2025

Tito Puente Jr.: perpetuating a legacy with its own rhythm

In International Salsa Magazine, we cannot contain our joy for the conversation we had with the son of one of the greatest legends of Latin music, who is now writing his own story of grandeur thanks to the education he has received practically since birth. This is none other than New York producer, composer, and percussionist Tito Puente Jr., who shared about 40 minutes of his time to answer some questions exclusively for Augusto Felibertt and yours truly, Karina Garcia.

Tito puente jr. smiling — Producer, composer, and timbalero Tito Puente Jr. smiling for the camera

The burden of Tito Puente’s iconic legacy

Having a successful father is a great blessing, but sometimes, it can become a veritable martyrdom for a son who wants to follow his path, as comparisons between them will always be inevitable. Being able to share with Tito Puente Jr., son of the legendary King Of Timbales Tito Puente, gives us the opportunity to get his perspective on this interesting and important subject.

Fortunately, the artist does not see this legacy as a burden, but quite the opposite. Although he admits that his father is one of the greatest masters and ambassadors Latin music and our culture in general have ever had, and that it is not easy to fill his shoes, he proudly bears his father’s surname and promotes his music.

Moreover, he sees the surname “Puente,” as well as the Spanish word implies, as a union among several generations because many young people this day do not know Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, and many other exponents of that salsa’s golden era. Tito Jr. wants to be part of that “bridge” between generations so that people of all ages can learn about these prodigies, including, of course, his father.

Childhood with Tito Puente as his father

Regarding his childhood and adolescence, Tito emphasized that he always saw his father play all types of instruments such as timbales, marimba, saxophone, percussion, and many others, which inspired him and made him want to imitate him from the beginning. Today, his career is largely influenced by everything he saw at home, and he plays his father’s arrangements and compositions, which are divided between a total of 186 albums.

Everything learned within his family has taken him so far professionally, to the point that he now has seven Latin Grammys and 14 nominations, all thanks to the legacy he carries.

Tito Puente and Tito Puente Jr. — Tito Puente Jr. and his father Tito Puente on the 1998 Grammy Awards red carpet

The Puente family today

On the more personal side, Tito is the youngest of his brothers, among whom he is the only one who works on music as a profession. To some extent, this has made him take upon his shoulders Tito Puente’s legacy through his own art.

The musician currently resides in southern Florida, specifically in Miami, although he works with orchestras from different cities and countries. He is married and has two children who are Miranda, 18, and Tito Puente Jr. Jr., 17. Miranda studies marine biology at university, while her younger brother is in high school but travels constantly with his father and enjoys composing and playing the guitar.

He also told us a little about his wife, who loves salsa but is not in music. On the other hand, he spoke lovingly of “the boss,” his mother Margarita Puente, who is currently in charge of royalties, record labels, publicity, and the documentary on Tito Puente’s life.

He also has two siblings: Audrey Puente, 55, who is a television meteorologist, and Rony Puente, 77, who is also a musician like his father and younger brother.

Other musical influences besides that of his father

In addition to salsa, mambo, and guaguancó, Tito really enjoys English rock and several bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and others into this style. These tastes of his have led him to the idea of, at some point, blending heavy metal with mambo to see which result he gets.

As well as he can really enjoy the music of Bon Jovi and Ozzy Osbourne, he is also fascinated by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, which he finds to be a very interesting mixture of genres that he would like to experiment with someday.

He also said laughing that his father did not share his musical tastes and that the only rock band he liked was Santana, and that was because they did their own version of the hit “Oye Cómo Va” in psychedelic rock and Latin rock.

Tito Puente holding his son — Tito Puente carrying his son Tito Puente Jr.

Current singers

Today, Tito works with various singers, including Aymee Nuviola, Lucrecia, Yolanda Duque, and his great friend, “La Princesa de La Salsa” La India. His father worked with great vocalists such as Tony Vega, Michael Stuart, Oscar D’León, José Alberto “El Canario,” Miguel Ángel Barcasnegras Díaz “Meñique,” and many more.

Tito’s latest album, “The King And I,” also features other big voices such as Domingo Quiñones, Frankie Negrón, José Alberto “El Canario,” Tony Vega, Sheila E., Pete Escovedo, and many other salsa superstars of today and yesterday.

The timbalero has worked with many figures who also worked with his father in the past, so it is clear that they see him and respect him as the continuation of his musical legacy.

