Son Clave de Oro

Mexican band specializing in Cuban rhythms. Its direct inspiration was the Cuban band Son Cuba de Marianao which had brought the "son", the rumba, the danzón, and other Cuban rhythms to Mexico as early as 1928. Son Clave de Oro began in the late 1930's under the name Son Marabú at the request of famed composer Agustín Lara who wanted a back up band for singer Toña La Negra, one of Lara's most accomplished vocalists. Its first director was Toña's husband, musician Guillermo Cházaro Ahumada, but from the beginning the band boasted an excellent line up of accomplished Mexican and Cuban players. One of the most popular tunes in their repertoire was the Cuban danzón "Clave de oro" so they changed the band's name to Son Clave de Oro. Apart from its work with Toña La Negra, Son Clave de Oro became quite popular in night clubs, cabarets, dance halls, theaters, and radio broadcasts. Soon they were signed by the powerful record label RCA Victor which had both Toña La Negra and Agustín Lara in its rooster of stars. Their studio recordings for RCA were quite successful making the band a musical treasure for Mexico.They enjoyed a solid popularity throughout the 1940's and 1950's and were featured in several films during those golden years. Many of the musicians that played in Son Clave de Oro became as legendary as the band itself. Among them Toña's brother Manuel Peregrino Álvarez (guitar, percussion), Absalón Pérez (piano), Mario Ruíz Armengol (piano), Eulalio Ruiz de Mantilla a.k.a. "Lalo" (lead guitar), Domingo Vernier a.k.a. "Mango" (flute), Lauro Uranga (violin) Chino Ibarra (trumpet), Manolo Guido (trumpet), Pablo Zamora (percussion), and others. Lead singers for the band at different times were Pedro Domínguez a.k.a. "Moscovita", José Vásquez a.k.a. "Chepilla", and Orlando Guerra a.k.a. "Cascarita."