Desde La Bahia—San Francisco - music performances - Columna

Latin Beat Magazine, Feb, 2004 by Jesse Varela

PA' LOS CANTANTES: This month "Desde La Bahía" salutes gifted vocalists who grace the stages and cabarets of our region, seasoned performers who tell a story when they sing. But there is a long line of pioneers who introduced Latinos and non-Latinos to the music blowing from Cuba, Mexico and NYC here in La Bahía. One of these artists was a Cuban singer named Delia.

DELIA MARTÍNEZ: In the early 1960s, Delia Martínez brought her Cuban musical heritage to the Bay Area. It was at the Oakland Coliseum's Flea Market where I found a menu for the Sinaloa Restaurant in San Francisco. Located at 1416 Powell St. and established in 1914, its opening page invited tourists to "a cosmopolitan rendezvous for the pleasure-seeking public ... featuring delightful native Mexican entertainment and dishes ..."

A few days later, I learned they served up more than Mexican food. That was due to Delia Martínez, the "Cuban Bombshell" (as the SF Examiner called her) who performed regularly at the Sinaloa, singing and dancing, as her obituary in the SF Chronicle later summarized. The mother of resident vocalist Barbara Valladares, she left behind an unsung legacy.

Born Delia Benjamina Martínez Gallardo in Matanzas, Cuba on March 31, 1929, she had an illustrious career in Havana, performing at the Tropicana, Copacabana and Campo de Amor. She held exclusive engagements at the Sans Souci and adorned Cuban magazines like "Bohenfia," "Vanidades" and "Periodico del País." She was an artist blessed with natural beauty and talent.

"Mom was discovered walking through the streets of Havana by Oscar Moreno, who led a famous dance company," writes Valladares. "She was recruited, photographed, and began to dance professionally. She toured the U.S., Venezuela, Panamá, Nicaragua and other nations of Latín America. Unfortunately, the entire dance company suffered a fatal airplane crash in Maracaibo, en route to Panama, a tour that mom politely declined, thank God!"

In the 1950s, Havana's casinos were a hotbed of talent, featuring the best singers, dancers and musicians that the island could offer. Delia was in the middle of all that and made endearing friendships with colleagues like Cuban singer Juana Bacallao. They spent memorable moments together, laughing and enjoying life while touring with revues featuring Moreno's dancers. She met stars Sarita Montiel, Agustín Lara and Pérez Prado.

Delia Martínez first carne to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1950 while she was on tour with Moreno. She must have liked it because she left Cuba in 1960 to return here and start a new life. She found opportunities performing on the west coast alongside stars Woo Woo Stevens, Suzanne Summers, Carol Wallace and The Champs. On the Latin side, her associations included Soler y Lorca, Benny Martínez, Ismael "Pildorita" Borrs, Benny Velarde, Chico Ochoa and the Continentales, Alejandro Algara, Carmela Rey, Andreu y Manolo and René Touzet.

Her work as ah entertainer took a back seat when she gave birth to Barbara Jacqueline Valladares on July 14, 1965. "When mom was in labor at St. Joseph's Hospital, the pain was horrid and she yelled and became uncontrollable. The doctor told her, "Sing Delia, sing a song' and she began to sing Ay Cariño, the first song I heard in my life."

Her love of music certainly transcended to her daughter. On the scene since 1985, Barbara has performed with Grupo Sinigual, Bomba y Hay, Grupo Bahia, Papo y Su Preferida, Cesar's Latín All Stars and Ellas Son. She is also a Festival de la Canción Latina Americana's trophy winner. Currently she is working on a debut CD with her band Chambo, as well as singing with John Santos & Machete, and John Calloway & Diaspora.

"I believe now more than ever that watching her struggle as a single working mother has instilled in me a deep respect, admiration and desire to continue her legacy not only in music, but in her way of dealing with humanity and the world. Seeing her perform around the house, hearing her sing and seeing her pictures and newspaper clippings as a child was a pride-bearing thing for me."

Delia Martínez was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991 and passed away on August 8, 2003. She had been very saddened by the news of the death of Celia Cruz, someone she knew in Cuba. Martinez was known for the song La Vida es Una Tombola and according to her daughter, her mother was someone who came to this country "to share her heart, charisma and song." En paz descanse ...

¡PA' LOS CANTANTES! Un saludo cordial a los soneros y soneras de La Bahía: Gloria Amaral, Julio Bravo, Edgardo Cambón, Osvaldo Carbajal, Bobi Céspedes, Cheo Concepción, Armando Cordoba, Jeff Córdoba, Ana Daisy, Jesús Díaz, Jorge Ellington, Jimmy Flores, Bismarck Franco, Licbi Fuentes, David González, Pepe, Luis, and Tony González, Luis Guidos Morales, Eduardo Herrera, Rowan Jiménez, María Márquez, Manny Martínez, Johnny Nelson, Sal Núñez, Piero "El Malo" Ornales, Roger "Danilo" Paez, Coco Pagán, Mario Pérez, Ricky Rangel, Firo Reinoso, Carlos Soto, Orlando Torriente, Juanita Ulloa, Barbara Valladares and many more. Paz. Chuyvarela@aol.com.