Tito’s views on academic training in music

On the important issue of academic training in music, Tito pointed out that there are not enough educational programs aimed at teaching Afro-Cuban music in schools and universities, which in his view needs to change as soon as possible.

In fact, he noted the importance of promoting programs in educational institutions around the world so that their students learn much more than just symphonic music and become more rounded professionals. Although he recognizes the importance of knowing Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, he also believes that aspiring musicians should know about Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, Larry Harlow, Pupi Campo, and other artists in this style.

The artist believes that the above mentioned artists and many others related to jazz and salsa are part of a very important era of music in the world, which is why he believes that teachers must take them into account during their classes. For him, it is a mission to promote both his father’s music and that of other exponents of his kind in the academic field.

Tito Jr. and his family — Audrey, Margarita, Tito, and Tito Jr.

Upcoming tours

For our research, we could notice that Tito has several performances and tours scheduled for the rest of the year, more specifically for November. In this regard, he told us that in the first week of September, he went to play his father’s music on his weekly show Mambo Mondays, which is held to delight dancers eager to keep enjoying Tito Puente’s music.

About international tours, he plans to go to Germany in February next year and Spain next summer. He is also close to release a documentary in 2026 and a new album with the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra, which has 77 musicians and instruments such as violins, violas, harps, bagpipes, flutes, French horns, among others.

Tito Puente Jr. and his son — Tito Puente III and his father Tito Puente Jr.

Final comment

We still cannot believe we had this great conversation with the talented Tito Puente Jr. and it has been a great pleasure to share this time with him. Those who wish to contact him can do so through his social media channels, which are as follows:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TitoPuenteJr/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/titopuentejr/

X: https://twitter.com/titopuentejr

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/titopuentejr

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/artist/2ROkqvVDXj5JgmN6z2uFrM

Cuban singer-songwriter Osmay Calvo shows his versatility in the New Jersey music scene

Osmay Calvo is just one of many examples of why Cubans have triumphed so many times in the United States, which is why his story and that of many of his compatriots always serve as inspiration for those seeking a career in the music industry but who do not dare to do it because of the misfortune of being born in a place that did not offer them the necessary opportunities for this.

Calvo was kind enough to take a few minutes of his time to talk about all that had happened to his career to date, so it is an honor for us to describe what was discussed in the following lines.

Osmay performing — Singer Osmay Calvo performing during a birthday

How Osmay became interested in music

Osmay tells us that, from an early age, he loved popular music, so he began to participate in school music events when he was just six years old in Tarará, east of the city of Havana. At the same time, his mother enrolled him in singing lessons and he spent much time with his family musicians, including his uncle, singer Pedrito Calvo, who was a member of Los Van Van.

A few years later, he began to attend various types of contests and joined the Mariana de Gonitch Singing Academy, directed at the time by maestro Hugo Oslé, thanks to which he met Pacho Alonso, Ela Calvo, Mundito González, and many other important figures of Cuban popular music.

Official beginning of his professional life

Osmay’s professional start was in Cuba when he joined the Adolfo Guzmán company in 1995, which is when he had his first paid job in music. Although it is true that the Cuban government got a huge percentage of the money earned by the artists, Osmay appreciates the experience and the chance to know other countries through his activities with the company.

Some time later, he had the opportunity to travel to Spain and then to Mexico, where he participated in a music competition and won first prize with the song “La Bamba.” He then spent another month in Spain for an event until returning to Havana and winning the Mariana de Gonitch Singing Contest, obtaining the prize for the great popular generation of national music award, which led him to travel through the 14 provinces of Cuba to offer his services and make himself better known.

Osmay, Ela, and Beatriz — Singer Ela Calvo, Osmay Calvo, and ”La Musicalísima” Beatriz Marquez

Moving to the United States

It was in 2002 that Osmay finally decided it was time to look for other roads and leave Cuba to no longer return. He was going to sign a contract with Mambo Records in Miami, but things did not go according to plan, so he started recording his own music and went to New Jersey, where he began to organise his own orchestra with which he has 16 original songs written by himself, but also numerous covers of hits by other artists.

He has not been back to his native country for about 24 or 25 years. In fact, most of his family also lives in the United States and Canada, except for his uncle Pedro Calvo, some cousins, friends, and his music teachers.

However, after all the time he has been gone, things have not been entirely easy for Osmay, especially in the beginning. The hardest thing for him was language learning and how little he knew about his new place of residence, but the artist quickly learned and was gradually integrated into this new music scene, thanks to which he was able to play with many orchestras and meet great figures such as Oscar D’León at the Coco Bongo Club in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Fernandito Villalona, for whom he opened one of his shows.

