Billo Frómeta: Indelible Legacy for the Musical History of Venezuela (+Christmas)

Although born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on November 15, 1915, Luis María Billo Frómeta was an important musician, composer and director with deep Venezuelan roots, leaving for the musical history of the 20th century a successful career and the much loved dance orchestra Billo's Caracas Boys.

It is said that he was an intuitive and observant musician, who knew how to capture the characteristics of Caribbean music and the cheerful temperament of its inhabitants.

He began his studies in San Francisco de Macorís, while introducing himself to theory and music, harmony and composition, and to saxophone and clarinet instruments. At fifteen, he founded and directed the capital's Fire Department Band, and was a founding member of the Santo Domingo Symphony Orchestra.

In 1933 he settled in Santo Domingo, gave guitar lessons at home and made musical arrangements for small ensembles. He was a saxophonist in the orchestras that accompanied several artists, and was part of the group C Conunto Tropical, on radio HIN. Under the direction of Francisco Damirón, he formed the Santo Domingo Jazz Band dance orchestra, which Billo later went on to conduct. He attended medical school at the University of Santo Domingo, but was expelled in the third year for not accepting the uniform on duty at the military hospital.

On December 31, 1937, he traveled to Venezuela to play for a season at a dance center in Caracas. The owners of the venue decided to change the name of the orchestra to Billo's Happy Boys, without notifying him and which caused the Dominicans to protest.

In 1939, Billo was diagnosed with typhus, and the orchestra disbanded. After its fortuitous recovery, the orchestra regrouped in August 1940, and assumed the definitive name Billo's Caracas Boys. It became an icon of celebration in Venezuela, and received in its ranks performers such as the Cuban Manolo Monterrey, and the Venezuelans Rafa Galindo, Miguel Briceño, Víctor Pérez. He also accompanied soloists such as tenor Alfredo Sadel, vocalist and choral director Vinicio Adames, among others.

Mazo News Team