love Return of Love You Lie Under the Willows Mistrust The Cocainemanic Black Shadows How One Loves Follow Me Silver Wings Tell Me I Dreamed of You and Found You Your Letter and Mine Come Listen to Me May the Train Continue Bolero-son By the Shore of the Guaso The Trio and the Cyclone Black Tears Bewitching Eyes Hidden Sorrows Maruja Prayer of Love Yes, Sir, of Course My Flirt More Than Love Your Premonition Love and Doubt Learn How My Love Is Unfortunate The Queen of My Bohio Because I'm a Beggar Unhappy Dream I Call You You Persist Heart A Scolding of Love I Understand Me Too My Mother and the War Country Rumba Sad, Very Sad Realities What Love Is My Only Mouth But Like Yours Not Caprice Warnings False Woman Why Did They Pass? Visions. Conga Happy Conga Quirimbamba Working in the Sugar Mill It's My Good Conga Conga Blood Let's Go to the Conga The Conga of the Good Chinese Listen to My Conga Caramba Juan the Waffle Seller Larará My Little Black Conga Don't Confuse My President Criolla Bertica The Triumphant Night The Useless Test My Rose Danzón The Chinese Cornet. Danzonete Demonstration. Guaracha The Mulata Anita, 1937 My Opinion Canuto is Good They Tell Me That... Television Practical Advice I'm a Maraca Player Guaracha-son Tenement Comments Postcards of My Cuba Dance My Son Habanera Spring Butterfly. Pasodoble Juan Simón Bullfighter. Punto The Cart and the Cane Rumba Today the Rumba It's Going to Die Samba Nothing More Son Mama, Son from the Hill Tearful Bomb Singing You Go Far He Who Plants His Corn The Vote and the Woman Hours of Passion Kill, God Forgives My Clothes Poor Bohemia Give Me the Ticket Santiaguera If You Catch the Train Tito Broke My Machine You'll See The Paralyzed Man Bath Leaves Antonio's Woman Lucifer Oh, Deceptive! Grandma Barcachán My Woman Misbehaves Things of the Past The Bee Stung You Divorce in Spain Nudism in Cuba The Gravediggers The Maraca of Cuba From Fishing Just Bone False Love My Little Doll, Who Threw the Bomb? The Code of Social Defense Havana-Santiago The Ma'Teodora Poor Chinese Man Happy Repetition Don't Go My Peasant Son and Not Son Five Reals Arajimba When You Go Discreet Desire Pancha's Husband Smellsmell Commissioned Woman The Ruin of My Bohio Crazy Ambition Malanga My Plan Listen to My Clave Listen Now Poor Chauffeur Seducer You Know Shrimp and Mamoncillos Listen to the Cha-Cha Play Ball I Want to Laugh Dance My Crier and My Coffee Grower Dry Coconut Among Gypsies Rowing Drummer I Will Dance Your Son I Want You Not to Deceive Me Listen, Morena Tango The Little Orphan Vals-canción Nightmare