Ismael Morales

Ismael "Esy" Morales (March 3, 1916 - November 2, 1950), was a musician born in Puerto Rico. His brothers, Humberto and Noro, were also musicians. Before the age of ten, Esy was performing on tenor sax, clarinet and flute. In 1930 he moved to New York City, and is credited on Xavier Cugat's album Cugat On Film, as well as other Cugat records. In the late 1930s he formed a band with his brothers Humberto and Noro.

Morales went on to form his own band, The Esy Morales Orchestra and had a cameo appearance in the 1949 motion picture Criss Cross performing the song "Jungle Fantasy". His name is also listed in the credits of this movie. He also performed in several other films. George Greeley recorded "Jungle Fantasy" on his 1966 Reprise Records single R-0490. The song Jungle Fantasy appears on Herbie Mann's 65th Birthday Celebration: Live At The Blue Note In New York City (Live), as well as Yusef Lateef's 1960 recording The Centaur and the Phoenix.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 3, 1917 (San Juan), Died November 2, 1950 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1945

Roles Represented in DAHR: saxophone, flute

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-027265 10-in. 10/7/1938 Night must fall Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-027266 10-in. 10/7/1938 Conga de noche Catalino Rolón ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-027267 10-in. 10/7/1938 Cui cui Catalino Rolón ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-027268 10-in. 10/7/1938 Nora Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-027269 10-in. 10/7/1938 Guitarra romana Carmen Castillo ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-027270 10-in. 10/7/1938 Alfredo Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-050877 10-in. 5/27/1940 Blen blen blen Miguelito Valdés ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-050878 10-in. 5/27/1940 Rumba rumbero Miguelito Valdés ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-050879 10-in. 5/27/1940 Macurije Miguelito Valdés ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-050880 10-in. 5/27/1940 Nueva conga Miguelito Valdés ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-050881 10-in. 5/27/1940 When the swallows come back to Capistrano Dinah Shore ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor BS-050882 10-in. 5/27/1940 The breeze and I Dinah Shore ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, saxophone  
Decca L 3731 10-in. 1/28/1945 Baia Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  
Decca L 3732 10-in. 1/28/1945 You belong to my heart Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  
Decca L 3733 10-in. 1/28/1945 Siboney Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  
Decca L 3734 10-in. 1/28/1945 Hasta manana Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  
Decca L 3735 10-in. 2/11/1945 Siboney Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  
Decca L 3736 10-in. 2/11/1945 Baia (Na baixa do sapateiro) Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  
Decca L 3737 10-in. 2/11/1945 Hasta manana (Toda una vida) Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  
Decca L 3738 10-in. 2/11/1945 You belong to my heart Bing Crosby instrumentalist, flute, saxophone  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Morales, Ismael," accessed November 12, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110466.

Morales, Ismael. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110466.

"Morales, Ismael." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 12 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110466

External Sources

Wikipedia: Esy Morales

Discogs: Ismael Morales

Allmusic: Ismael Morales

IMDb: Ismael Morales

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Morales, Ismael, 1917-1950 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no97022470

Wikidata: Esy Morales - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5402311

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/58682400

MusicBrainz: Esy Morales - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b94e4e97-8d11-4872-8e65-e98ed3a0026b

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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