José Urfé González

He was born in Madruga. In his native town he began his musical studies in 1894, under the care of professor Domingo Ramos.

In 1895 he moved to La Habana, where he continued his education with Hipólito Rodríguez and studied harmony with maestro Carnicer.

Upon joining the orchestra of Teatro Payret he perfected his clarinet performances under the guidance of Pedro Pablo Diez.

In 1902 he was among the founders of the typical orchestra of Enrique Pena, in which he formed, as second clarinet, a celebrated duo with clarinetist José Belén Puig.

Later he moved, with José Belén, to the orchestra of Félix González.

As a composer he left behind outstanding works, among habaneras, criollas, caprichos and, above all, danzones, aside from some religious music.

He traveled on various occasions to Mexico and the United States as a member of theater orchestras.

He contributed to the danzón rhythmic elements from the son, which from then on defined the current form of the Cuban danzón, giving new structure to the final third, something that appeared for the first time in "El bombín de Barreto", in 1910.

Father of musicians (Odilio, Orestes, Jose, Esteban) and brother of clarinetist Jesús Urfé. His most listened to danzones are "Fefita", "Nena", "El churrero", "El dios chino", "El progreso" and above all, "El bombín de Barreto".

According to musicologist José Reyes Fortún, in the year 1910, José Urfé, composer, director and clarinetist, revolutionizes the Danzón by inserting, in its final part, a montuno of son in the style of the figurations of the eastern treseros". This Danzón was titled "El bombín de Barreto". This modification made it possible for dancers to create new figurations in the dance.

He was inspired by an occurrence involving one of his musicians to create this anthology piece. It turns out that the man wore a hat to hide his sparse hair, and at a show he changed it for a charming bowler hat that became the source of laughter for the rest of the group.

The danzón Fefita, also composed by Urfé, was very popular and included in the repertoire of various Cuban orchestras of the time such as that of Cheo Belén Puig, that of Antonio María Romeo, Fajardo, Aragón, Melodías del 40 and Siglo XX, which were danzoneras par excellence.

Urfé was an inspired musician, with an extensive portfolio of compositions not widely known, which also includes religious music, criollas, habaneras and hymns. He was born on February 6, 1879 in the picturesque town of Madruga, located in the current province of Mayabeque, where each year dances related to the International Danzón Festival take place.