Marcelino Guerra Abreu

He was born in the beautiful city of Cienfuegos. Before turning 10 years old, he loses his parents and stays under the care of his grandmother. The young man, in an unusual effort, struggles for his subsistence and reaches the eighth grade with the dream of being a musician like the one he heard on the records of the Sexteto Habanero, the first to record commercially in Cuba in the year 1925.

Marcelino Guerra, despite being a composer with monumental works that have been performed by countless groups of all Cuban rhythmic genres, and that have maintained their vitality for almost a century, his name could not reach the height of the popularity of "Pare Cochero", lyrics by Miguel Ángel Banguela and music by Guerra, and others that we will mention later.

In the imprecise era of the 1930s of the twentieth century, Marcelino appears singing with the Septeto Habanero and a period later he sings with the Cauto de Mozo Borjellá.

In 1937, he records for the RCA Víctor record label, highlighting the success of his beautiful and pleasant second voice with the Septeto Nacional directed by Ignacio Piñeiro.

In 1940 he travels to Puerto Rico with the trío Oriental, and upon his return he joins the ensemble of Arsenio Rodríguez, which also around that time joins the Azul ensemble of Chano Pozo.

Although his muse never abandons him and together with the already known composer Julio Blanco Leonard, he creates a series of works that have remained as something lasting for our national culture. From them we can remember, Maleficio, La clave misteriosa, Ña Teresa (Yo ta cansá), and the guajira, Buscando la Melodía, among others.

One of the orchestras that always performed the works of this duo was that of Mariano Mercerón, where on occasions he sang with his second voice.

Marcelino Guerra meets the singer and bassist Alfredo León, with whom he forms a small group to work in the cabaret "El Edén Concert", located in Old Havana, where he performs with success. But the owner of this place, the Brazilian-Portuguese Víctor de Correa, abandons this cabaret and opens the Tropicana, located on the small street Ave Truffín in Marianao, where the mentioned entrepreneur takes the two performers with their group and their magnificent voices.

While Marcelino is performing in the Tropicana cabaret, a high executive of the Robbins publishing company, upon hearing the works of the inspired musician and composer, offers him a contract to record, and the young man from Cienfuegos, without thinking twice, departs in the year 1944 to the city of New York to develop himself as what he was, a brilliant singer-songwriter.

With that advantageous position that life offers him, Marcelino creates memorable works such as "A mi manera" which, although the text is attributed to another composer, this theme defines him as he was, as he acted, this work being an autobiography as few authors have so eloquently defined their personality.

A MI MANERA
They say this is not life, this life I live
That what I feel does not seem like love
That I have the defect of being very proud
And that indifferent I pass before pain

I don't deceive anyone because I am sincere
And when I give myself in a passion
I don't care when I want when I want
Because in my way I give my heart

While in the fabulous northern city, the young man from Cienfuegos meets the Cuban musician Francisco Pérez Grillo, better known in the musical world as Machito, who owns the musical band "Machito and his Afro Cubans", dedicated entirely to making Cuban music known.

Machito, who knows the merits of his colleague, integrates an additional group as a result of the immense amount of work he has and puts it at Marcelino's disposal, who at the moment sees himself as an orchestra director. It is thus that the brilliant musician begins to record the entire range of works he brings in his mind, both of his own and of other authors.

One of Marcelino Guerra and Bienvenido Julián Gutiérrez's most elementary compositions and of extraordinary beauty is undoubtedly "Convergencia", sung as a wonderful duet by Pablo Milanés and Miguelito Cuní with the ensemble of Félix Chapottín, this work has also been performed by countless groups.

CONVERGENCIA
Aurora of pink at dawn
Melodious note that the violin moaned
Novelesque insomnia where love lived
Thus you are the beginning and end of illusion

Thus you go in my heart
Thus you are of inspiration
Timber of a ship that shipwrecked
Stone rolling upon itself
Aching soul wandering alone
From beaches waves thus I am
The straight line that converged
Because yours finally lived

Marcelino Guerra returns in the year 1945 to his homeland where he stays for a short period and performs with some groups and returns to New York. He creates his own orchestra with pianist Gilberto Ayala, to perform any type of activity, including recording a large number of Cuban numbers with the Verne record label, most by the musician himself. This time he called the group "Batamú".

