Julián Barreto

Born in La Habana and died in Palmira, Cienfuegos.

He began his flute studies under the guidance of Rafael Rojas, later he studied violin with Juan Torroella.

For some time he was a violin professor at the Academia Municipal de La Habana and was also part of the Banda Municipal de Música.

In 1926 he traveled to Spain and France, where he gave concerts of Cuban popular music. Later he returned to Cuba, where he founded a music academy in the Havana neighborhood La Víbora.

He was a violinist in several typical orchestras, mainly in the very well-known one of Enrique Pena.

He inspired the danzón by Jose Urfé "El bombín de Barreto" by José Urfé, which originated from a humorous event.

It happened that the orchestra of that famous danzonero would perform in Puerto Padre, and Julián Barreto, one of the violinists of the group and a man very careful about his dress, was interested in knowing what was the appropriate attire for that locality.

"Top hat all day," Urfé replied; so Barreto bought several top hats that he could not use, of course, in Puerto Padre.

This is how "El bombín de Barreto" came about, which has the historical importance of being, it is said, the first danzón with montuno or more lively section.