foto por Majela Serrano

instrumento/instrument: bongó

grupos/groups: Charanga Habanera, Pachito Alonzo, Alina Torres y Dacapo

grabaciones/recordings: Charanga Habanera: No mires la carátula, Charanga Habanera: El rey de los charangueros, Charanga Habanera: El ciclón de La Habana, Charanga Habanera: Charanga light; Charanga Habanera: Soy cubano, soy popular, Charanga Habanera: Chan Chan Charanga; Charanga Habanera: Charanguero Mayor

lugar de nacimiento/birthplace: ?

formación musical/musical background: la ENIA

lugar actual de residencia/current residence: La Habana

Lázaro Jesús Mengual Abreu is as worthy of his last name as Orlandito. And they've been together throughout their artistic careers. These two brothers have never separated -- in life or in art. In physical appearance they're quite different, but in "sabor y manana" (musical soul and feeling) they're definitely twins! Like his brother, Lazarito studied at the ENIA, and played in the Conjunto Artístico de las FAR and later "Sonoridad", playing not only percussion, but bass as well.

In 1992 the careers of the two brothers separated for the second time, (the first being Orlandito's 2 month tour with Los Van Van). Lazarito took a job with Alina Torres y Dacapo -- a tour which included France and Africa, among other places..

Later, reunited with Orlandito again, he joined Pachito Alonso y sus Kini Kini, for about 4 years, until, in 1998, he too decided to become a Charanguero. "I'm very happy here -- I've gotten to visit many new places, and I've had the chance to develop in the music scene and on my instrument...what else can I say? I love it here!" [Majela Serrano]