MADRID, Spain.- Benny Moré, whose full name was Bartolomé Maximiliano Moré, was born in Santa Isabel de las Lajas on August 24, 1919. Becoming one of the most iconic figures in the history of Cuban and Latin American music, his influence, charisma and talent earned him the nickname “the Barbarian of Rhythm.”
The most widely recognized version of the origin of this nickname took place in Santiago de Cuba. According to Israel Castellanos, a close friend of Benny, the story began spontaneously when they were both on a street corner in the city. Benny, upon seeing a beautiful woman pass by, exclaimed: “Oh, barbara!”, inspired by the popular song he himself sang, “Ah, Barbara!”. A young man who was nearby, upon hearing the exclamation, replied: “No way, buddy, you’re the barbarian.” This comment, which highlighted both the expression used by Benny and his talent, marked the beginning of a nickname that would accompany him forever.
That same night, after learning what had happened, Benny was introduced on a radio program as “The Mambo Barbarian,” in reference to his success in the mambo genre with the orchestra of Damaso Perez PradoHowever, it was in Havana, during a radio program dedicated to the batanga rhythm, where the announcer Ibrahim Urbino would refine the nickname to “The Barbarian of Rhythm.” This new nickname better captured Benny’s versatility and mastery over various musical genres, beyond mambo.
Although Benny Moré had already achieved notoriety in countries such as Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Brazil and Puerto Rico, his fame in Cuba was not fully consolidated until his return in the 1950s. Upon returning to his native country in 1951, Benny recorded his first major hit on the Island, “Nice and tasty”, which quickly catapulted him to local fame.
In Havana, Benny began working at the RHC Cadena Azul radio station, collaborating with the orchestra Bebo ValdesIt was in this context that Ibrahim Urbino gave him his nickname. This nickname not only highlighted his ability to interpret Cuban rhythms such as mambo and batanga, but also underlined his ability to improvise and create melodies on the fly, characteristics that distinguished him from many of his contemporaries.
It is important to remember that in Cuba, the term “barbarian” has a special connotation. Far from referring to someone rude or uncivilized, in the Cuban context “barbarian” is synonymous with someone extraordinary, a master of his art. Benny Moré, with his incomparable ability to master rhythm and his overwhelming passion in each performance, more than earned this title.
