Birth: Oct. 16, 1949,Alturas de Canasí
Death: Jul. 2, 2006,Miami
Born in Alturas de Canasí (a town located halfway between Havana and Matanzas) and raised in the Cuban capital, the vocalist/bassist/arranger/composer Wilfredo Israel Sardiñas Domínguez initiated his professional career in 1975, playing bass with a group led by pianist Meme Solas, who must be credited for discovering Israel's diverse vocal qualities, including his powerful timbre, passionate delivery, stylistic versatility, and amazing improvisational skills.
Israel Sardiñas joined Los Van Van in 1980. During his three years with Van Van he sang hits such as "Seis Semanas", "Vine a Verte", "Hoy Que Quieres de Mi". In 1983 he left the band during a tour of Mexico and later he moved to Miami. He was replaced in Los Van van by Mayito El Flaco who was then replaced by Mayito Rivera. It is clear that Formell was looking for singers with a similar timer and syle to fill the void left by Israel Sardiñas's departure. It is also interesting to note that César "Pupy" Pedroso hired Pepito Gómez who interpreted "Seis semanas" for Los Que Son Son and has the same type of brilliant timbre as Israel Sardiñas
Influenced by Benny Moré, Raúl Planas and other Cuban legends, Israel paid his dues with Los Reyes '73 (a popular Van Van spin-off), Iresón, Neosón and other …
Mr. Israel Sardiñas was regarded as one of the best soneros (a singer of the Cuban musical style known as son) of recent decades. "When he came on the scene [in the late '70s], other singers copied him," said influential Latin bandleader Juan Pablo Torres in a 1997 …
He changed his name to Israel Kantor in 1984 in New York City, on the suggestion of Puerto Rican musician Johnny Pacheco.
The atmosphere of Miami in the 1980's was not receptive to modern Cuban music preferring salsa romantica or "salsa nostalgica" such as covers of Benny More and Arsenio Rodríguez. Israel Sardiñas's attempts to create a new music style were not successful but he did find success singing traditional Cuban music with his voz de sonero.
In 2003 Israel Sardiñas became a member of The Tropicana All Star Orchestra, which was nominated for two Latin Grammy Awards and two Grammy Awards for their albums "Recuerda a Benny More" and "Tradicion". a tribute to Benny Moré and other traditional songs. The band was very successful with it's show that included dancers á la tropicana. Israel Sardiñas was one of very few modern singers truly capable of interpreting Benny Moré with an authentic sonero flavor. Israel Sardiñas also performed with Fania and the legend says that it was Hector Lavoe that gave him the nickname "El Cantor" which he then took to be his artist name "Kantor".
Group:Tropicana All Stars, Los Van Van, Los Yakos,Conjunto Rumbavana,NeoSon
Cause of Death: Cancer:
MIAMI (AP) - Israel Sardiñas, the Cuban musician who was part of the Grammy-winning Tropicana All Stars orchestra, died Saturday of cancer, his publicist said Sunday. He was 56.
Israel Sardiñas died at his southwest Miami home, according to a statement from publicist F & F Media Corp.
