On His Birthday the King of Improvisation in Dance Music

September 20, 2020

The singer, composer, poet, and orchestra director Cándido Fabré, known as the King of Improvisation in danceable music, turns 61 years old this September 20th.

Born in the city of San Luis, province of Santiago de Cuba, this Cuban musician is the only singer on the Island who begins singing at a party at 12 at night and finishes when dawn breaks, which is why dancers in the eastern zone call him El Amanezco.

His distinctive voice timbre combined with his ability to improvise and make people dance with his music opens doors for him wherever he goes. Cándido Fabré is recognized as an authentic defender of the best danceable music and is among the three most recorded composers in Cuba and abroad, along with Juan Formell (Van Van) and Adalberto Álvarez.

Thousands of people have enjoyed and still do when listening to his songs such as Abran paso que ahí viene la Original; A la hora que me llamen voy; Córranse ahí, caballeros; Deja que Roberto te toque; La Habana quiere guarachar contigo, to mention just a few.

The most recent musical release from this Cuban son musician, Separao por un momento, premiered from the rooftop of his house last April, in a concert offered especially to cheer up his neighbors amid the pandemic from the new coronavirus, and to urge them to maintain social and physical distancing.

Since the confinement imposed on us by Covid 19, Cándido Fabré continues making art while enriching his extensive work as a composer. His name has registered more than 2,000 pieces, of which close to a dozen have been created in times of coronavirus.

He recorded his first musical piece with la Original de Manzanillo, an orchestra to which he contributes son in the San Luis style: clave, tres, maracas, and the troubadour essence, and in which he remained for ten years until, in 1993, he separated from it and founded Cándido Fabré and his Band.

This well-known musician holds to date the Distinction for National Culture; the Alejo Carpentier Medal; the Abril Prize from the National UJC; and the Replica of Benny Moré's Baton and Hat by the ICR. He has been National Vanguard for several consecutive years and obtained the Neighborhood Prize, which is awarded by the National Board of the CDR. He also received the Barbados Martyrs Medal for being a worthy defender of Cuban sports; the Distinction of the Effort La Victoria, the highest award given by the province of Granma; the Raúl Gómez García Medal; and was declared Adopted Son of the cities of Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila.

Fabré's works are part of the repertoire of international figures such as Celia Cruz, José Alberto (El Canario), Oscar D'León, Joe Arroyo, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Johnny Fernández, Jerry Medina, Marvin Santiago and many Latin salseros. In Cuba they are sung by Isaac Delgado, Elito Revé y su Charangón, Pedrito Calvo y la Justicia, Grupo Manguaré, Jóvenes Clásicos del Son, Yumurí y sus Hermanos, Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco, Orquesta Adalberto Álvarez y su Son, los Van Van, la Aragón, Orquesta Karachi, among others.

Born into a musical family, this Cuban artist remains faithful to his origins and today celebrates his birthday, amid improvised verses and the affection of family, convinced that sooner rather than later he will return to singing for his people. Not from the rooftop of his house but in plazas, theaters and other public spaces as he used to do before Covid 19 arrived in Cuba imposing with its arrival the necessary isolation.