Longino Rey Alonso Castillo

Distinguished musician and Orchestra Director. Son of the internationally renowned Pacho Alonso, he is the current Director of Pachito Alonso y sus Kini Kini, a Cuban musical group with broad national and international prestige.

He comes from a family with a strong musical tradition that has expanded from generation to generation. His father, composer and singer Pacho Alonso, holds a place of honor in the history of Cuban music.

Pachito Alonso began studying piano as a child. At the age of 11 he formed his first group and later founded a salsa orchestra with several of his classmates from the Academia de Arte de La Habana.

In 1973 he joined his father's orchestra and when he was 23 years old he became its musical director. In 1982, Pacho Alonso died at the age of 54, and Pachito became the director of the orchestra, which he renamed Pachito Alonso y Sus Kini Kini. A winner of numerous awards, since then he has recorded 11 albums, toured Europe, Latin America and the United States.

Continuing the family tradition of Pachito's musical legacy, Christian and Rey are the two main singers of Pachito Alonso y Sus Kini Kini, where Christian has composed several hits.

Pachito Alonso is the first Cuban artist contracted by a European record label (CBS Spain) and the only one who has performed for the Spanish Royal House. He has performed at important events such as the Latin Grammy festivities 2001; the Playboy Jazz Festival, Los Angeles, 2002, and the world-renowned Festival de Jazz de Austin, Texas.

A winner of numerous awards, since then he has recorded 11 albums, toured Europe, Latin America and the United States.

His keyboard format, brass, bass, drums, and percussion bring this group to life, which is made up of musicians with academic training and professional experience.

The albums in their collection feature numerous rhythms within a contemporary sound. In their repertoire we can find everything from a bolero to a son, cumbia, guaracha, merengue, salsa, chachachá or pilón.

He has participated in events such as the Red Cross Gala in Málaga and in the party of the Infantes of the Kings of Spain; at the coronation of the queen of Panama; the gala held at the Hotel de Guatemala for the Program "Siempre en Domingo" from Mexico.

In the 1990s it was a spectacular event at the Tamanaco hotel in Caracas, Venezuela. From that moment on, his presence was requested in several countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and France.

Pachito Alonso is the first Cuban artist contracted by a European record label (CBS Spain) and the only one who has performed for the Spanish Royal House. He has performed at important events such as the Latin Grammy festivities 2001; the Playboy Jazz Festival, Los Angeles, 2002, and the world-renowned Festival de Jazz de Austin, Texas.

Pachito Alonso y sus Kini Kini is one of the orchestras with the highest quality, professionalism and one of the most popular in the country. With the incorporation of his sons Christian and Rey, the orchestra has gained new momentum.