Niño Rivera

Andrés Echevarría Callava (April 18, 1919 – January 27, 1996), better known as Niño Rivera, was a renowned Cuban tres player, songwriter and arranger. Early in his career he played with the Sexteto Boloña and Sexteto Bolero, before forming his own conjunto in the 1940s. His music was based on popular Cuban forms such as the son montuno and the chachachá, often with notable jazz influences.

Biography

Early life Niño Rivera was born Andrés Perfecto Eleuterio Goldino Confesor Echevarría Callava on April 18, 1919, in Pinar del Río, Cuba. He started playing the bongo in his uncle's band, Sexteto Caridad, when he was only 5 years old. In 1924 his family moved to Havana, where he took up the tres in Sexteto Boloña, alternating with Sexteto Cárdenas. In 1929 he went back to Pinar del Río, where he reorganized the Sexteto Caridad, before returning to Havana in 1934. In 1935 he replaced Eliseo Silveira in Tata Gutiérrez's Sexteto Bolero, which he would later direct. In 1956 he traveled to Mexico, where he worked mainly as an arranger. In the 1960s, Rivera and his band would record for EGREM due to the nationalization of the music industry.

Later years In 1979, Rivera took part in the first series of recordings of Areito's all-star ensemble, Estrellas de Areito, which yielded the album Los héroes. A second album followed in 1981.

Death and legacy Niño Rivera died on January 27, 1996, in Havana. His daughter, Gloria Rivera, is also a singer and lives in Minnesota. His son Mario, is an internationally beloved saxophonist living in Havana.

Compositions "Amor en el festival" "Átomo" (1949; co-written with Luis Yáñez) "Azúcar con ají" "Carnaval del amor" "Cherivón" "Concierto para tres y orquesta" (1986) "Cubibop" (1949) "El jamaiquino" (1944) "Eres mi felicidad" "Fiesta en el cielo" "Juan José" "Monte adentro" "No sé lo que tienes" "Nuevo son" "Ritmo de juventud" "Tú y mi música"