Regla Teresa García Rodríguez

Cuban singer. Youngest daughter of the great Cuban composer Alejandro García Caturla. She began her musical life at a very early age.

Native of Remedios, former province of Las Villas. She began her musical life at a very early age, in the city where she was born. Later, she joined the Children's Band, under the baton of maestro Agustín Jiménez Crespo and studied at the Municipal Academy.

She enrolled in the Normal School and graduated as a teacher, but ultimately devoted herself entirely to music. In 1958 she moved to Havana where she performed with "Las Anacaonas". Later, in 1963 she joins the Cuarteto D´ Aida as the fourth voice, alongside Omara Portuondo, Xiomara Valdés and Lilita Peñalver. With them she performed at the Tropicana, Caribe, Capri, Riviera, and Parisién cabarets, in the country's main theaters, and in stellar radio and television programs, thus beginning her professional career.

Furthermore, with this vocal group she recorded albums, worked in the most important nightclubs in Cuba such as Tropicana, the Parisién cabaret, the Caribe cabaret, the stages of the Capri and Riviera hotels, among many others; she performed in theaters and in various music venues, as well as in important stellar programs on Cuban radio and television, while at the same time contracts were being made to perform in different countries in America, Europe and Asia.

In October 1973, when Aida Diestro, founder and director of the Cuarteto, passed away, Teresa assumes the leadership of the group alongside her brother Ramón García Caturla, and during this period they continue to reap successes both on the island and abroad, with a select repertoire encompassing the best of Cuban music. They triumphed in countries such as Panama, in 1978; in Granada a year later; in Mexico during 1983; in Spain, in 1984; as well as Angola and Finland, in 1986 and 1987, respectively. The group disbanded in 1988.

Around 1980, Teresa was part of informal groups that "jammed" in places in Cuba and abroad, she was heard as a soloist with the Estrellas de Areito group, from EGREM, which left excellent albums and achieved great success in Venezuela, alongside classic voices such as Tito Gómez, Miguelito Cuní, Pío Leiva, and the support of instrumentalists of the caliber of Enrique Jorrín, Rafael Lay and Richard Egües, Félix Chapottin, Rubén González, Cachaito López, Amadito Valdés and Tata Güines, to name just a few stellar figures of this constellation.

As of spring 1998 she joined as a soloist to the Afro-Cuban All Stars project, performing successfully at World Music and Jazz festivals in Europe, such as the "Swinging Broningen Festival" in the Netherlands, the "Palee Festival" in Switzerland, and the "Masalla Festival" in Germany. During these years she undertook tours through the United States and Canada, performing at venues such as the "Conga Room" in Los Angeles, the "Hollywood Bowl", the "Lisner Auditorium" in Washington, "Town Hall" in New York; "Massey Hall" in Toronto and "Le Spectrum" in Montreal. She also performs at the Royal Festival Hall in London, and participates, as a guest soloist, in the recording of albums linked to the Buena Vista Social Club project, alongside figures such as Omara Portuondo and Ibrahim Ferrer.

In 2003, celebrating her 40 years of professional life, and after having participated in countless recording sessions with many colleagues, Teresa García Caturla's first solo CD hit the market, under the title "Llegó Teté". This exquisite phonogram was awarded the Gran Premio Cubadisco 2004.

After the release of her album, Teresa continued performing in Cuba and touring the world, either with her new group called Rumba Tere, or as part of the stars of the Buena Vista Social Club.

Teté has tremendous training: the school of family tradition, genetics and that acquired alongside great masters from Aida Diestro to Rubén González Fontanills. She possesses grace, intonation, precise phrasing, perfect diction, enviable sense of rhythm, her own timbre and versatility, but what she values most is the affection and respect that the public professes for her.

She participates as a guest soloist in CDs of the Buena Vista Social Club project, specifically with Omara Portuondo and Ibrahim Ferrer. As well as in the CDs of Termidor with Pío Leiva.

Discography
1. Estrellas de Areito. With Félix Chapottin, Miguelito Cuní, Tito Gómez, Paquito D Rivera, Enrique Jarrín, among others. World Circuit.

2. La Fiesta del Timbalero. With Raúl Gutierrez, Lou Donaldson, Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros and Nickie Marrero. Bellafhon.

3. Omara la novia del Feeling with Omara Portuondo, Pío Leyva. EGREM.

4. Habana Night. With Celeste Mendoza, Tito Gómez, Caridad Cuervo, Ela Calvo. Max.

5. Vicio Latino II. With Irazu Big Band featuring Kenny Kirland, Changuito, Amadito Valdés, Jesús Ramos. Caribe Productions.

6. Soy la Mulata. With the D Aidas, Tata Güines, Ricardo León and Richard Egües. Bellafhon.

7. Buenavista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer. As a guest of Ibrahim Ferrer, Ray Cooder and Eliades Ochoa. World Circuit.

8. Distinto y Diferente. With Afro Cuban All Stars, directed by Juan D Marcos González, with Frank Emilio Flynn, Orlando Valle Maracas, Lino Borges and others. World Circuit.

9. Esta es mi Rumba, by Pío Leiva. As a guest with Omara Portuondo and Compay Segundo. Unicornio Label, ABDALA.

10. Llego Teté, first solo CD with the participation of Omara Portuondo, Ibrahim Ferrer, Pío Leyva and Rubalcava among others, under the direction of Germán Velazco and Gloria Ochoa. Bis Music.

Awards
2016 Replica of the machete mambí [1].