Tino Contreras

Tino Contreras (1924-2021) was a Mexican musician and composer known for his contributions to the genres of jazz, merengue, and Latin jazz. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Contreras grew up in a musical family with his father being a drummer and director of the first Jazz band in Chihuahua. He began playing drums at an early age and formed his own band called the Youth Orchestra when he moved to Ciudad Juarez. In the 1940s, he made his debut as a director and soloist on XEJ radio station and performed at various nightclubs.

Contreras later joined Caravans, organized by Paco Miller, where he played alongside popular artists like Pedro Infante and Tin Tán. He also played in Luis Arcaraz's orchestra and Juan García Esquivel's orchestra. Apart from his work in orchestras, Contreras had an important role in cinematography as both a drummer and composer for films during the Golden Age of national cinema.

In 1953, Contreras recorded his first acetate titled *Tino Contreras: Volado por los Merengues*, introducing Tropical Jazz or Latin Jazz fusion with his own compositions. He became known as El Rey del Merengue in Mexico for forming the first orchestra dedicated to that genre. Throughout his career, Contreras toured internationally and brought attention to the rhythm of Merengue.

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