José Tejedor Silbate

Singer, he began in amateur programs, parties and performances in public places, forming a popular duo with Luis Oviedo. In 1959 he made his first bolero recordings, performed in a peculiar style. Since 1962 he sang accompanied by the Musicuba ensemble. He recorded several long-playing albums. Among his successes stand out In the Darkness, Twelve Times, When You're Very Alone, Like a Ship Without Direction, With Your Name on My Lips.

Born in Santos Suárez, a Havana neighborhood, José Tejedor Sibate stood out as a composer, guitarist and performer. The musical career of this brilliant singer, who possessed a crystalline and well-tuned voice not easily forgotten, was not easy for him.

Tejedor Sibate walked the path that all of us dreamers traveled who insisted on inserting ourselves into the ineffable world of art, with tenacity and awareness of his artistic quality. He never faltered, and thus presented himself on "La Corte Suprema del Arte," a program on the CMQ radio station, a forge of great figures in Cuban art, although Tejedor passed through the program without fanfare.

But this performer faced days of relentless struggle, such as: his condition as a Black man, poor and blind, in a racist society, his figure of two hundred fifty-five pounds, plus his height of six feet two inches—everything conspired against his legitimate and longed-for artistic endeavor.

But as perseverance brings success, the blind singer found some alternatives: One was meeting Luís Oviedo Medero in 1959, and another was trying to record on disc, that which no one can lie to, nor does it allow any deception. Another option Tejedor had was to carry out both danceable activities and show spectacles. It is essential to say that television produced very few of these.

Luís Oviedo always sang in falsetto voice and not as a second voice, as has been said, meaning a third or a sixth above the main voice. It is also correct to say that he performed half of the work of what Tejedor sang and the duo resulted very pleasant.

The first record company that became interested in José Tejedor was the small label Rosy, which in 1959 recorded him alongside pianist and arranger Javier Vázquez.

Later, the Discuba record company contracted him to record a group of works under its label.

José Tejedor's recordings sold like hotcakes and the Discuba label wasted no time recording his second LP 566, titling it "Love in a Shot—Tejedor and His Group." Same as the previous one. CMQ February 15, 1960. Reissued on CD (1991).

With the rise of that blind man who sang boleros so wonderfully and especially Moorish boleros, the "Areito" label contracted him to make some records accompanied by the "Javier Vázquez" ensemble, which he titled "When You're Very Alone." It is fair to clarify that some pieces Tejedor Sibate performs solo and others with the falsetto of Luís Oviedo.

LP Areito 3275 "My Hours with You"—José Tejedor and His Group, 1960s decade, with arrangements by Pepito López.

Areito 9000 "I Bring This Song." LP 9000 "Tejedor and Luís with the Musicuba Ensemble"

LP Areito 4266 "Boleros—José Tejedor" With the EGREM ensemble. Direction and orchestration by Pepito López, Havana 1985

LP Areito 4659 "Tejedor's Style"

As can be verified, the collection of recordings of this magnificent performer with the Areito label proved to be a complete success. No other company printed so many recordings of singers unless they were to the taste of bolero fans, as these two Havana singers were, who delighted audiences with unforgettable melodies.

Gilberto Castillo, very close to the blind man with his unmistakable and pleasant voice, recalls that Tejedor was an amiable and affectionate person.

The Siboney record company also shared its records with the marvelous voice of José Tejedor and Luis, and thus recorded an LP Siboney 245, titling it "Boleros Forever." For this, he grouped the "Sonora Santiaguera" ensemble, with the following musicians: Joaquín Mendivel director, arranger and pianist, Rafael Morales and Juan Casas trumpeters, Marcos Cobas bass, Martín Cobas güiro, Guillermo Ibarra bongos, Vicente Nápoles tumbadora, Omar Massó timbales, Enrique Leiva maracas, Rogelio Figueroa recording engineer. This "Long-Playing" record was made in Santiago de Cuba.

The "Discuba" label once again contracts the by-now famous performer who with his beautiful voice captivated almost all of our people who loved the immortal bolero, and whose gramophones of those years repeated his recordings night and day as if under a spell.

José Tejedor Sibate and Luís have maintained themselves by their own merit and because their admirers wanted it that way, with great stability on the national radio frequencies, especially on the COCO station, where they are heard regularly almost every day at 11:30 in the morning on the program "Favorites Forever." Their recordings continue to have the brightness and freshness that characterize them.

Tejedor Sibate recorded the following boleros for commercial record labels: "Understand Me Better," "For What You Did," "Forever I Will Love You," and "A Day in the Month."

Some years ago the radio station "Radio Marianao" was based in that municipality, and José Tejedor presented himself as a troubadour daily accompanied by his guitar twice a day.

On November 2, 1991, one of the most beloved boleristas of our country, José Tejedor Sibate, passed away in the city of Havana. His companion in art, Luís Oviedo Medero, later retired.