Faílde's father was a Galician immigrant, and his mother a parda (dark mulata).

Faílde was one of many musicians who actively conspired against the Spanish colonial rule; his life included the time of the Cuban War of Independence.

[2][3] His orchestra was highly successful, though his major achievements were the creation of the danzón and the compositions he wrote, many of which have been adapted since for other rhythms.

For a start, the danzón was a much slower dance than both the contradanza and the danza; and it allowed for pauses between the different sections of a number.

In retrospect it is often difficult to see why one genre is preferred to another; the quality of compositions and the orchestras which choose to play it must have some influence.