Angel Viloria y su Conjunto Típico Cibaeño
Angel Viloria was known for being the merengue king.
It was the first band to enjoy major success in popularizing merengue music outside the Dominican Republic. The band featured Angel Viloria on the accordion and Piano.
Ramón E. García on alto saxophone, Luis Quintero on tambora and Dioris Valladares on vocals.
Between 1950 and 1952, it notched up a number of hits under the New York based Ansonia Records banner of Rafael Pérez. Angel Viloria went on to sign with RCA Records prior to having a heart attack. He had wrote new music, but never had the chance to record with RCA.
In its name, the band claimed to be authentic (tipico) El Cibao music - this is the region in north Dominican Republic, where merengue had its origins. The tipico merengue features a slightly faster tempo, and keeps the accordion sound, as opposed to the jazz-influenced music of Luis Alberti who had adapted merengue to a more urban ethos in the 1940s. The style of Angel Viloria's band - however reflected more of the urban Alberti influence than the name admits;
the accordion was of course, quite tipico.[1]
By 1953, the band had split up, with Viloria, Quintero, and Valladares forming separate groups.
Angel Viloria went on to RCA Records in New York City.
He had a band performing in the US and Latin communities in the 1950s.
He was survived by his wife and 8 children. 2 of his children died as infants.
Wife Elizabeth Viloria, Son Salvador Viloria, Daughter Rosemary Viloria, Daughter Millie Viloria, Daughter Vivian Viloria, Daughter Kathy Viloria, Son William Viloria,
Discography
- Merengues Vol. 2 (1958)
- Últimas Grabaciones (1969)
Compilations
- Éxitos (1995)
References
- ↑ Paul Austerlitz (1997). Merengue, Dominican Music and Dominican Identity. Temple University Press.