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Francisco Ortiz
Piñeiro
...the greatest, least-known cuatrista of all times
Francisco Ortíz Piñeiro, also known as Panchón
(also, el Guayabo after his most beloved composition, shown above in a
screen capture of a late-fifties educational film from the Division of
Community Education of the government of Puerto Rico.
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Francisco Ortiz Piñeiro (Panchón) was
born in the Jagua Sabana neighborhood of Ciales, Puerto Rico, on the
29th of January of 1919. He begins to execute his first notes on the
cuatro at the age of seven. Later he joins his siblings Ramonita (on the guitarra) y Nin (on the guiro), and the group named Los Hermanos Piñeiro is born, musicians from the village of Ciales. His sister Ramonita marries and leaves the group, leaving it with it with only two original members, Pancho and Nin. By the decade of the forties, he arrives in San Juan with his brother nin and the great güirero Chévere Montalvo, where they are heard on the radio program of don Rafael Quiñones Vidal, competing professional and winning over the fondness of the radio audience, who by means of letters and postcards, award them First Prize. Thus the group named Trío Cialeño is born – considered during its time as one of the best groups in Puerto Rico. By 1948 the move to Bayamón for economic reasons, and almost immediately they are contracted to play on the WNEL radio station. Bayamón sirves as a bridge to meet various prominent musical figures such as orchestra leader don Arturo Somohano and Chuíto el de Bayamón, who contracts them in 1948 to accompany him. The Trio Cialeño accompanies Chuito for many years hence. Now established in show business, they appear in different theatres in Puerto Rico and travel to New York in 1956 where they meet with resounding success. It is said that Pancho was the first cuatrista to play the "Beer Barrel Polka" using a glass as a slide. Later, they are selected to represent Puerto Rico at the Festival del Caribe held at the University of Puerto Rico – where it is said they were the cause of the death of a man who was overcome by the music. They later appeared in the film "El Otro Camino", and thus the name of Pancho Ortiz Piñeiro y his Trío Cialeño resounded across the island. By 1963, the world of traditional music loses one of the greatest cuatristas of all times. During his musical career Pancho composed around thirty instrumental tunes in the traditional style. His unique "bombardino" style showed of the instrument in a most unique and masterful way.
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