Los Zafiros, a vocal quartet that emerged in 1962 in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood of Centro Habana, consisted of four very young mixed-race men: Ignacio Elejalde, Eduardo Hernández (El Chino), Miguel Cancio, and Leoncio Morúa (Kike).

The original idea of ​​forming the quartet came from Kike and Miguel. They mentioned it to composer and guitarist Néstor Milí, who immediately accepted and began looking for members. While at the barbershop on Oquendo and Virtudes Street, they met and got to know a singer who was also from the neighborhood and had come from Europe, Ignacio Elejalde. It is also said that Ignacio performed the Song of Orpheus in Portuguese at the barbershop.

The next day he has a date at Milí’s house, where Ignacio arrives accompanied by his friend Eduardo Hernández, who joins the group. There, Ignacio sings the Song of Orpheus again, but this time the others join in the chorus.

Holguín native Manuel Galván replaced Néstor Milí, who gave the quartet its first hits. Galván was a highly experienced pianist and guitarist. He played electric guitar in the group and was also the musical director.

They were popularly known by the name of “four voices and a guitar.”

Los Zafiros’ first recording was in December 1963. It was a single featuring the songs “La Caminadora” and “Mi Oración,” which were widely played on radio and record players at the time. They also performed on the television program Música y Estrellas, hosted by Manolo Rifat.

In 1965, Los Zafiros received a great opportunity to tour parts of Europe with the Cuban Music Hall, accompanied by other important artists from our archipelago. During this time, they performed at the Olympia in Paris. Los Zafiros performed in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and the former GDR and USSR.

The fabulous Zafiros brought a distinctly Cuban flavor to their performances. Their repertoire includes diverse musical genres such as ballads, boleros, guaguancó, guarachas, congas, mambos, bossa nova, samba, laments, soul, twist, and Latin American classics.

Los Zafiros ceased to exist as a quartet in 1970. They became musical idols with impressive speed, a legend of Cuban music.