Edmundo Ros
Edmundo William Ros OBE (7 December 1910 – 21 October 2011) was a Trinidadi… Read Full Bio ↴Edmundo William Ros OBE (7 December 1910 – 21 October 2011) was a Trinidadian musician, vocalist, arranger and bandleader who made his career in Britain. He directed a highly popular Latin American orchestra, had an extensive recording career and owned one of London's leading nightclubs.
Ros was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad. His mother was an Afro-Venezuelan and his father was of Scottish descent. He was the eldest of four children, having two sisters, Ruby and Eleanor, followed by a half-brother, Hugo. His parents separated after Hugo was born, and after various false steps Edmundo was enrolled in a military academy. There he became interested in music and learned to play the euphonium. From 1927-37 his family lived in Caracas, Venezuela. He played in the Venezuelan Military Academy Band as well as being a tympanist in the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. Later he received a music scholarship from the government, and, from 1937–42, studied harmony, composition and orchestration at the Royal Academy of Music. At the same time he was the vocalist and percussionist in Don Marino Baretto's band at the Embassy Club, and also recorded several sides as a sideman to Fats Waller, who was visiting London in 1938.
In the 2000 New Year's Honours List, Ros (then aged 90), was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He turned 100 on 7 December 2010.
Ros was a Freeman of the City of London, having been admitted to the Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Poulters on 5 January 1965 and subsequently clothed with the Livery of the Poulters' Company on 22 June 1965. He was a Mason, a member of Sprig of Acacia Lodge No 41, Javea, Spain.
Ros married twice: first to Britt Johansen in 1950. The first marriage produced two children, Douglas and Louisa. He designed and built a large house in Page Street, Mill Hill, London NW7, which he named Edritt House, after himself and his first wife. The house still stands, next to Copthall Girls' School. He remarried in 1971.
In August 1940, Ros formed his own rumba band, performing as Edmundo Ros and His Rumba Band. In 1941 he cut his first tracks with Parlophone, the first number being "Los Hijos de Buda". The band played regularly at the Coconut Grove club in Regent Street, attracting members of high society. Ros's bands were always based in London nightclubs or restaurants. The first was the Cosmo Club in Wardour Street; then followed the St Regis Hotel, Cork Street, the Coconut Grove and the Bagatelle Restaurant. At the Bagatelle a visit from Princess Elizabeth and party made his name. The future queen danced in public for the first time to Edmundo's music. In later years his orchestra was often invited to play at Buckingham Palace.
By 1946 Ros owned a club, a dance school, a record company and an artistes' agency. His band grew to 16 musicians and was renamed Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra. His number "The Wedding Samba", 1949, sold three million 78s. His album Rhythms of The South (1958) was one of the first high-quality LP stereo records: it sold a million copies. He was with Decca Records from 1944 to 1974, and altogether he made more than 800 recordings.
In 1951 Ros bought the Coconut Grove on Regent Street and in 1964 renamed it Edmundo Ros's Dinner and Supper Club. The club became popular for its atmosphere and music, but it closed in 1965, when legalised casino gambling had drawn away many of its best customers. During the 1950s and 1960s the Ros orchestra appeared frequently on BBC Radio, continuing into the early 1970s on Radio Two Ballroom.
In 1975, during Ros's seventh tour of Japan, his band's Musicians' Union shop steward tried to usurp Ros's authority by making arrangements with venues behind his back. Upon their return to the UK Ros organised a celebratory dinner after a BBC recording session and announced the disbanding of the orchestra. He destroyed almost all the charts (arrangement sheets), which conclusively ended the orchestra's existence.
Ros retired and moved to Jávea, Alicante, Spain. He gave his last public performance on 8 January 1994.
Ros was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad. His mother was an Afro-Venezuelan and his father was of Scottish descent. He was the eldest of four children, having two sisters, Ruby and Eleanor, followed by a half-brother, Hugo. His parents separated after Hugo was born, and after various false steps Edmundo was enrolled in a military academy. There he became interested in music and learned to play the euphonium. From 1927-37 his family lived in Caracas, Venezuela. He played in the Venezuelan Military Academy Band as well as being a tympanist in the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. Later he received a music scholarship from the government, and, from 1937–42, studied harmony, composition and orchestration at the Royal Academy of Music. At the same time he was the vocalist and percussionist in Don Marino Baretto's band at the Embassy Club, and also recorded several sides as a sideman to Fats Waller, who was visiting London in 1938.
