Enric Madriguera, born in Barcelona in 1902, was a classical violinist who started his own orchestra in 1932.

After emigrating to the USA, he played as soloist with the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras and, while still in his twenties, became conductor of the Cuban Philharmonic, later joining NBC in New York as concertmaster. While visiting Colombia he worked as musical director for the Columbia Records’ subsidiary there; as a result Madriguera became interested in dance music, forming his first band for the Havana Casino.

Performing and recording a blend of current pop compositions and more Latin-oriented repertoire, he had regular big sellers during the early 1930s, the biggest being with The Carioca, a No.1 in 1934. In 1940, his musical policy became almost exclusively Latin-American for recording contracts with RCA Records and Brunswick as well as for the usual Columbia releases, so much so that he was known as ‘Musical Ambassador Of The Americas’.

This 45-track, 2CD, set comprises selected A- and B-sides from his recordings for those labels, as well as,  Hit, Cosmo, Sonora, Varsity and Decca from this era. It features all his 19 career chart entries, including The Carioca, and the Top 10 hits It Was So Beautfiul, Orchids In The Moonlight, True, Here’s To Romance, I Found A Dream and I Love You, alongside his landmark composition Adios. It includes many titles with performances by his by featured vocalists Richard Barry, Guty Cardenas, Tony Sacco, The Mullen Sisters, Bob Bunch, Patricia Gilmore, Bob Lido and Nita Rosa.

This collection admirably demonstrates that as well as competing effectively with the many other successful “sweet” orchestras of the era, playing popular dance music, he brings a unique flavour of Latin magic to his music.

TRACKS