ArtistInfo

Avelino Muñoz

p, *1912 PR
Musician / Composer / Arranger of Latin, Folk and World

Panamanian organist, pianist, music director, arranger and composer. He was born in Panama on December 20th, 1912 and died in San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 24th, 1962. He is the brother of Lucho Muñoz (3), Emilio Muñoz, Cristóbal Muñoz Jr., and Toby Muñoz. His musical career began in the theaters of Panama in the era of silent film, entertaining audiences at the start of a film and at intermission. In 1938 he made his first recording with Sylvia DeGrasse. He organized his own orchestra in 1944, appearing in various scenarios. He spent two years in the Dominican Republic leading the Super Orquesta San José. He returned to Panama in 1950 and then traveled to Puerto Rico where he eventually settled. In Puerto Rico in 1956 and 1957 he won the prize as best pianist and organist, having obtained the "Codazos" award for his outstanding performance on Puerto Rican television. From there he traveled several times to Mexico to conduct the orchestra of maestro Mario Ruiz Armengol. Some other prominent artists he accompanied: Pedro Vargas, Juan Arvizu, Alfonso Ortiz Tirado, Leo Marini, Hugo Romani, Bobby Capó, Libertad Lamarque, Toña La Negra, Maria Luisa Landin, Celia Cruz, Olga Guillot, Los Hermanos Rigual, among others. He also traveled to all South American and Caribbean countries, eight states of the USA, appeared in magnificent performances and on radio, and garnered countless triumphs. He recorded with top record labels: RCA Victor, Columbia, Decca, Capitol Records, Panart, Odeon, Ansonia, Balseiro, Marvela, Pampa, Musart, Fragoso and Verne.

Genres

• Latin
• Folk
• World
• Electronic
• Spoken Word

Plays With