In the 2000 New Year's Honours List, Ros (then aged 90), was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He turned 100 on 7 December 2010.
Ros was a Freeman of the City of London, having been admitted to the Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Poulters on 5 January 1965 and subsequently clothed with the Livery of the Poulters' Company on 22 June 1965. He was a Mason, a member of Sprig of Acacia Lodge No 41, Javea, Spain.
Ros married twice: first to Britt Johansen in 1950. The first marriage produced two children, Douglas and Louisa. He designed and built a large house in Page Street, Mill Hill, London NW7, which he named Edritt House, after himself and his first wife. The house still stands, next to Copthall Girls' School. He remarried in 1971.
In August 1940, Ros formed his own rumba band, performing as Edmundo Ros and His Rumba Band. In 1941 he cut his first tracks with Parlophone, the first number being "Los Hijos de Buda". The band played regularly at the Coconut Grove club in Regent Street, attracting members of high society. Ros's bands were always based in London nightclubs or restaurants. The first was the Cosmo Club in Wardour Street; then followed the St Regis Hotel, Cork Street, the Coconut Grove and the Bagatelle Restaurant. At the Bagatelle a visit from Princess Elizabeth and party made his name. The future queen danced in public for the first time to Edmundo's music. In later years his orchestra was often invited to play at Buckingham Palace.
By 1946 Ros owned a club, a dance school, a record company and an artistes' agency. His band grew to 16 musicians and was renamed Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra. His number "The Wedding Samba", 1949, sold three million 78s. His album Rhythms of The South (1958) was one of the first high-quality LP stereo records: it sold a million copies. He was with Decca Records from 1944 to 1974, and altogether he made more than 800 recordings.
In 1951 Ros bought the Coconut Grove on Regent Street and in 1964 renamed it Edmundo Ros's Dinner and Supper Club. The club became popular for its atmosphere and music, but it closed in 1965, when legalised casino gambling had drawn away many of its best customers. During the 1950s and 1960s the Ros orchestra appeared frequently on BBC Radio, continuing into the early 1970s on Radio Two Ballroom.
In 1975, during Ros's seventh tour of Japan, his band's Musicians' Union shop steward tried to usurp Ros's authority by making arrangements with venues behind his back. Upon their return to the UK Ros organised a celebratory dinner after a BBC recording session and announced the disbanding of the orchestra. He destroyed almost all the charts (arrangement sheets), which conclusively ended the orchestra's existence.
Ros retired and moved to Jávea, Alicante, Spain. He gave his last public performance on 8 January 1994.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Edmundo Ros Lyrics
A Rainy Night in Rio Whadda they do on a rainy night in Rio? Whadda they…
Ain't Got No Ain't got no home, ain't got no shoes Ain't got no…
Almost Like Being In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
Bewitched She's a fool and don't I know it But a fool…
Blame It On The Bossa Nova I was at a dance when he caught my eye Standin'…
Blue Tango Here am I with you in a world of blue And…
Cancion Cubana I love you that's what my heart is saying While every…
Cherry Pink apple blossom white It's cherry pink and apple blossom white When your true lov…
Chica Chica Boom Chic Come on and sing the Chica Chica Boom Chic That crazy…
Chiquita Banana I'm Chiquita banana and I've come to say Bananas have to…
come closer to me Come closer to me so I can see heaven in your eyes Come…
Come Fly with Me The bachelor population of Trinidad Say the situation is ver…
Come to the mardi gras I heard them sing "Come to the Mardi Gras" It was Rio…
Come With Me My Honey The bachelor population of Trinidad Say the situation is ver…
Conga Boom It's all the rave in rio de janeiro Where night and…
Copacabana Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl With yellow…
Cuban Love Song I love you that's what my heart is saying While every…
Dime Por Que Memories light the corners of my mind Misty water-colored me…
Dolores How I love the kisses of Dolores Aye-aye-aye Dolores Not Mar…
