Silvano "Chori" Shueg

Life and career

Early years Silvano Shueg Hechevarría was born on January 6, 1900, in Santiago de Cuba, the capital of Oriente, Cuba's easternmost region. In 1919 Shueg became the timbalero in a son estudiantina (student ensemble) from Santiago called Los Champions del Son. In 1927, the band toured Havana and Shueg decided to stay in the city, where he joined the Marte y Belona dance academy. He then began performing at the numerous nightclubs and cabarets along the beach in Marianao, such as Los Tres Hermanos, El Ranchito, Rumba Palace (which was renamed La Choricera in his honor), and La Taberna de Pedro, where he played for over a decade. In these venues he met other percussionists including Cándido Camero and Tito Puente. He played sones and guarachas, and occasionally sang through a megaphone.

Rise to fame Shueg quickly became a popular act in Havana's nightlife, partially as result of his self-promotion through graffiti that he sketched on streets and trains. He composed two sones, "La choricera" and "Ayaca de maíz", that became very popular. Two years later, Errol Flynn attended one of Shueg's performances and offered him a role in the film The Big Boodle, which he accepted. Toña la Negra, Agustín Lara, Cab Calloway, and Ernest Hemingway,

Later years and death In 1961, Shueg appeared in the cinéma vérité short film PM, the first film to be banned in Castro's regime. Starting in 1962, Shueg would often perform at a peña (a venue) where veteran musicians and trovadores such as Sindo Garay would play. In 1966, Shueg and the rest of the group appeared in the documentary La herrería de Sirique.

Shueg died in April 1974 in Havana.

Filmography 1955: Un extraño en la escalera 1958: The Big Boodle 1961: PM (Pasado Meridiano) 1966: La herrería de Sirique