He occupies a significant place in the history of Cuban popular music for having been a notable musician, orchestra conductor and composer. He was born on February 6, 1879 in the town of Madruga, which was then part of the province of Havana. During the development of his existence and in his work in the field of music in a very special way José Urfé contributed to the development of the danzón, that genre of Cuban popular music created by Miguel Faílde, which came to be catalogued as our national dance. He was also the author of other works in different genres, including habaneras, criollas and danzones. He is also considered an innovator in Cuban music, since when he looked for a new rhythmic element in the oriental son to structure his danzón entitled "El bombín de Barreto", he defined the current form of the Cuban danzón.