Orestes López Valdés

Born in La Habana. He studied music with his father. Later, he studied piano with Fernando Carnicer and also learned to play the flute. He is the brother of Israel López "Cachao".

In the twenties he began as a bass player in Miguel Vázquez's charanga. In the thirties he formed a danzón group together with Abelardo Barroso. In 1924 he began working with Spanish conductor Pedro SanJuan as a bass player in the Filarmónica habanera.

He later founded his orchestra Unión. In 1938 he was with Arcaño y sus Maravillas, as a cellist. That year he composed his danzón "Mambo", the genesis of that musical style, which was cultivated by his brother Israel López and others, and later taken up by Dámaso Pérez Prado who reworked it, expanded and developed it, transferring it to Jazz Band and universalizing it.

He was a member of the Orquesta Filarmónica de La Habana and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, as a bass player.

Author, also, of the danzones "El que más goza", "Camina Juan Pescao", "El truco", "Tan suave" and "El coloso".

During his career he was part of popular groups such as los Hermanos Contreras and the orchestra Armando Romeu.

Considered one of the most popular interpreters of the danzonete, he left for posterity pieces such as Pasarán los años, Rapsodia en azul, Rosa que no se marchita, Silvio al bate, Nace una estrella and Soy matancero.

One afternoon in 1938, bassist Orestes López arrives filled with anxiety at the recording studios and says with euphoric tone to his director Arcaño "Let's premiere a new rhythm I have", after hearing him hum it, Arcaño agreed to do a quick rehearsal before going on air. At seven o'clock sharp the announcer said: "With the sponsorship of Gravi pasta, the queen of toothpastes and for the delight of the audience listening to us at this hour on your Radio Station Mil Diez, we will now hear the Orquesta Raidofónica de Arcaño y sus Maravillas, an ace on each instrument and a marvel together, who will make us enjoy a new and unequaled creation: the danzón "Mambo"

Died on January 26, 1991, López dedicated much of his career to the Sinfónica, in which he worked as an arranger, composer and conductor until the last years of his life.