The Cuban Modern Music Orchestra was founded in 1967 by Armando Romeu, who served as its director. Romeu had the invaluable assistance of the brilliant Cuban musician Rafael Somavilla, and the two occasionally alternated conducting the orchestra.

The Cuban Modern Music Orchestra formed a Big Band, created with the firm goal of playing all possible musical genres, but primarily jazz. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to bring together the best instrumentalists available in the country at the time.

Armando Romeu and Rafael Somavilla were responsible for selecting and assembling the musicians to form a surprising orchestra.

The Cuban Modern Music Orchestra was made up of a constellation of stars, including Chucho Valdés (pianist) and Carlos Emilio Morales (guitarist), both of whom came from the Teatro Musical de La Habana (Havana Musical Theater). Cachaíto and Luis Escalante were from the National Symphony Orchestra. Oscar Valdés (singer and percussionist), Guillermo Barreto (timpani), and Pucho Escalante were from the ICR orchestra; and Paquito D. Rivera (alto saxophone) was from the band in which he was performing his military service. Also participating in the orchestra were Arturo Sandoval and Jorge Varona (trumpets), and Enrique Plá (drums).

With the Rafael Somavilla Orchestra in 1968, he premiered one of his works, the aforementioned Jazz Suite.

Sadly, the Cuban Modern Music Orchestra died young. It is considered the most important orchestra in Cuban music of the 1960s. It made a great impression on those who heard it perform some of its pieces.