Antonio Estévez “Tata” es por su edad y conocimientos musicales uno de los pianistas que personalmente más he disfrutado verle tocar. Oír a Tata en sus descargas, tanto en los ensayos como en su peña en el Mariano Social Club ha sido un placer.
Tata empieza a ser conocido en la década de los 50, cuando sus descargas en el Panchín, Pensilvana o en el Canódromo de Mariano le dan un lugar en la música cubana, que le lleva a la Orquesta Modelo, y al Conjunto Estrellas de Chocolate, desde donde el salto a una de las grandes orquestas que sonaban en la época, la Riverside, donde cantaba Tito Gómez, en esa época acompañó desde a Nat King Cole, hasta Carmen Miranda o Josephin Baker, incluso a Frank Sinatra. Posteriormente vuelve a sus descargas en cabaret y es contratado para Moroco y el Club Leman, allí acompañó a grandes como Orlando Contreras o Lino Borges. De vuelta a las orquestas es reclamado por Neno González, con quien toca un buen tiempo, hasta que decide cambiar al Conjunto Musicuba de Tejedor y Max González “ La Araña”, pero su gran éxito siempre lo obtuvo de solista que es donde podemos oír a un Tata con una forma de interpretación especial. Para mí, que soy pianista, podría asegurarle que es única.
Antonio Estévez “Tata” is one of the pianists that I have most enjoyed seeing perform live. He has both an advanced age and musical knowledge. I especially enjoy listening to his lives performance in his rehearsals with his fellow musicians in the Social Club.
Tata became well known during the 50s when he performed his descargas in the Panchin, Pennsylvania and the Canodromo in Mariano. All this gave him an important place in Cuban music that later took him to the Orquesta Modelo and the Conjunto Estrellas de Chocolate. From there he went on to the big orchestras that could be heard at the time. He played with the Riverside at the time when TitoGómez was singing with them. Also at this time he accompanied big International artists like Nat King Cole, Carmen Mirando, Josephine Baker and Frank Sinatra. He later went back to his discharges in cabarets and was contracted by the Moroco and the Club Leman. There he accompanied big stars like Orlando Contreras and Lino Borges. When back to orchestra playing, he was reclaimed by Neno Gonzalez with whom he played for quite some time, until he decided to change to the Conjunto Musicuba with Tejedor and max González “La Araña”. However he was most successful as a solo artist for his unique performance style. As I am a pianist myself, I can assure you that he is unique.