Cándido Antomattei

Who is Cándido Antomattei?

Cándido Antomattei is a puertorican music and Latin Jazz singer, guitarist, and guitar maker of Puerto Rican origin. He became a member of Arsenio Rodríguez's band in Havana, Cuba in the early 1950s. The band itself is considered to be one of the first founding bands of musical genres such as "Mambo", and "Salsa". It is also said that Arsenio Rodríguez himself is the true creator of mambo. Cándido has performed with Arsenio from his last years in Cuba through to his arrival in Spanish Harlem, New York City in 1953.

As it is currently known, Cándido is featured on seven of Arsenio's albums as a main vocalist. Often, he appears alongside another vocalist René Scull, who is Arsenio's cousin and a founding member of the first Arsenio Rodriguez conjunto. In addition to these albums, Cándido Antomattei also has two albums of his own. On his album Candido Y Las Super Estrellas, Cándido acts as the singer and director. Likewise, the albums feature Arsenio Rodríguez in the band.