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.
Cuban Love Song
Edmundo Ros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While every breeze is playing our Cuban love song
I love you for all the joy you brought me
The lovely night you taught me our Cuban love song
One melody will always thrill my heart
One kiss will cheer me when we're far apart
(Dear one) I love you with such a tender passion
and only you could fashion our Cuban love Song
I love you that's what my heart is saying
While every breeze is playing our Cuban love song
I love you for all the joy you brought me
The lovely night you taught me our Cuban love song
One melody will always thrill my heart
One kiss will cheer me when we're far apart
(Dear one) I love you with such a tender passion
The lyrics to Edmundo Ros & His Orchestra's "Cuban Love Song" are a declaration of love and devotion to one's beloved. The first stanza expresses the singer's love for his/her partner and the power of their love song, which seems to be playing everywhere they go. The second stanza continues this theme of love and expresses gratitude for the joy that the partner brings, specifically the joy of the night they first taught the singer the Cuban love song. The stanza also emphasizes that the strength of the love song lies in its ability to thrill the heart with its melody and to provide comfort in the form of a kiss when the two are separated. The final line of the song drives home the intensity of the love being expressed when the singer says that only the partner could have created such a powerful love song.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of adoration, commitment, and deep emotional connection between two lovers. The power of the Cuban love song is symbolic of the intensity and endurance of their love, which seems to transcend time and distance.
Line by Line Meaning
I love you that's what my heart is saying
My heart is overflowing with love for you
While every breeze is playing our Cuban love song
Our love is so strong that even the winds carry its melody
I love you for all the joy you brought me
You have brought immense happiness to my life and I am grateful for that
The lovely night you taught me our Cuban love song
The night we spent together, learning and singing our love song, will always be a beautiful memory
One melody will always thrill my heart
The melody of our love song will forever fill my heart with joy and excitement
One kiss will cheer me when we're far apart
Even when we are physically apart, the memory of your kiss will bring me happiness
(Dear one) I love you with such a tender passion
My love for you is passionate and tender, a love that only you inspire
and only you could fashion our Cuban love Song
Our love is unique and special, only you could inspire a song as beautiful as this Cuban love song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, HERBERT STOTHART, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gloriajanewren
This reminds me so much of my childhood. My dad, Ken Dryden, is the flautist on this recording - you can hear his lovely sound playing the melody. Dad was first flute and doubled on baritone sax and clarinet. I remember going with him to watch them make the weekly broadcasts. He had a Cooper flute and I remember going to see Albert Cooper too, in Clapham. What very special memories.
@bharatshahane5415
+gloriajanewren: My compliments to you Gloria, for for your good fortune by association! Such irreplaceable talent.... I wish you happiness!
@gloriajanewren
Thank you for your very kind words. As you say - irreplaceable talent. I do hear him occasionally on the radio when some lovely old songs from yesteryear are played. After Ros broke up the band Dad became a free lance session musician playing all sorts of music for all manner of artists. TV shows too - he is on the stand for the legendary Andre Previn sketch on Morecombe and Wise!
@berthacasillas2524
👉🎭😉🔊🎶🎼🍾🍸🌕💯🏝️🏝️
@BajanBamboo100
As a kid growing up in Barbados, I could not get enough of his Latin vibes. To this day, I still enjoy hearing the 'sweet' sounds of Edmundo. May his soul RIP. Thanks for the memories!!
@joehiggs100
Thanks so much, I grew up listening to this music around Manchester UK, in the 1950s.My parents played loads of class music, but Edmundo Ros stood out in my mind for many reasons. He is immensely popular still, I played a gig tonight and mentioned his passing and people raised a glass to his memory. His Calypso LP which recreates 1930's tunes by the likes of Wilmouth Houdini is magnificent, on a par with Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener at their best. A great educator.
@davebournemouth
This is the tune,more than any,so many millions of people will remember Edmundo by,his signature tune,thank you for posting this for us all to enjoy,and Thank you Edmundo for all the enjoyment you gave us over so many years.RIP.
@davorkasimunovic7532
Que fascinante melodía ❤️‼️
@jonsanserino8229
WOW - REAL music that will live on always.So nice.
@johnmellish1445
This brings back so many memories,i can remember my mother doing the washing,by hand! to this.He had a programme on the BBC on a monday morning.