A Brief Survey Of Cuba's Musical Nicknames

Latin Beat Magazine, June-July, 1999 by Luis Tamargo

"...Y en mi corazón se agita/Mi canto con Julio Cuevas/Donde con malicia nueva/ Me pusieron 'Puntillita'/ 'Puntillita'..."(1)

The abovementioned soneo, as performed by Cuban singer Manuel Licea on the CD A Toda Cuba Le Gusta (World Circuit, 1997), recalls how he was nicknamed Puntillita (Finishing Nail) in the 1950s, when he was featured with trumpeter Julio Cuevas' band in Havana. It is likely that such apodo constituted a jocular reference to his physique. What matters, however, is that it eventually replaced his real name.

This is not an isolated incident. The widespread usage of apodos or nicknames is found throughout the history of Cuban popular music. Most frequently found, of course, are those familiar, often shorter, forms of proper names. The list of Cuban musicians with such "familiar" nicknames is endless- Jesús "Chucho" Valdés, Francisco "Pancho" Amat, Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría, Pedro "Peruchín" Jústiz, Rolando "Rolo" Martínez, Rafael "Felo" Vergaza, Luis "Lili" Martínez Griñán, José "Cheo" Marquetti, etc. There are even Anglicized 'familiar' nicknames, as in the case of singers Bartolomé "Benny" Moré and Roberto "Bobby" Carcassés. And there is the strange case of bassist Israel López Cachao, whose second (maternal) last name has become his de facto nickname, to the point where he is erroneously identified by many U.S. musical sabelotodos as Israel "Cachao" López. Therefore, it is not surprising that his nephew, bassist Orlando López, is better known in Havana as "Cachaíto."

BIG HORSES AND OLD BURROS

In addition to said "familiar" forms, there are those descriptive nicknames that are given in fun, affection or diversion. Most descriptive nicknames could be defined as "additional," in the sense that they simply enhance the subjects' official identity, without totally substituting their real names. Although nicknames can be used to describe one's behavioral traits- as illustrated by the mischievous rumbero Evaristo "El Pícaro" Aparicio and the well-mannered bassist Lázaro "El Fino" Rivero-, most descriptive forms refer to the subjects' physical characteristics. That is precisely what happened to trumpeter Lázaro "El Pecoso" (Freckled Face) Herrera, guitarist Carlos Emilio "El Gordo" (Fats) Morales, and vocalist/pianist Lilia "Bellita" (Pretty Girl) Expósito Pino. One's pigment is commonly addressed by nicknames, as reflected in the frequent usage of "Chocolate", an apodo granted to trumpeter Alfredo Armenteros and tumbador Félix Alfonso, among others. Co-incidentally, the nickname "El Negro" has been given- for physical or spiritual reasons- to trumpeter Alejandro Vivar, rumba singer Guillermo Triana, and drummer Horacio Hernández. After being assigned to an Andalusian-style venue by Havana's cultural mayimbes, back in the 1970, black saxophonist Nicolás Reynoso suddenly became El Negro Flamenco.

One even encounters exotic cases of Orientalia. There are nicknames that describe the subjects' Asiatic facial features, such as those exhibited by trombonist Generoso "Tojo" Jiménez and cellist Tomás "El Chino" Muñoz, although said musicians' Oriental lineage is questionable. These linguistic rituals, by the way, have been preserved to a certain degree in the Cuban Diaspora, despite any inaccurate applications. Consider the case, for example, of Harry "El Chino" (Chinaman) Kim, a Cuban-American trumpeter of Korean descent.

The most amusing category of Cuban apodos could be categorized as "zoological." It consists of descriptive nicknames that match the subjects with similar specimens of the Animal Kingdom. Check out the following matches: pianist Bebo "El Caballón" (Big Horse) Valdés, drummer Juan Carlos "El Peje" (Fish) Rojas, rumba singer Ernesto "El Gato" (The Cat) Gatell, trumpeter Armando "El Gorila' (The Gorilla) Albertini, and even mambo king Dámaso Pérez Prado, a.k.a. "Cara de Foca" (Seal Face). By the way, bassist Carlos del Puerto Sr. claims that, back in the 1960s, he baptized his former employer, the late pianist Felipe Dulzaídes, as "Burro Viejo" (Old Burro), but he is quick to add that "only Paquito D'Rivera was allowed to address him as such."

ROASTED TONGUES AND HAIRY MARACAS

A nickname can also be derived from one's culinary preferences. This is probably applicable to the hungry pianists Omar "Lenguasá" (Roasted Tongue) Sosa and Miguel Angel de Armas, alias "Pan Con Salsa" (Bread and Sauce). There are even "medicinal" apodos, such as those awarded to rumberos Manuel "Aspirina" (Aspirin) Jaúregui and Esteban "Saldiguera" (Epson Salt) Santí.

Nicknames are frequently irreversible, particularly those nicknames employed to identify minors (Niño", "Nene", "Bebe", etc.) Even in his geriatric years, people kept referring to tresero Andrés Echevarría as "Niño Rivera." Such irreversible factor also affected the legendary tumbador Jorge "El Niño" Alfonso, up until the tragic day when he set himself on fire, like one of those Vietnamese Buddhist monks.

In other words, most apodos are here to stay, even if they are no longer applicable. Flutist Orlando "Maraca" Valle is very well aware of that. He earned his nickname in his teenage years, not by playing maracas, but by looking like one. As a skinny youngster, his silhouette was crowned by an enormous afro.