Going back to history, the origin of his pseudonym Rapindey has never been known because several versions have emerged.

It is said that around the 1940s, Guerra marries Cuban Mercedes Valdés. In that regard, important works of his appear under that name to evade contracts with publishers, which in that era were signed for years. It is thus that "Me voy pal´ pueblo" sung by the trio Los Panchos, resulted in great popularity, this appears under the name of Mercedes Valdés, as do many others.

In the year 1954, Marcelino Guerra abandons everything and enrolls on a ship to remain for eleven and a half years as a merchant marine, confirming the saying that of musicians, poets and madmen, we all have a little.

After that time and already divorced, he returns to the city of New York to marry a woman from Madrid and continues his life as a singer and composer, until in 1972 he retires to live in Campello, Alicante, Spain.

The "Festival de Bilbao Tropikal" of June 1996 dedicated to his undisputed personality, came a bit late for him, because according to a colleague who was on the commission in search of him headed to Campello Alicante, they could not see him because his wife did not allow it.

Already very ill, on July 30, 1996, almost a month later, he passed away as a composer.

Among the groups that performed or recorded with the talented musician we can mention: Septeto Habanero, Septeto Nacional, Septeto Cauto de Mozo Borjellá, Agrupación Los Trovadores Cubanos, Mongo Santamaría, Orq. Sensación, Conj. Siboney de Pilderot, Conj. Luis Lija Ortiz, Puerto Rican tres player, Conjunto Cubanakán, Orq. Casino de la Playa, Orq. Mariano Mercerón, Orq. Tito Rodríguez, Conj. Los Dandys, Sexteto Caraban, His Own Orchestra, Orq. Carlos García, and others.

Approach to the recordings made by Marcelino Guerra Rapindey, in the different groups mentioned.

Marcelino Guerra Ensemble.
1948
Candito / guaracha, Arsenio Rodríguez
A Puerto Rico / bolero, Arsenio Rodríguez and Marcelino Guerra
Esas son las cosas / guaracha, Arsenio Rodríguez and Marcelino Guerra
No puede ser / bolero, Arsenio Rodríguez and Marcelino Guerra
Eso dices tú / bolero, Marcelino Guerra
Déjame dormir / Mambo, Marcelino Guerra

With his orchestra
1945- U.S.A.
Dice mi gallo / guaracha, Iván Fernández
Impresión / bolero, PP and MG
Comparsa barracón / guaracha, R. Valdés
Miedo de ti / bolero, Isolina Carrillo
Marcelino se va / rumba, Marcelino Guerra
No me digas nada / Bolero, R. Seijo
Maraca y bongó / guaracha, Marcelino Guerra
No me culpes / bolero, R. Seijo

1946- U.S.A.
Como yo jamás / bolero, Isolina Carrillo
Boba / son –montuno, Marcelino Guerra
Cansado de ti / bolero, Mercedes Valdés
Ay, ay, ay / Son –mt, Mercedes Valdés
El bejuco // son-mt. Marcelino Guerra
Como la rumba / rumba, Mercedes Valdés
Si quieres bailar / son, Mercedes Valdés
Rumba gallega / rumba, R. Audinot, ins
Se acabó la confianza / bolero-son, Mercedes Valdés
Cubaney / son, E. Pilderot
Tus recuerdos / bolero, Oscar Lombardo
Aprieta el paso / guaracha, Mercedes Valdés
Buscando la melodía/ Guajira, Marcelino Guerra and Julio Blanco Leonard
Oye mi voz / guaracha, Mercedes Valdés
Caramelo santo / pregón, DR
Chon chon chon / son, Marcelino Guerra
Indiferencia / bolero, A. Coen
Bridis / bolero, G. Hernández
No te vallas / bolero, Pepe Robles
Vivo del recuerdo / bolero Mundito Medina
Caridad, tu come pellejo / guaracha, Mercedes Valdés
He vuelto / bolero Guerra and Camacho
Dandy de Belén / rumba, DR
La droga / Bolero –son, DR
Españolita / capricho, DR
Coje el compás / rumba, DR
Sol de libertad / lamento, Marcelino Guerra and Julio Blanco Leonard
Rumba rumbero / rumba, MV (Miguel)

