Beloved pianist, orchestra director (Los Caballeros de Montecarlo, his own), music arranger, composer, Jorge Taveras passed away at 76 years. He died in Orlando, Florida where he had moved with his family when retiring to deal with his health issues.
In a statement, the family explained the prominent musician had been struggling with health problems, caused by a brain disease (Aphasia), a condition that degenerated into other complications after he was infected by Covid-19 and had to be admitted to intensive care unit. The widow Jovanna García expressed thanks for the support and accompaniment of friends and family. The remains were cremated and due to Covid-19 there would be no public wake.
Jorge Taveras is the father of Jorge Augusto, Remy, René, Lía and Mía from his first marriage from his first marriage to Lourdes Lopez. From his second marriage, he is survived by his widow Jovanna Garcia and his children Birm, Rafael, Natasha and Margarita.
Jorge Taveras contributed to productions for Johnny Ventura, Wilfrido Vargas, Omar Franco, Olga Lara, Tati Salas, La Coco Band, Sonia Silvestre, José Antonio Rodríguez, Víctor Víctor, Miriam Cruz, Milly Quezada, among others.
He studied music at the Santo Domingo Music Conservatory and Music Conservatory in Puerto Rico. He took courses in engineering at the PUCMM in Santiago, and business administration at the UASD in Santo Domingo.
“I was in about six universities trying to get a degree, but music pulled me,” he once told the late journalist Mundito Espinal in an interview.
After his return to the country he began visiting recording studios, learned to play guitar and in 1967 was called by the executives of La Tabacalera to lead the band Los Caballeros Montecarlo, in Santiago, where he stayed for 11 years.
In 1973 he joined the television program Nosotros a las 8 as director of the staff orchestra. During that time he also began a career in the production of jingles for different advertising agencies.
He was involved in many other TV programs — El Show del Mediodía, De Noche and Punto Final– as musical director of the staff orchestra. He was also producer of the program Fantástico, broadcast on Sundays.
With his own orchestra he also entertained at weddings and other special presentations. He was one of the most sought after pianists to accompany international artists when they performed in the country.
He had an outstanding participation as director, arranger and composer in the international OTI song festivals in the versions performed in Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and in Aldemaro Romero’s Onda Nueva Festival in Venezuela.
In 1977 he received the El Dorado award from the Bermudez spirits company and in 1987 the Asociación de Cronistas de Arte awarded him the El Gran Soberano in the Casandra awards, today Soberano.
Among others, he played the piano for Lope Balaguer, Paquito de Rivera, José José, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Ángela Carrasco, Alex Bueno, Maridalia Hernández, Sergio Vargas, Fernando Villalona, Johnny Ventura. He also composed works for the National Symphony Orchestra and jazz pieces.
Jorge Taveras would eventually retire from music due to health problems and moved to Florida.
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Diario Libre
6 December 2021