Armando Oréfiche, born on June 5, 1911 in Havana, Cuba, was a musician and songwriter. He started his career as a pianist at Teatro Encanto and Hermanos Le Batard before joining Ernesto Lecuona's orchestra for a tour of Spain in 1932. When Lecuona fell ill, Oréfiche took over the orchestra, which became known as Lecuona Cuban Boys. He introduced conga, bolero, and other Afro-Cuban rhythms to Europe with original arrangements. With Lecuona Cuban Boys, he performed extensively across multiple continents. Oréfiche composed numerous songs, including "Mesié Julián", popularized by Bola de Nieve, and "Rumba Azul". His compositions were recorded by notable artists such as Josephine Baker, Celia Cruz, and Maurice Chevalier. He founded the Havana Cuban Boys orchestra in 1947 and toured Europe until 1949. Oréfiche settled in Madrid in 1961 and later moved to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where he passed away on November 24, 2000.
