Xiomara Alfaro
Americans unfamiliar with the Hispanic community, and there are a few of them, might come to the following conclusion: Xiomara Alfaro is not just the most famous person named Xiomara living in the United States, she's the only one. In reality, Hispanic females have always had a fair chance of being named Xiomara, pronounced something like "shiomara" or "jiomara," and the first name is nowhere near the obscurity league of Xanthipour, Xiomysfer, or Xubitunt. A guy with the name Helio Orovio seems like he might know better than the aforementioned WASPs, yet this author of Cuban Music from A to Z gets thrown a sexual curve ball with his entry on the famous female singer, identifying Xiomara Alfaro as a man!
While there are men whose performances have been compared to Diana Ross, Joan Jett, and/or Carmen Miranda, a thoroughly enjoyable way to positively prove it's a she-omara is to watch the exotic 1958 film Mambo, in which Alfaro and Sylvana Mangano are the two sultry female leads. Born in Havana, Alfaro's performing background was in musical theater, cabaret, radio, and television. She eventually began touring internationally, leaving Cuba for the United States and widening her repertoire to include anything remotely Latin.
She was a singer and dancer with the touring Katherine Dunham troupe and performed in the chorus at Las Vegas venues such as the Flamingo. Alfaro is married to the pianist Rafael Benitez. Her sister, the late Olympia Alfaro or Omí Sanyá, was a priestess or "apuón" in the Lukumí Orisha religious community, performing a type of gospel music particular to this following. In the '70s, Xiomara Alfaro herself became ordained by her sister in the Oshún faith. She continues to perform and record Latin music and often takes part in workshops and educational events with her husband.
© Eugene Chadbourne /TiVo
Ähnliche Künstler
-
Perlas Cubanas: Amor de Mi Bohío
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Vintage Music am 25.08.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Xiomara Alfaro, Cubana
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Vintage Music am 02.12.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vintage Cuba No. 82 - EP: Lamento Borincano
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Vintage Music am 06.04.1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Moliendo Café
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei iLatina Music am 10.04.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
No Puedo Ser Feliz
World Music - Erschienen bei Stone Music Family, LLC am 11.08.2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Siboney
World Music - Erschienen bei RCA Records Label am 10.09.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Music of Cuba, Xiomara Alfaro, Volume 1 / Recordings 1956 - 1958
World Music - Erschienen bei Black Round Records am 01.07.2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Music of Cuba, Xiomara Alfaro, Volume 2 / Recordings 1956 - 1958
World Music - Erschienen bei Black Round Records am 01.07.2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La Inimitable
World Music - Erschienen bei Alegria Music Latino am 03.02.1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Siboney (Remastered)
Salsa - Erschienen bei New World am 23.04.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Aquellas Canciones
Bolero - Erschienen bei Circulo Musical am 05.03.2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La Maravillosa Voz de la Afrocubana
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Preludio am 19.01.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vintage Cuba No. 153 - EP: Angelitos Negros
Lateinamerika - Erschienen bei Vintage Music am 20.11.1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lo Mejor De Xiomara Alfaro Vol. 1
World Music - Erschienen bei RCA Records Label am 14.12.1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Malaguena
Jazz - Erschienen bei Black & Partner Licenses LLC am 21.05.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great Cuban Coloratura Soprano
World Music - Erschienen bei Play Music am 28.03.2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
El Manicero (Remastered)
Salsa - Erschienen bei New World am 23.04.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Amor de Verano
World Music - Erschienen bei Amor Indiano am 12.08.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Siboney (Mono Version)
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Facundo (Mono Version)
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo