Armenteros was born on April 4, 1928, in Santa Clara, Las Villas Province, Cuba.
He first began playing in a band led by the sonero/composer René Álvarez called Conjunto Los Astros and soon after with Arsenio Rodríguez.
The nickname "Chocolate" was bestowed on him owing to a case of mistaken identity, when someone took him for Kid Chocolate, the champion boxer.
After the Cuban Revolution, Armenteros moved to New York, where he lived until his death.

Armenteros went on to play with José Fajardo, Beny Moré, Tito Puente, César Concepción, Machito, Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, Marcelino Guerra, Charlie Palmieri, John Santos, Israel "Cachao" López, Noro Morales, Johnny Pacheco, and many others.
He was a member of La Sonora Matancera from 1977 to 1980.
He died of prostate cancer on 6 January 2016.
Armenteros was born on April 4, 1928, in Santa Clara, Las Villas Province, Cuba. He first began playing in a band led by the sonero/composer René Álvarez called Conjunto Los Astros and soon after with Arsenio Rodríguez. The nickname "Chocolate" was bestowed on him owing to a case of mistaken identity, when someone took him for Kid Chocolate, the champion boxer. After the Cuban Revolution, Armenteros moved to New York, where he lived until his death.
Armenteros went on to play with José Fajardo, Beny Moré, Tito Puente, César Concepción, Machito, Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, Marcelino Guerra, Charlie Palmieri, John Santos, Israel "Cachao" López, Noro Morales, Johnny Pacheco, and many others. He was a member of La Sonora Matancera from 1977 to 1980. He died of prostate cancer on 6 January 2016.
Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros