Cuarteto Patria

Cuarteto Patria is a musical group from Santiago de Cuba. It was founded in 1939 by Francisco Cobas la O (Pancho Cobas),[1] who was the director, along with Emilia Gracia, Rigoberto Hechaverría (Maduro), and Rey Caney (Reinaldo Hierrezuelo la O).[2] The group's original style was traditional trova, which included boleros and some música campesina (countryside music). Over time, both the members and the music evolved, and Eliades Ochoa also became a member of the group.

In 1978, Ochoa was invited by Cobas to become the leader of Cuarteto Patria, but he only accepted the offer after getting an agreement to introduce new musical works into the group's repertoire. Cobas continued with the group while Hilario Cuadras and Amado Machado joined.[3] Ochoa introduced the son as the staple diet of the group and increased the percussion to balance the guajiro content with an African element. He was known for his virtuosity as an acoustic guitarist and his warm singing style.[4] However, it took a long time for the group to gain popularity outside of Cuba, and the Buena Vista experience played a decisive role.[5] After the film, a series of CD albums were released, in which Ochoa played an increasingly prominent part. This led to increased sales for Cuarteto Patria's albums and many foreign tours for Ochoa and his group.

The group consists of Eliades Ochoa (leader, vocals, guitar); Humberto Ochoa (second guitar, coro); Eglis Ochoa (maracas, güiro, coro); William Calderón (double bass); Roberto Torres (bongos, conga, coro). Others who have played on some albums include the former leader Franciso Cobas de la O (second guitar, coro); Aristóteles Limonta (d. bass, coro); Enrique Ochoa: (second guitar, coro); María Ochoa (voice); Aníbal Avila Pacheco (trumpet, claves); José Ángel Martínez (d. bass); ex-member of Cuarteto Patria, and tresero Rey Cabrera. Famous old-timers who have recorded with the group include Faustino Oramas (El Guayabero); Compay Segundo and Rey Caney, who led the group for a while in his younger days. The group is now dominated by the Ochoa family and is expanded for recordings and tours as required.

The group has toured Guadeloupe, Martinique, Granada, Curaçao, Nicaragua, Brazil, Dominican Republic, USA (Carnegie Hall NY), Canada, Spain, France (Olympia de Paris), the Netherlands, Italy and Japan.[6] In 2001 they were awarded the Premio de la música de la Sociedad General de Autores y Editores de España (SGAE) y la Asociación de Intérpretes y Ejecutantes de España (AIE) [the musical prize of the Spanish society of authors, editors and musical performers] for the best album of traditional music.[7]