1947- U.S.A.
Anacobero /guaracha, A. Tallada
La negra Tomaza o Bilongo / guaracha, Guillermo Rodríguez Fife
La chica del otro lao / guaracha, Sofía María
Con esa sí / guaracha, Marcelino Guerra
Bochinchera / guaracha, Marcelino Guerra
En Tampa /guaracha, Arsenio Rodríguez
Por causa de las mujeres / guaracha, DR
La quise con cariño / bolero DR

1948- U.S.A.
Dímelo / bolero, Jhonnhy Rodríguez
Rumba en el patio / rumba, Pedrito Hernández
Ají Caribe / merengue, DR
Brown skin girl / clp, DR

1949- U.S.A.
Cada uno pá su lao / guaracha, Marcelino Guerra
Suena la tambó / guaracha, Julio Blanco Leonard
La noche tiene mil ojos / beg, DR
Yo traigo el mambo / guaracha, DR
Lano rumba / rumba, Marcelino Guerra
Como ven Manzanillo / s-mt, DR
Tú verá lo que tú vá vé / guaracha, Remberto Beker
La múcura /Cumbia, por A: Fuentes
Bob Harris Show / b-mambo, Marcelino Guerra

1950- U.S.A.
Dame otra cosa / m-b, DR
Se fue / mambo, Marcelino Guerra
Ublia-U / mambo, Marcelino Guerra
Robbins / son, Marcelino Guerra
Y yo sufriendo por tí / son, DR
Mientras yo viva Bolero Marcelino Guerra
Arrímese usted / mambo, Marcelino Guerra
Cuando tú quieras / bolero, Marcelino Guerra

1952- U.S.A.
Eso dices tú / bolero, Marcelino Guerra
Déjame morir / mambo, Marcelino Guerra
El brujo / afro, Marcelino Guerra
No me des más / mambo, DR
Negrita / guaracha, Marcelino Guerra
Bruca Manigua / afro, Arsenio Rodríguez
Tierra va a temblá / afro, MMe
Sin san sore / afro, Celedonio González.
Yenye / afro Marcelino Guerra

Marcelino Guerra with his Trio (sung by M. Guerra and Vicentico Valdés)
Que me haces mal / bolero, Marcelino Guerra
Amor olvidado / bolero, Marcelino Guerra and Julio Blanco Leonard

Lp Ansonia SALP 1601 with Luis Lija Ortiz and his sexteto Caravan and as a duet with Nando Díaz. N.Y. 1982.
No me persigas / guaracha, P. F.
Cuando estoy contigo / bolero,. Felo (Madrigal)
El carbón / b-s, PF
Brinca Perico / guaracha, María Flores
Cuidado con el pegapalo / guaracha, Marcelino Guerra
Volví a querer / b-s, MG/RBS

In the year 1995, the record label, "Nubenegra", produced a CD number 1012, recorded in Madrid in tribute to Marcelino Guerra Rapindey and his music where the following musicians participated among others: Reinaldo Hierrezuelo, Francisco Repilado, known as Compay Segundo, Pancho Amat, Gema Corredera, Pável Urquiza, Mirtha de la Torre, Joseito González, Javier Colina, Aristoteles Limonta, Reinaldo Creagh, Moisés Porro, Modesto Julbe, Manuel Machado, Amado Machado, Omara Portuondo, Demetrio Muñíz, Jacqueline Castellanos, as a duet with Marcelino Guerra, Hierrezuelo and Guerra also sang duets, what could be called a constellation of stars, performing the following works of the brilliant composer and musician:

Pare cochero / guaracha, MG/Banguela
Arrebatadora / guaracha, MG
Guajiro / gj-s MG
Fuiste cruel / b MG
Prietita / b-s MG
A mi manera / b MG
¡Qué música más linda! / gj MG
Oye mi son / s MG
Buscando la melodía / gj, Marcelino Guerra and Julio Blanco Leonard.