Brass & Winds

The trumpeters and flutists whose sound defined the two great Cuban orchestra formats — the charanga (flute) and the conjunto ( trumpet).

Two instruments above all others defined the melodic identity of Cuban dance music: the French flute in the charanga, and the trumpet in the conjunto and orquesta. The players here mastered those voices and gave Cuban music much of its distinctive character.

• Alexander Abreu — Trumpeter, singer, bandleader (1974)
• Antonio Arcaño — Flutist, bandleader (1911–1994)
• Chocolate Armenteros — Trumpeter (1928–2016)
• Félix Chapottín — Trumpeter (1909–1983)
• José Luis Cortés — Flutist, composer, bandleader (1951)
• Richard Egües — Flutist, composer (1923–2006)