Enrique Jorrin
Enrique Jorrín Oleaga (December 25, 1926 – December 12, 1987) was a prominent Cuban charanga violinist, composer, and music director, renowned for creating the cha-cha-chá, a genre that redefined Latin dance music. Born in Candelaria, Pinar del Río, Cuba, Jorrín was introduced to music by his father, a clarinetist. Despite early aspirations in medicine, Jorrín pursued music, studying violin at the Municipal Conservatory of Havana.
He began his career with the orchestra of Cuba's National Institute of Music and later joined the charanga Antonio Arcaño y sus Maravillas, where he became interested in popular music. In the early 1950s, while with Ninón Mondéjar's Orquesta América, Jorrín composed "La engañadora," marking the birth of the cha-cha-chá. This new rhythm quickly gained popularity for its accessible and syncopated beat.
Jorrín formed his own ensemble, Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín, in 1954, and toured extensively, including a residency in Mexico from 1954 to 1958. His orchestra toured Africa and Europe in 1964 and recorded extensively for the Cuban label EGREM. Jorrín's compositions, such as "El alardoso" and "Me muero," remain significant in Latin music.
Throughout his life, Jorrín balanced his musical career with family, raising his nephew, Omar Jorrín Pineda, who later joined his orchestra. Enrique Jorrín passed away in Havana in 1987, leaving a lasting legacy in Cuban and global music through his innovative cha-cha-chá.
App
