ORQUESTA AMÉRICA
Releases
Orquesta América de Ninón Mondejar, 1953- Orquesta América Del 55
- 100 Cubanos de los 50
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 11
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 10
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 9
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 8
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 7
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 6
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 5
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 4
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 3
- 50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 2
Orquesta América de Ninón Mondejar, 1953
Orquesta América Del 55
100 Cubanos de los 50
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 11
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 10
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 9
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 8
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 7
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 6
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 5
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 4
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 3
50 Hits de la Vieja Radio Cubana Vol. 2Videos
Biography
The band was founded in 1942 by singer Ninón Mondéjar with Alex Sosa (piano), Enrique Jorrín, Antonio Sánchez, and Félix Guerra (violins), Juan Ramos (flute) and others.
Mondéjar and Sosa went to Mexico, then later revived Orquesta América in California. Success, in Cuba, came in 1953 with Orquesta America’s recording of Jorrín’s “La engañadora.” However the success of the band led to Mondéjar and Jorrín over whether the bandleader or songwriter should take the credit for the invention of the cha-cha-chá.
The band split during a tour of Mexico in December 1954 and Ramos returned to Havana with half of the band to form Orquesta América del ’55 in 1955. In the 1990s leadership of the California-based band passed to Jorge Machado Durán. Ninón Mondéjar died in Havana in 2006.
