Guido Sarría, Historic Tumbador of the Orquesta Aragón, Has Passed Away

March 16, 2022

In early March, Guido Sarría Rodríguez passed away in Havana, having been the percussionist of the Orquesta Aragón for 32 years.

Sarría was born in Cienfuegos on January 4, 1926 and at just 19 years old joined the Orquesta Aragón, when the orchestra incorporated the tumbadora among its instruments, in 1945.

He played with the orchestra first in his native city of Cienfuegos and in towns of the former province of Las Villas, until the orchestra's performances reached the Cuban capital in the 1950s, and from there to other places in the world such as Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, the United States, and countries in Europe and Africa.

He accompanied the orchestra during moments when it performed several of its greatest hits such as "El Bodeguero", "Cachita", "Pare cochero", "Guajira con tumbao", among others.

"With great sorrow we announce the passing of one of our legends, Guido Sarría. Tumbador of the orchestra from the middle of the last century until 1977. Rest in peace Guido. Our embrace to the entire family", announced the Orquesta Aragón on its Facebook profile.

Trumpeter Felipe Hernández Eligio posted on his Facebook profile a video of one of his performances at Guido's funeral service, accompanied by the following message: "Today, paying a sad tribute to the last veteran of the Orquesta Aragón, Guido Jesús Sarría Rodríguez, beloved by the people of Cuba and by all his 15 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren".

Today paying a sad tribute to the last veteran and founder of the Orquesta Aragón Guido De Jesús Sarria Rodriguez...