Henny Álvarez

"Henny Álvarez", as we know Genaro Álvarez Doménech, special sonero, born in the Villa Palmeras neighborhood of Santurce Puerto Rico, born on September 19, 1929, distinguished as a composer, percussionist, singer and renowned dancer; in Puerto Rico he played at the end of the 40's in the folkloric group of the "Sustache Sisters" and some typical groups before traveling to New York. He was a percussionist with "Conjunto Marianaxi", a group directed and created by Luis Cruz Ramos (native of Naguabo, Puerto Rico, where he was born on August 27, 1915) in Santurce, Puerto Rico, after having directed "Alfaraona X" since 1941 in New York City and having been a member of Capacetti directed by singer and guitarist Emilio Cappacetti. In the city of skyscrapers, Henny participated for 18 months in the group of the great Cuban flautist and director Lou Perez, the Cuban Oriental Orchestra, Ray Barreto's modern orchestra, "Las Estrellas Alegre", in 1958 with Gilberto Cruz's Sexteto, La Tipica Novel in 1956, was a backing vocalist with Rafael Cortijo's group, as well as with Charlie Palmieri's band; His participation with Larry Harlow in 1973, became unforgettable in the creation of the Opera "Hommy" (Water); original of the English Opera "Tommy" of the Anglo group "The Who"; that reunited the Cuban voices of Celia Cruz and Justo Betancourt with those of his countrymen: Cheo Feliciano, Pete El Conde Rodriguez, Adalberto Santiago and Junior Gonzalez; he was Henny, manager and co-founder of the "Grupo Folklorico Experimental Neoyorquino".... As a composer we remember pieces such as "Juan Ramón", "Fuga pal Monte", "Tremendo Coco", performed by Joe Cuba's sextet and the voices of Cheo Feliciano and Jimmy Sabater; "El muerto se fue de rumba", with Gilberto Cruz, "Cocinando", "Congo Bongo" popularized by Barreto and "Mongo" Santamaría respectively. In recent years he continued to work with Harlow, which he called "Eco Divino", despite being convalescent from two cardiovascular accidents he had suffered in 2004. Alvarez passed away on March 31, 2006 in his hometown Santurce Puerto Rico. His funeral honors were held at the Celestium Funeral Home in Carolina-PR and his body was cremated on Wednesday morning, April 5, 2006.