Nobody has been able to elucidate who first nicknamed Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull, artistically known as Arsenio Rodríguez, the Marvelous Blind One, though many remember this popular son singer very well.
Born on August 30, 1911 in Güira de Macurije, Matanzas and deceased in LA, California, in 1972, Arsenio lost his sight at the age of 7, circumstance that bound to his condition as black, poor and illiterate constituted an obstacle to ascend into the artistic world.
But, his tireless persistence led him to the summit of Cuban son musicians.
During his youth he lived for some time in Güines, Havana Province, and in the ‘30s he decided to go to the Cuban capital in his desire of joining the world of son, given the widespread acceptance of this musical genre in Cuba at that time.
He already knew how to play the tres and after arriving in Havana he managed to join the Septeto Bellamar first and the Septeto Boston later.
In the late 1930s, he founded his own group, which he added more trumpets and the conga drum, thus becoming an innovation regarding renowned septets and a proof of the son-like imagination and strength of this empiric musician.
In that musical environment, Arsenio composed boleros, songs, sones and works of other genres of the popular music that emerged from his mind and were gaining great acceptance among many of the population, including many of his admirers.
During the ‘40s, Arsenio’s group was highly heard on Havana’s Salas radio station, located on San Rafael and Consulado, due to its great audience, popularity, and mastery in playing the son then.
Vocalists Miguelito Cuní, René Scull, Pedro Luis Sarracent, trumpeter Félix Chapotín and pianist Rubén González worked in Arsenio’s group, among other stars.
It’s worth highlighting that this Matanzas-born musician had the most brilliant stage of his musical career in Cuba and not in the United States, where he only recorded two important numbers, “Acércate al oído” and “Hay fuego en el 23”.
On the Marvelous Blind One’s conditions as musician and bandleader, Rubén González, late pianist of the Buena Vista Social Club, Grammy Award winning group, said: "I was one of the first pianists of the group of Arsenio Rodríguez, from whom I learned many of the secrets of Cuban son. As director he demanded fulfillment, quality and punctuality in whatever field, in spite of his blindness, that’s why he was a star". Arsenio bequeathed Cuban culture works spread overseas, such as “El reloj de Pastora”, “Acerca el oído”, “Con un amor se borra otro amor”, “Vuelvo a la vida”, “La vida es un sueño” and one hundred more, as well as a rhythmic and son-like tres.
By: AIN
