Edmundo Ros

Edmundo Ros (7 December 1910 – 21 October 2011), born Edmund William Ross, was a Trinidadian-Venezuelan musician, vocalist, arranger and bandleader who made his career in Britain. He directed a highly popular Latin American orchestra, had an extensive recording career and owned one of London's leading nightclubs.

Early life Edmund William Ross was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad. When his mother became involved with a man he loathed and had a son by him, the 17-year-old left for Caracas, Venezuela, to study at the Academy of Music under Vicente Emilio Sojo.

He played drums in the city's nightclubs and in the Martial Band of Caracas, and he was soon hired by Sojo as timpanist in the new Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. As his obituary in The Guardian noted: "His local name, 'Edmundo Ros', launched a lasting myth that he was Venezuelan." At the same time he was the vocalist and percussionist in Don Marino Barreto's band at the Embassy Club, and also recorded several sides as a sideman to Fats Waller, who was visiting London in 1938.

Ros's bands were always based in London nightclubs or restaurants.

Ros’s popularity escalated in postwar Britain through live radio concerts, produced by Cecil Madden.

By 1946 Ros owned a club, a dance school, a record company and an artistes' agency. His band grew to 16 musicians and was renamed Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra. the same year Ros were featured in the film What Do We Do Now?.

In 1948, he supported Carmen Miranda for a year at the London Palladium, while still playing the Coconut Grove, and the following year The Wedding Samba In 1950 the Nigerian Ginger Johnson joined the Edmundo Ros Orchestra as its lead percussionist, and recorded several albums with the band.

He became a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 1991.

In the 2000 New Year Honours Ros received the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He turned 100 on 7 December 2010.

Personal life Ros married twice. He and his first wife Britt Johansen married in 1950 and had two children. He designed and built a large house in London, Mill Hill which he named Edritt House after himself and his first wife. He married his second wife, Susan, in 1971.

Death Ros retired and moved to Jávea, Alicante, Spain. He died on 21 October 2011, shortly before his 101st birthday.

Discography 78s (reissued on Harlequin CDs) This set of ten CDs includes all the known 78s recorded up to and including 1951; the source material was the 78 rpm collection of Christian af Rosenborg; the notes were by Pepe Luhtala; the remastering by Charlie Crump. The series was never completed, but most of the later Ros material is available on LP or CD. Some of the Harlequin series is available on Naxos. Although the title of these CDs calls his group the Rumba Band, in the post-war period it expanded to 16 members, and was known as Edmundo Ros and his Orchestra. Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, 1939–41, Harlequin CD 15. Includes about 8 minutes of Edmundo Ros discussing the early days of his career. Tropical Magic: Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, vol 2, 1942–44. Harlequin CD 50. Includes four sets of Edmundo Ros continuing his autobiographic reminiscences. Cuban Love Song: Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, vol 3, 1945. Harlequin CD 73. Chiquita Banana: Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, vol 4, 1946–47. Harlequin CD 105. La Comparsa: Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, vol 5, 1948. Harlequin CD 129. Chocolate Whisky and Vanilla Gin: Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, vol 6, 1948–49. Harlequin CD 147. Mambo Jambo: Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, vols 7 & 8, 1949–50. Harlequin CD 164/165. Playtime in Brazil: Edmundo Ros and his Orchestra, vols 9 & 10, 1951. Harlequin CD 180/181.

10" LPs Decca issued an initial series of 33 rpm 10-inch LPs in the early 1950s, consisting of previously issued 78 rpm sides. Labels were Decca (UK and Commonwealth) and London (a subsidiary) in the US and Canada. Latin-American Rhythms, Edmundo Ros and his Rumba Band, Decca LF 1002. Latin Rhythms, Edmundo Ros and his Orchestra, London 155, is identical in content. Mambo with Ros. Decca LF 1038, and London LPB 341. Samba with Ros. Decca LF, and London LB 367. Latin-American Rhythms with Ros. Decca LP 1051, and London LPB 368. Ros presents Calypsos. Decca LF 1067, and London LB 367. Dance the Samba. Decca LF 1126, and London LB 742.

12" LPs Three labels, all owned by Decca: Decca in the UK and the Commonwealth as well as London and its cut-price reissue label Richmond High Fidelity in the United States and Canada. Latin-American Novelties (London LL 1090) Ros Mambos (London LL 1092, Decca 1956) Latin Melodies (London LL 1093) Ros Album of Sambas (London LL 1117), Richmond B 20032 has same content, but only 10 numbers where Decca/London has 14. Ros Album of Calypsos (Decca LK 4102, 1956) Ros Album of Baions (Decca LK 4111), one side baiãos; the other boleros. Mambo Party (Richmond B 20022) Latin Carnival (Richmond B 20023) Rhythms of the South (Decca 1958) Calypso Mania (Decca 1958) Perfect for Dancing (Decca 1958) Hi-Fiesta Perfect for Dancing (London LL3000) Ros on Broadway (London PS110 1957, Decca 1959) Hollywood Cha Cha Cha (Decca 1959) Dancing With Edmundo (Decca LK 4353, 1960) Fire & Frenzy (London sw 99019, 1960), with singing by Caterina Valente Bongos From the South (Decca 1961) Song 'N Clap Along With Edmundo Ros (London PS 226, 1961) Sing Along Clap Along With Ros on Broadway (Decca LK 4388, 1961) Dancing With Ros (London FFSS PS 205, 1961) Samba! (Richmond B 20032, 1962) Dance Again (Decca 1962) Sing and Dance with Edmundo Ros (Decca SKL 4526, 1963) Heath versus Ros (Decca Phase 4, 1964) Caterina Valente com Edmundo Ros (London LLN-7058, 1964) Latein Amerikanische Rhythmen (Decca 1964), with singing by Caterina Valente Sing and Dance with Edmundo Ros (Decca SKL 4885, 1967) Heath versus Ros, Round Two (Decca Phase 4, 1967) Japanese Military Songs (London SLC-223, 1968) Hair Goes Latin (Decca 1969) Heading South of the Border (Decca Phase 4, 1970) This is My World (Decca 1972) Caribbean Ros (Decca 1974) Ros Remembers (Decca 1974) Sunshine and Olé! (London Phase 4, 1976) Edmundo Ros Today (Decca 1978) Show Boat/Porgy & Bess (LP) Ros at the Opera Broadway goes Latin New Rhythms of the South Latin Boss...Señor Ros Arriba Latin Hits I Missed The Latin King This is My World Give My Regards to Broadway That Latin Sound Latin Favourites (Gold Crown 1979) Latin Song and Dance Men (Pye 1980) Music For the Millions (Decca 1983) Strings Latino (London 1985) Latin Magic (London 1987) That Latin Sound (Pulse 1997) Doin' the Samba, CD Rhythms of the South/New Rhythms of the South, CD Good! Good! Good! CD Strings Latino/Latin Hits I Missed CD