ESY MORALES

Biography

Esy Morales was a musician born in Puerto Rico in 1916. One of his brothers, Noro, was also a musician. Before the age of ten Morales was performing on tenor sax, clarinet and flute. In 1930 he moved to New York, and is credited on Xavier Cugat’s album Cugat On Film, as well as other Cugat records. In the late 1930s he formed a band with his brothers Humberto and Noro.

Esy Morales went on to form his own band, The Esy Morales Orchestra and had a cameo appearance in the 1949 motion picture Criss Cross performing the song “Jungle Fantasy”. His name is also listed in the credits of this movie. The song Jungle Fantasy appears on Herbie Mann’s 65th Birthday Celebration: Live At The Blue Note In New York City (Live), as well as Yusef Lateef’s 1960 recording The Centaur and the Phoenix.

Esy Morales died in 1950 at the age of 34 from a drug-induced heart attack. He was about to resign with Rainbow Records, which had recorded his “Jungle Fantasy” a few years earlier. Morales also recorded for Artistic, Manor, and Decca under his own name.