Juan Vicente Torrealba was born on December 20th, 1917 in Caracas, Venezuela. He is known for playing various instruments, especially the harp, which has become his passion. At a very young age his parents settled in Camaguán, Guárico state, in the heart of the Venezuelan plains. This is where he learned to play guitar, cuatro and later the harp, an instrument that has accompanied him since he was 16. He started giving public recitals at age 18 but “feeling that he would never reach the standard to which he aspired” (Wikipedia), he started working as a bookkeeper for a newspaper.
In 1947 he formed his own musical group called “The Torrealberos”, which included his brother Arturo, his nephew Santana Torrealba Leon, and vocalist Ángel Custodio Loyola. In 1948 he returned to Caracas, where his reputation as a folk musician took him on tour through different locations both in America and in Europe during the 1960s and 70s. In 1971 he recorded the Rhapsody llanera with a full orchestra, and continued incorporating improvements in the sound of his harp with addition of keyboards and electronic amplification.
In 1978 Torrealba dissolved his group and created a dance orchestra in which he experimented with salsa. It was called the Juan Vicente Torrealba and his Super Beat 80. In 1981 he signed with the label Torrealba Sonográfica , with which he made his last recordings before retiring from music in 1986. Among the reasons was the lack of promotion he felt towards folk music.
During his career he recorded some 130 albums and composed more than 300 songs. Among the numerous awards and recognitions received, Torrealba was appointed Honorary Professor Military Academy of Venezuela , Cultural Heritage of Universal Music by the Colombian department of Meta, and in the Mexican city of Xalapa a square, a street and a park bear his name
Discography:
| 195 - | The purest music and Bella Vzla | Largo Bank BL500 |
| 195 - | The purest music and Bella Vzla | Largo Bank BL501 |
| 195 - | The purest music and Bella Vzla | Largo Bank BL502 |
| 195 - | The purest music and Bella Vzla | Largo Bank BL504 |
| 195 - | Symphony Del Palmar | Largo Bank QBL1201 |
| 195 - | Reasons Llaneros | Largo Bank QBL1202 |
| 19 - | Concert In The Plain Vol.1 | Largo Bank QBL1204 |
| 19 - | Serenata Llanera | Largo Bank QBL1207 |
| 19 - | Peasant | Largo Bank QBL1209 |
| 19 - | Concert In The Plain Vol.2 | Largo Bank QBL2204 |
| 19 - | Concert In The Plain Vol.3 | Largo Bank QBL2207 |
| 19 - | Concert In The Plain Vol.4 | Largo Bank QBL2206 |
| 19 - | The golden age of Torrealberos | Largo Bank QBL2210 |
| 19 - | Harp Solos | Largo Bank QBL2212 |
| 19 - | Rhapsody Llanera | Largo Bank QBL2214 |
| 19 - | Alma Llanera | Largo Bank QBL2215 |
| 19 - | Concert In The Plain Vol.5 | Largo Bank QBL2216 |
| 19 - | Concert In The Plain Vol.6 | Largo Bank QBL2217 |
| 19 - | Stampede Electronics | BASF (10,002) |
| 19 - | I would | BASF (10,004) |
| 19 - | Suenos Del Llano | BASF (10,009) |
| 19 - | Summer Ranger | BASF (10,038) |
| 19 - | Maria Teresa | BASF (10,040) |
| 19 - | Al Son De Juan Vicente | BASF (10,047) |
| 19 - | Conticinio | BASF (10,050) |
| 19 - | Stampede Electronics Vol 2 | BASF (10,052) |
| 19 - | Mexico | BASF (10,054) |
| 19 - | Aragua and Llano | BASF (10,056) |
| 19 - | Flights Immortals | BASF (10,057) |
| 19 - | Colombia | BASF (10,058) |
| 19 - | Torrealberos Classics | BASF (10,059) |
| 19 - | Caribbean Music | BASF (10,060) |
| 19 - | Ranger I | BASF (10,063) |
| 19 - | Alma Llanera | BASF (10,075) |
| 19 - | Celebs Torrealberas | BASF (10,081) |
| 19 - | Venezuelan Waltzes Vol 1 | ------ |
| 19 - | Venezuelan Waltzes Vol.2 | ------ |
| 1975 | Al Son De Juan Vicente (Vol. 3) | BASF |
| 1977 | Italy In Rhythm Tropicale | BASF |
| 1997 | To the sound of JVT Vol 1 (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| 1997 | Colombia (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| 1997 | Mexico (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| 1999 | 'm Ranger Vol.1 (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| 1999 | Conticinio (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| 2001 | Aragua and Llano (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| 2001 | Caribbean Music (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| 2001 | Venezuelan Waltzes (CD Reissue) | Sonogram |
| Compilations: | ||
| 1996 | 18 Greatest Hits | Sonogram |
| 2001 | 40 Years 40 Hits | Velvet |
Appears on:
1972 Maria Teresa Chacin The Paraulata
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Vicente_Torrealba
http://clientes.folletoweb.com/glorias/biografias/torrealba.php
http://www.musicallanera.net/biografias/juan_vicente_torrealba.htm
http://sincopa.com/traditional/artists2/juan_vicente_torrealba.htm
Images:
No comments:
Post a Comment