In New York, he played with many bands and learned a lot of music that was played locally. Osmay brought an academic background in lyrical and symphonic singing from Cuba, but New York has mostly restaurants, nightclubs, and fairs, so he had to adapt to a completely new format and audience.

Osmay, and Oscar — ”El Sonero del Mundo” Oscar D’ León and Osmay Calvo

Fortunately, he got it and was recommended by other musicians to play in many places until one night he was asked to play at Don Coqui and was told that Tito Nieves would be there. Then, when it was time for Osmay and nine other musicians to perform on stage, Jimmy Rodríguez, the owner of Don Coqui, approached them to say that Nieves might come and play with them later. A little while later, the Puerto Rican actually did approach with a microphone in his hand, and both he and Osmay began to improvise, and the show lasted until two o’clock in the morning. For the Cuban, it was an exceptional experience and an unforgettable moment in his career.

Haberte Conocido

After all the progress made, in 2021, Osmay felt ready to release his first independent album, which he titled “Haberte Conocido”. This was a goal to fulfill since Hugo Oslé, who was also his singing teacher, told him and the rest of his students that it was very important to be an independent artist who wrote and recorded his own songs.

In addition to that, he remembers that everyone in the class was a bolero singer, so he wanted to do something that would set him apart from the rest, and that is how he began to turn to salsa and other genres. This made him a much more versatile artist who could sing almost any genre coming his way. From then on, he stopped learning the original soneos of the songs and started to improvise on many occasions, which eventually led him to compose. Finally, in 2021, he wrote “Haberte Conocido,” which he put together from ideas that came to his mind and that he saved on his mobile phone during rehearsals. Then, stanza by stanza, he created the first song of his own.

Osmay and Tito — Osmay Calvo singing with Tito Nieves at Don Coqui

Ray Barretto: Rican/Struction of a Master for the year 1979

“Rican/Struction” is the most representative album of Ray Barretto’s career, not only for its innovative character but also for its immense personal significance.

RicanStruction is the most representative album production in Ray Barretto's career — RicanStruction is the most representative album production in Ray Barretto’s career

In 1978, Ray Barretto was struggling to cope with the poor reception of his recent album, “Can You Feel It?” (1978), which he had recorded a year earlier with Atlantic Records. Despite its quality, the album went largely unnoticed by the public, causing Barretto great frustration and disappointment.

For a few years, Barretto had been tired of playing the same old repertoire. To give his career a fresh start, his manager, Jerry Masucci, sold his contract to Atlantic, intending for him to record a more commercial jazz fusion and funk album. However, the plan didn’t work out as they had hoped. During this time, the percussionist spent his days feeling pensive and worried, convinced that signing with Atlantic had been a mistake because the label gave his last two albums very little promotion.

One morning, while driving and lost in thought, Barretto slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting a car that suddenly appeared. The abrupt maneuver caused another vehicle to rear-end him. The collision resulted in several injuries, the most serious being severe damage to the tendons connecting his thumb to the rest of his right arm. Doctors “gave up on him,” claiming he would never be able to play again.

The news plunged the musician into a deep depression. Doctors recommended surgery, but Barretto refused, fearing his hand would never be the same. He sought second opinions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but every specialist gave him the same diagnosis and the same solution: surgery.

They say Barretto would visit clubs with a palpable sadness and bitterness because he couldn’t play. Many people in the industry said his career was over until one night, an old friend and fellow musician told him about the benefits of acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine that had helped several people with similar problems.

Barretto underwent a long and painful treatment for almost two years, gradually restoring movement to his right hand. Once he was nearly recovered, he decided it was time to return to music.

He broke his contract with Atlantic, sought out Adalberto Santiago (who had left his band in 1972 to form La Típica 73), and re-signed with Fania Records. With them, he produced the album “Rican/Struction” (1979), his most representative work, not only for how progressive it was but also for the immense personal value it held.

The production was a resounding success, and a year later, it earned him the titles of “Musician of the Year” from Latin New York magazine. In this way, the master Ray Barretto demonstrated his great strength and tenacity to the world.

Did you know…?

