Arsenio Rodríguez

Arsenio Rodríguez (born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull; 31 August 1911 – 30 December 1970) was a Cuban musician, composer and bandleader. He played the tres, as well as the tumbadora, and he specialized in son, rumba and other Afro-Cuban music styles. In the 1940s and 1950s Rodríguez established the conjunto format and contributed to the development of the son montuno, the basic template of modern-day salsa. He claimed to be the true creator of the mambo and was an important as well as a prolific composer who wrote nearly two hundred songs.

Despite being blind since the age of seven, Rodríguez quickly managed to become one of Cuba's foremost treseros. Nonetheless, his first hit, "Bruca maniguá" by Orquesta Casino de la Playa, came as a songwriter in 1937. For the following two years, Rodríguez worked as composer and guest guitarist for the Casino de la Playa, before forming his conjunto in 1940, one of the first of its kind. After recording over a hundred songs for RCA Victor over the course of twelve years, Rodríguez moved to New York in 1952, where he remained active, releasing several albums. In 1970, Rodríguez moved to Los Angeles, where he died of pneumonia shortly before the end of the year.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 31, 1911 (Matanzas), Died December 31, 1970 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, trés, composer, songwriter, lyricist

Notes: Arsenio Rodríguez was born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 141 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CU-347 10-in. before 12/29/1949 Dundumbanza Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-348 10-in. 1949 Por tu bien Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-349[b] 10-in. 1949 No puedo comer vistagacha Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-408[b] 10-in. before 4/24/1950 Qué susto! Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble lyricist, composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-409 10-in. before 4/24/1950 El rincón caliente Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-410[b] 10-in. before 4/19/1950 Recuerda aquella noche Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-411 10-in. before 4/19/1950 El rumbón de Luyanó Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-412 10-in. before 3/29/1950 Vuelvo a la vida Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-413 10-in. before 3/29/1950 Kila, quique y chocolate Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-444[b] 10-in. before 9/12/1950 Ten valor Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-445 10-in. before 9/12/1950 Con un amor se borra otro amor Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-446 10-in. before 9/12/1950 Juventud de Cayo Hueso Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-447 10-in. before 9/12/1950 Todo terminó Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-448 10-in. before 6/29/1950 La sandunga del son Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-449 10-in. before 6/29/1950 Con reciprocidad Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-474 10-in. before 8/8/1950 Anabacoa Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-475 10-in. before 8/8/1950 Cárdenas Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-478 10-in. before 11/9/1950 'Ta Benito Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez ; Estela Rodríguez Scull Instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-479 10-in. before 11/9/1950 Aquí como allá Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez ; Estela Rodríguez Scull Instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-480 10-in. before 11/9/1950 Te mantengo y no quieres Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-481 10-in. before 11/9/1950 Cree lo que tú quierás Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-482 10-in. before 11/15/1950 El que no tiene no vale Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-483 10-in. before 11/15/1950 Quizás con los años Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-504 10-in. before 4/3/1951 Jumba Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-505 10-in. before 4/3/1951 Tu faz morena Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
(Results 51-75 of 141 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Rodríguez, Arsenio," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970.

Rodríguez, Arsenio. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970.

"Rodríguez, Arsenio." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970

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