Cuban percussionist Cándido Camero dies in the Bronx

November 9, 2020

The prestigious Cuban percussionist Cándido Camero Guerra, one of the great legends of Latin jazz, passed away at age 99 this Saturday, November 7th at his residence in the Bronx, New York. According to reports from his grandson Julián, the legendary musician died in his sleep.

Camero, born in the Havana neighborhood of el Cerro on April 22nd, 1921, is considered an eminence of Latin music, with significant contributions to the development of Afro-Cuban music. He learned to play the bongos at just 4 years old and made his professional debut as a teenager, at only 14.

The conga and bongos were his instruments par excellence and the unique way he played them impressed audiences.

Regarding his passing, renowned Cuban musician Willy Chirino wrote on his social networks: "Cuban music loses one of the greats."

"Cándido Camero was a musical giant acclaimed as one of the greatest Afro-Cuban percussionists to reach the United States. His musical gift is a powerful force, a driving force as he plays percussion with fingers that demonstrate technical skill with a love for music. Even when Cándido performs alone on stage, the stage seems full," words that the artist shared following the news.

"Cándido has played with more than two hundred of the best musicians such as: Tony Bennett, Marco Rizo, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez, Bobby Capó, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton, Chico O'Farrill, Ray Charles, Pedro Vargas, Mongo Santamaría, Gloria Estefan, Nat King Cole, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Marco Rizo, Thalia, Billy Taylor, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Celia Cruz, Gonzalo Roig, Machito, Bobby Sanabria, (U)nity, Paquito D'Rivera, La Lupe, Lecuona and the Steven Scott orchestra, among the most popular musicians of Cuba, Latin America and the world," he added.

The emblematic musician learned to play the tres through lessons from his father. An instrument with which he later became part of the Septeto Gloria Habanera and accompanied stellar figures such as Ramón Mongo Santamaría and Luciano Chano Pozo, with whom he played the famous song 'Manteca'.

In 1946 Cándido settled in the United States. He traveled to the country with a Cuban dance group as part of a tour of several cities. The group, made up of recognized professional dancers, could not afford the expense of bringing the bongos and conga player they needed, and that is how Cándido decided to play both instruments simultaneously.