Luis ‘Tito’ Zornoza, history of the music of Eivissa, died yesterday Thursday at the age of 71 in Palma where he had undergone surgery for throat cancer, which was later complicated by pneumonia. Tito Zornoza was one of the best known and most beloved musicians of the island’s music scene, as the singer of one of the groups that introduced pop and rock on the island, Los Diana, which he formed with Pepe Gamba, Juanito Platé and Juanito Torres Bessó, when they were just 14-year-old teenagers.
Los Diana had a great success on the island and became the idols of all the youth of an era. Their repertoire included dozens of cover versions of groups of the time, but in 1968, at only 16 years old, they released their first album, with the first song recorded in Ibizan ‘Sa fauç’, as well as ‘Aquella’, ‘Minifalda’ and ‘De papel’. They recorded another album in 1972, with a cover of Elvis Presley’s ‘Release Me’ before splitting up a year later. Although in 1974 they reunited again to support Mari Trini at the Sant Jaume de Vila festival.
At that time there were already many groups on the island, with whom they shared stages in all the locals, youth societies and discos, such as Es Amics or Es Trons.
Zornoza was the son of the professor in Arts and Crafts and Juan XXIII, as well as a musician Rafel Zornoza Bernabéufounder of the Rondalla La Aficiónthe Rondalla La Afición[]through which passed dozens of musicians from Eivissa and in which Tito and Pepe Gamba made their first steps before playing electric guitars.
After that time Tito Zornoza played and sang in various groups, such as Los Nuevos Bohemios or sa Orquestra des Pla de Vilaalthough the new generations remember him above all for Ressonadorswhere he gave an unforgettable rendition of ‘Bona nit blanca roseta’ with a jazz and swing twist. The founder of the project, Joan Barbé, recalls that Zornoza was the star of the concerts: “People applauded him not at the end of the song, but at the end of each verse”, said the musician yesterday in a state of shock after receiving the news.
History of Ibiza
“Tito is the history of Ibizan music and will always be, and I’m not saying that because he is no longer here, anyone who knows a little of the music of the island knows what Tito means. He was a wonder, with a beautiful voice. When I was born, in 1984, he was already consecrated, but I have known him since I was a child because he played with my father. He is leaving a great musician and a great friend. An unrepeatable person”, said Barbé.
His words were corroborated by Joan Barbé Sr.: “Zornoza was four or five years older than me and was my idol when he played in Los Diana, and then I was lucky enough to play for many years with him in groups like So de Nit”.
Although in recent years he was retired from music, he always came to the calls of Ressonadors and to sing something with Simple Rock, and with the band that became his last group, Toc Rock, which he shared with his inseparable Pepe Gamba, Toni Jiménez and Sergio Torres, son of Juanito Torres.
Zornoza also worked as a clerk and also as a waiter for many years, but eventually left the night and developed his work as an accountant until his retirement. He was well known in Vila and always had a smile and conversation for his friends, in the meetings they held for years in Ses Canyes and other places in the center of Vila, over a glass of cava.
His last concert was that of Ressonadors last November for the festivities of Santa Gertrudis, in which he once again ended up hugging the musicians and with the audience at his feet.
Yesterday there were many Ibizan musicians who expressed their sorrow for the death of Tito Zornoza, especially through the social networks thread of Ressonadors, such as Gerard Quintana, Ángela Cervantes, Jordi Cardona, Chris Martos, Ramon Mayol, Jordi Mayans, Willy Podevín, Carolina Guiral, María José Cardona, Joan Carles Marí, Omar Alcaide, Alfredo Marí, Stefano Serra or Luis Iglesias, among many others.