MADRID, Spain.- The Los Zafiros quartet has been one of the most popular and important vocal groups in Cuba. Founded in the Havana neighborhood of Cayo Hueso in December 1962, Manuel Galbán joined them three months later.
Born in Gibara, in the province of Holguín, on January 14, 1931, Manuel Hilario Galbán Torralbas arrived in the capital of the Island in 1956, where he would later become the guitarist, arranger and musical director of Los Zafiros, with whom he traveled to Paris and other European countries.
He remained with them until the end of 1972, and in 1974 he founded the group Batey, which played more traditional Cuban music, with which he toured dozens of countries such as Italy, France and Spain. It dissolved in the late nineties. Then the American guitarist, composer and producer Ry Cooder called Galbán to incorporate him into the Buena Vista Social Club, along with Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo and other legends of Cuban music.
Ry dubbed him the “guitar wizard” and asked him to make a record with him, which they would call Things are not going wellwinner of the Latin Grammy in 2003 in the category of Best Tropical Music Album. Although for many it was, above all, the fifth album by Los Zafiros.
Galbán, who was also a pianist and composer, died in Havana, at his home in El Vedado, on July 7, 2011, while still a member of the Buena Vista Social Club and considered an icon of Cuban music.
He recorded what would later become his posthumous album, Blue Cha Chaalong with her daughter Magda Rosa (Taby), who inherited her musical talent, and her husband Juan Antonio Leyva, both creators of significant musical compositions for Cuban cinema.
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2024-07-15 14:00:04
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