César de las Mercedes Pedroso Fernández, popularly known as César “Pupy” Pedroso, is a Cuban composer, arranger, pianist, and conductor. He was born on September 24, 1946, in Vedado, Havana. His father, César Pedroso (Nené), came from a family of musicians.

“Pupy” was a member of various Cuban groups such as Cuba Nueva, Sensación, Chapottín, Fascinación, and Elio Revé’s Charangón. He served as pianist and musical director for the latter, and it was there that he gained fame in Cuban music.

In December 1968, he joined Juan Formell and formed the legendary Cuban orchestra “Los Van Van,” with which he remained active for 32 years. During that time, he composed more than 150 pieces, which, when performed by Los Van Van, became huge hits. Among them are: Six Weeks, The Good People, Sugar, Is It Over?, That’s Good, Neither Chocolates nor Caramels, The Voluminous One, Behave Yourself, What Things Life Has, The Town Crier, and Tranquilo Mota.

During this period, he participated in various record productions, including Fruta Prohibida, by Caribe Productions (1995), an album that received a Gold Record for its sales. In 1999, he won a Grammy Award for his participation in the CD “Permiso Llegó Van Van,” a production that featured Temba, Tumba, and Timba; El Negro está cocinando; and La bomba soy yo, three songs composed by “Pupy.”

In 2001, César “Pupy” Pedroso founded his own popular dance music group, named “Pupy” y Los que Son Son. He enlisted the valuable support of two greats of Cuban music, Chucho Valdés and Changuito. He debuted with his orchestra on October 4, 2001, in the municipality of Güines. Its members were students from the ISA (1110 Calle 120 between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana) and musicians from other Cuban orchestras.

The instrumental format of Pupy y los que Son Son is nothing more than the basis of the mixture of various instrumental formats, such as that of Charanga, since it maintains the violin and the pailas, performs an Conjunto treatment by adding the trumpets and the trombones are also present, characteristic of the modalities derived from the Jazz band.

The lyrics of the songs that make up their repertoire address themes such as romantic relationships and women as the main figures within them, and have social content, where typical characters from the Cuban social sphere are showcased, such as the boastful, the gossipmonger, and the town crier.

Among the songs performed by this orchestra are: The neighbor moved, The cat threatens but does not scratch, The voluminous one, Women are, Let’s enjoy ourselves even outside, Does it bother you that I’m happy and Play it.

Pupy y los que Son Son, just nine months old, already had a strong following, having participated in national and international events such as the Santa Lucía Jazz Festival, where they shared the stage with Bradford Marsalis, Lauryn Hill, and Chucho Valdés and his jazz quartet. They also toured the neighborhoods nationwide, culminating with a concert at La Piragua.

Tranquilo, que yo controlo (Tranquil, I control) is the name of their album, which was released publicly in November 2008 at a concert at the Astral movie theater (Calzada de Infanta No. 501, Centro Habana, Havana), where Teresa García Caturla, Changuito, Haila, and Ángel Bonne, among others, performed. That same year, “Pupy” and los que Son Son were awarded the Best Album of 2008 prize, chosen by www.fiestacubana.net, at the New Morning in France.

On a European tour in 2009, he introduced audiences to a new troupe of singers. The following year, he traveled with his orchestra to New York, where he performed at SOB’s nightclub and shared the stage with prominent percussionists such as Marc Quiñones, Ralph Irizarry, and Bobby Allende.

He and his group have toured and performed countless concerts, both nationally and internationally. He has shared the stage with renowned international musicians such as Brandford Marsalis, Lauryn Hill, Vesta, India Hari, Giovanni Hidalgo, Danilo Pérez, Papo Luccas, Gonzalito Rubalcaba, and others.

César “Pupy” Pedroso has received numerous awards throughout his successful career, including the 1999 Grammy Award and the 2008 French Award for Best Album of the Year.

Discography: Forbidden Fruit (1995); The Best of César Pedroso: The Hits of Los Van Van (1995); From Timba to Pogolotti (1999); Pupy and Those Who Are Son: Timba – The New Generation of Latin Music (2001); What Things Life Has (2002); Pupy the Good Guy (2003); My Timba “Closed” (2005); Calm Down, I’m in Control (2008).