Ñico Saquito
Ñico Saquito | |
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Benito Antonio Fernández Ortiz (13 February 1901 – 4 August 1982), better known as Ñico Saquito, was a Cuban trova songwriter, guitarist and singer.[1] He is widely considered the most prolific and successful composer of guarachas, most of which he wrote during his stint as a member of Los Guaracheros de Oriente.[2] Among his most enduring compositions are "Cuidadito compay gallo", "María Cristina", "Adiós compay gato", "Al vaivén de mi carreta", "Camina como Chencha" and "Amarrao compé".[1][2]
Life and career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/%C3%91ico_Saquito_294A5383_casa_natal.jpg/220px-%C3%91ico_Saquito_294A5383_casa_natal.jpg)
Saquito was born on 13 February 1901,[nb 1] in Santiago de Cuba, the capital of the Santiago de Cuba Province (known as the Oriente Province between 1905 and 1976), notable for its traditional trova music. From an early age Saquito was a keen baseball player, using a jute sack as his baseball glove, from which his nickname originated (ñico from Antoñico, diminutive of his name due to his short stature, and saquito meaning small sack).[2] By the age of 15 he had already attracted attention for his songwriting, and abandoned a career in baseball to start life as a trovador.
Saquito directed his own group in the 1920s, and later joined the Cuarteto Castillo, spending much of the 1930s touring Cuba with the group. His first hit came in 1936 when the
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He seemed to collect nicknames: to some he was "El guarachero de Oriente" (because he led the group of that name) and to others "Compay gato" (from his number "Adiós compay gato"). Later in his life Ñico played mostly in the bar-restaurant La Bodeguita del Medio, in Havana. In 1982 he recorded his last album at EGREM's Siboney studios in Santiago de Cuba with the Cuarteto Patria and the Dúo Cubano; these recordings were released posthumously on World Circuit in 1993 under the title Good-bye Mr. Cat, becoming his only American LP.[7]
Discography
- 1956: Esto es Cuba (Sonora) — with Ramón Veloz
- 1959: Son cosas de Ñico Saquito (Panart) — with Ramón Veloz
- 1960: Linda guajira (Panart)
- 1969: Ñico Saquito y su conjunto de Oriente
- 1979: Ñico Saquito (Areito)
- 1993: Good-bye Mr. Cat (World Circuit)
Notes
References
- ^ ISBN 0822332124.
- ^ ISBN 9780932367150.
- ISBN 978-84-1337-334-8.
- ^ Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal (Fall 2013). "Ñico Saquito" (PDF). Encyclopedic Discography of Cuban Music 1925-1960. Florida International University Libraries. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ^ Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal (Fall 2013). "Conjunto Compay Gallo" (PDF). Encyclopedic Discography of Cuban Music 1925-1960. Florida International University Libraries. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ^ a b c Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal (Fall 2013). "Los Guaracheros de Oriente" (PDF). Encyclopedic Discography of Cuban Music 1925-1960. Florida International University Libraries. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ^ Ñico Saquito - Biography. Allmusic.com. Retrieved on 25 October 2017.