Donna Oh Once upon a looking-for-Donna-time There was a sixteen …
Easy To Be Hard How can people be so heartless How can people be so…
Forbidden Games Why should a magical moment of madness Be leaving me with…
Frank Mills I met a boy called Frank Mills On September twelfth right…
Frenesi Some time ago I wandered down into old Mexico While I was…
Good Good Good Good morning starshine, the earth says "Hello" You twinkle a…
Hair She asks me why, I'm just a hairy guy I'm hairy…
Heartaches Heartaches Heartaches My loving you meant only heartaches Yo…
Her Bathing Suit Never Got Wet By the waters of the Caribbean Lived a lovely little Latin…
Hey Jude Hey Jude, don't make it bad Take a sad song and…
I I talk to the trees But they don't listen to me I…
I Got Life I got life, mother I got laughs, sister I got freedom, bro…
I Talk To The Trees I talk to the trees But they don't listen to me I…
I Yi Yi Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I,…
I've Got the Sun In the Morning i'm not a millionaire, but i don't have time to…
In chi-chi castenango Money, money Money money money money money money Who wants m…
Isle of Capri 't was on the Isle of Capri that I found…
It I was at a dance when he caught my eye Standin'…
It Happened In Monterey In my imagination, I'm finding consolation Somewhere along t…
Let The Sunshine In We starve, look at one another short of breath Walking prou…
Magic Is The Moonlight Magic is the moonlight On this lover's dream night As I see…
Mambo jambo Do the mambo, do the mambo Mambo, jambo, mambo jambo Do the…
Mambo No. 5 ¡Uh! ¡Uh! ¡Uh! ¡Uh! Sí, sí, sí Yo tengo mambo, mambo Sí, …
Managua Nicaragua Would you kindly open your geography Let us turn to page…
Manchester England Manchester England England Across the Atlantic Sea And I'm…
Maracas Maracas, maracas Make music and romance and rhythm Maracas, …
Melodie D'amour Melodie d'amour, take this song to my lover Shoo shoo little…
Miami Beach Rumba It almost feels like it was just a dream All these…
Money Money Money Once I had a bank account My bank book was filled…
My Cherie Amour La la la la la la, la la la la…
Old Devil Moon I look at you and suddenly Something in your eyes I…
on the sunny side of the street Walked with no one and talked with no one And I…
Opportunity Get around here señoras and señoritas Bambinos, caballeros a…
Ramona I wander out yonder o'er the hills Where the mountains high …
Rio Whadda they do on a rainy night in Rio? Whadda they…
Samba Samba Way down in the land of the Rio Grande When people…
Sixteen Tons Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor…
So In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
Some Enchanted Evening Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger, You may see…
South America Up here in the land of the hot-dog stand The atom…
South America Take It Away Up here in the land of the hot-dog stand The atom…
Sweet and Gentle Ohhhhhhh I was sweet and gentle (He was sweet and gentle) Ki…
Take It Away Up here in the land of the hot-dog stand The atom…
Te Quiero Dijiste Magic is the moonlight On this lover's dream night As I see…
Tequila I was at the bar with my drinkin team, It was…
Thank You Very Much I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I,…
The Cuban Love Song I love you that's what my heart is saying While every…
The Fool on the Hill Day after day Alone on a hill The man with the foolish…
The Girl from Ipanema Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema…
The Nearness of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
The Three Caballeros We're three caballeros Three gay caballeros They say we are …
The Wedding Way down in the land of the Rio Grande When people…
The Whistling Samba The samba lights a glow inside your heart, First you hear…
Tzena Tzena, Tzena, Tzena, Tzena Can't you hear the music playing …
Tzena tzena tzena Tzena, Tzena, Tzena, Tzena Can't you hear the music playing…
Wedding Samba Way down in the land of the Rio Grande When people…
Where Do I Go Where do I go Follow the river Where do I go Follow the…
Where Do I Go? Where do I go Follow the river Where do I go Follow the…
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life You are the sunshine of my life That's why I'll always…
Yours I want to see your face in every kind of…