Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra - Strings Latino (LP Phase 4)

Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra, the synonym of Latin Sound, plays 12 familiar hits. A recording with the well known quality of DECCA Phase 4 LPs. Enjoy


Edmundo William Ros OBE (born 7 December 1910) is a musician, vocalist, arranger and bandleader. He directed a highly popular Latin-American orchestra, had an extensive recording career, and owned one of London's leading night-clubs. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Ros' mother was a black Venezuelan and his father was of Scottish origin. Edmundo was the eldest of four children: two sisters, Ruby and Eleanor, followed by half-brother Hugo. Ros' parents separated after Hugo was born, and after various false steps he was enrolled into a military academy. There he became interested in music and learned to play the euphonium-bombardin. From 1927 to 1937 his family lived in Caracas, Venezuela. He played in the Venezuelan Military Academy Band as well as being a tympanist in the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra. Later he received a music scholarship from the government, under which from 1937 to 1942 he studied harmony, composition and orchestration at the Royal Academy of Music, London. At the same time he was the vocalist and percussionist in Don Marino Baretto’s band at the Embassy Club and also recorded several sides as a sideman to Fats Waller who was visiting London in 1938. Ros married twice: Britt Johansen in 1950, Susan in 1971. The first marriage produced two children, Douglas and Louisa.

In August 1940 he formed his own rumba band, Edmundo Ros and his Rumba band. In 1941 he cut his first tracks, with Parlophone, the first number being Los Hijos de Buda. The group played regularly at the Coconut Grove club in Regent Street, which attracted members of high society. Ros's bands were always based in London night-clubs or restaurants. The first was the Cosmo Club in Wardour Street; then followed the St. Regis Hotel, Cork Street, the Coconut Grove, and the Bagatelle Restaurant. At the Bagatelle, a visit from Princess Elizabeth and party made his name. The future Queen made her first public dance to Edmundo's music. The subsequent newspaper reports made his name.

In 1946, he owned a club, a dance school, a record company and an artist's agency. His band grew to 16 musicians. His number The Wedding Samba, 1949, sold three million 78s. His album Rhythms of The South (1958) was one of the first high-quality LP stereo records; it sold a million copies. He was with Decca records from 1944 to 1974, and altogether he made over 800 recordings.

TRACKLIST
01.Cumana
02.Felicidade
03.Mas Que Nada
04.A Man And A Woman
05.Green Eyes
06.Malaguena
07.Granada
08.La Cumpasita
09.La Macarena
10.Thank u Very Much
11.Delicado
12.Rumba Rhapsody