♫ Jazzapedia

Omara Portuondo

Biography

Omara Portuondo, born on October 29, 1930, in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood of Havana, Cuba, is one of the most celebrated vocalists in Cuban music history. Raised in a musically rich environment—her father was a professional baseball player and her mother a passionate music lover—Omara was encouraged to pursue the arts from an early age. She began her career as a dancer at the famed Tropicana Club alongside her sister Haydée, but soon transitioned to singing, performing with the jazz group Loquibambia Swing led by José Antonio Méndez and pianist Frank Emilio Flynn. Her early exposure to the 'filin’' style—a Cuban bolero infused with jazz harmonies—shaped her distinctive vocal approach.[1][3][4]

Portuondo's breakthrough came as a founding member of the all-female vocal quartet Cuarteto d'Aida, directed by Aida Diestro, where she performed with Elena Burke, Moraima Secada, and her sister Haydée. The group became a sensation in 1950s Cuba, backing stars such as Benny Moré and Nat King Cole, and touring internationally. After the Cuban Revolution, Omara continued to perform and record both in Cuba and abroad, eventually launching a successful solo career in 1967. Her versatility allowed her to explore genres from bolero and son cubano to Latin jazz, collaborating with leading Cuban and international artists. In 1996, she joined the Buena Vista Social Club project, which brought her global recognition and revitalized her career for new generations.[1][2][3][5]

Omara Portuondo's legacy is marked by her advocacy for Afro-Cuban women in music, her role in defining the 'filin’' ballad style, and her enduring influence across Latin and world music. She has received numerous accolades, including a Latin Grammy Award and the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and continues to perform and record well into her nineties, remaining a beloved figure in Cuban culture and beyond.[2][5]

Fun Facts

  • Omara Portuondo was nicknamed 'La novia del feeling' (the sweetheart of feeling) for her mastery of the Cuban 'filin’' style, a blend of bolero and jazz.
  • She was the first Cuban musician appointed as an International Ambassador for the Red Cross in 2004.
  • Omara performed with Nat King Cole at the Tropicana Club in Havana during the 1950s.
  • Despite her international fame, Omara has always chosen to live in Havana, remaining deeply connected to her Cuban roots.

Associated Acts

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

  • Aida Diestro - Director and mentor of Cuarteto d'Aida, guiding Omara's early vocal group career (Cuarteto d'Aida performances and album 'Las D’Aida') [1952–1967]
  • Frank Emilio Flynn - Pianist and bandleader in Loquibambia Swing, early collaborator in jazz and 'filin’' style (Loquibambia Swing performances) [late 1940s]

Key Collaborators

  • Haydée Portuondo - Sister and fellow performer in Tropicana Club, Anacaona, and Cuarteto d'Aida (Cuarteto d'Aida, Tropicana Club shows) [1940s–1960s]
  • Elena Burke - Vocal partner in Cuarteto d'Aida (Cuarteto d'Aida) [1952–1967]
  • Chucho Valdés - Frequent collaborator in recordings and live performances (Various albums and concerts) [1970s–present]
  • Buena Vista Social Club - Core member of the ensemble, featured on landmark recordings and tours (Buena Vista Social Club albums) [1996–present]
  • Swami Jr. - Musical director, guitarist, arranger, and co-producer of several albums (Flor de Amor, Omara Portuondo e Maria Bethânia, Gracias) [2003–present]
  • Maria Bethânia - Collaborator on duet albums (Omara Portuondo e Maria Bethânia) [2008]

Artists Influenced

  • Daymé Arocena - Cuban singer inspired by Omara’s pioneering role and vocal style (Nueva Era, Cubafonía) [2010s–present]
  • Aymée Nuviola - Cuban vocalist citing Omara as a major influence in Afro-Cuban and bolero traditions (Como Anillo al Dedo) [2010s–present]

Connection Network

Current Artist
Collaborators
Influenced
Mentors
Has Page
No Page

Discography

Albums

Title Release Date Type
Omara Portuondo (Buena Vista Social Club Presents) 2000-04-17 Album
Flor de Amor 2004-07-12 Album
Omara Portuondo (Buena Vista Social Club Presents) (2019 Remaster) 2000-04-17 Album

Top Tracks

  1. Tiene Sabor (feat. Omara Portuondo) (Lost and Found)
  2. Lágrimas Negras (feat. Omara Portuondo) (Lost and Found)
  3. Quizás, quizás, quizás (feat. Nathy Peluso)
  4. ¿Dónde Estabas Tú? (Omara Portuondo (Buena Vista Social Club Presents))
  5. Tú Me Acostumbraste (feat. Omara Portuondo & Los Macorinos) (Musas (Un Homenaje al Folclore Latinoamericano en Manos de Los Macorinos, Vol. 1))
  6. La Sitiera (Omara Portuondo (Buena Vista Social Club Presents))
  7. Te Venero (El Madrileño (La Sobremesa))
  8. He Perdido Contigo (Omara Portuondo (Buena Vista Social Club Presents))
  9. No Me Llores Más - 2019 Remaster (Omara Portuondo (Buena Vista Social Club Presents) (2019 Remaster))
  10. Échame a Mi la Culpa (México & Amigos)

Tags: #bolero, #latin, #son-cubano

References

  1. latinjazznet.com
  2. oneworldsmusic.com
  3. laphil.com
  4. cubaonrecord.substack.com
  5. kpbs.org

Heard on WWOZ

Omara Portuondo has been played 4 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Dec 4, 202512:43Si Llego A BesarteNew Orleans Music Showw/ Michael Dominici
Nov 22, 202512:23Juramentofrom Flor de AmorTiene Sabor (Latin Show)w/ Yolanda Estrada
Nov 22, 202512:21Si Llego a Besartefrom Flor de AmorTiene Sabor (Latin Show)w/ Yolanda Estrada
Nov 22, 202512:19Mueve La Cintura Mulatofrom Flor de AmorTiene Sabor (Latin Show)w/ Yolanda Estrada