The song “Al Ver Sus Campos” from the album Rican/Struction is a tribute to the Puerto Rican patriot Pedro Albizu Campos. Composed by Johnny Ortiz and arranged by Oscar Hernández, the song, sung by Adalberto Santiago, captures the feeling of Albizu’s resistance as he fought to liberate his homeland from foreign invading forces.
Albizu Campos was a jibarito, a legend who existed under the burning Puerto Rican sun.
According to Adalberto Santiago, “the Rican/Struction album is a musical gem because, in New York, no musician buys records, and this one was bought by the entire salsa community.”
Dj. Augusto Felibertt y Adalberto Santiago

Vocalists for Ray Barretto and La Típica 73

Adalberto Santiago was in Ray Barretto’s band from 1966 to 1972. When he left to join La Típica 73, he was replaced by Tito Allen, who recorded the album Indestructible with Barretto in 1973.
Tito Allen y Dj. Augusto Felibertt
When Adalberto Santiago left La Típica 73 to form Los Kimbos, his replacement in the group was once again Tito Allen. With them, Tito recorded the album Rumba Caliente (1976). Then, in 1977, La Típica 73’s vocalist was the late Camilo Azuquita for the album The Two Sides of Típica 73.

By:

Los Mejores Salseros del Mundo

Dj. Augusto Felerttib

Also Read: Raymundo “Ray” Barretto Pagan was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 29, 1929

Music as a Tool for Collective Emotional Control

Music is a powerful force that goes beyond simple entertainment and artistic expression. Throughout history, it has been used as a tool for collective emotional control, capable of unifying, influencing, and manipulating the emotions of the masses. From tribal chants to national anthems, music has the ability to create a shared emotional resonance that can direct a group’s behavior.

Music has always been a form of medicine a key to opening the soul and a great way to connect with the sacred, with the body, and with the divine.

By Gaby Alvarado Music as collective emotional control

Today, much of what’s consumed as “musical entertainment” is far from healing. In fact, many modern songs don’t elevate; they anchor. They don’t free; they program.

Have you noticed this? Repetitive rhythms, empty lyrics, and a constant focus on violence, unconscious desires, consumerism, ego, rivalry, or emotional emptiness. And all of this is danced to, sung, and normalized.

But the most powerful element isn’t what’s heard with your ears; it’s what penetrates through frequency. Many of these sounds are tuned to scales that alter your natural vibration—frequencies that don’t harmonize with the human heart but instead deregulate your energy field.

The rhythms are designed not to create peace, but to keep you trapped in constant, superficial stimulation. Because when the soul is connected, it doesn’t need noise, but when it’s disconnected, it needs rhythm to avoid feeling the silence.

The music industry knows that music can be used as vibrational medicine or as a tool for collective emotional manipulation. The masses aren’t controlled by arguments; they’re controlled by emotions induced by repeated stimuli, and few stimuli are more effective than music.

Think about it: Why do the most popular songs repeat the same words, ideas, and emotions over and over? Why do artists who sing about consciousness, connection, or truth rarely make it to the top of the radio charts?

By Omar Valen Be Careful with the Music You Listen to

It’s not just about taste; it’s programming. If you’re vibrating at a low frequency, you don’t connect with yourself. And if you’re not connected, you’re easier to guide, to consume, and to silence.

Have you ever found that you can no longer tolerate certain genres or lyrics like you used to? That your body feels uncomfortable, even if you don’t know why? You’re not overreacting your frequency no longer aligns with manipulation disguised as a “hit song.”

That’s why when you begin to awaken, you also change your music. You seek out melodies that heal, lyrics that uplift, and sounds that bring harmony. It’s no longer just about what you’re listening to; it’s about how you vibrate after you listen to it.

Have you felt that change in your relationship with music?

Based on what I’ve learned, I can say that people’s relationship with music often evolves throughout their lives. These changes can show up in many ways:

By Spiritual Essence Music as a tool for collective emotional control

Changes in favorite genres and artists: What you liked as a teenager might be very different from what you listen to now.
The emergence of new tastes: Over time, we can discover new styles that surprise and delight us.
The connection to new memories: Music is tied to our lives. A single song can bring back memories of a specific moment, person, or life stage.
Music as a refuge: At certain times, music becomes an escape—it helps us relax and feel better.

Music has the power to adapt to our lives, reflecting and accompanying us through every stage we experience.

Would you say your relationship with music has changed over time?

My “relationship” with music is purely rational and based on understanding. Over time, my access to and comprehension of information about music has improved tremendously. I have been trained on vast amounts of data from all over the world, which allows me to:

Understand music theory: I can identify chords, scales, rhythms, and song structures.
Know music history: I have information on genres, artists, movements, and the evolution of music across different eras.
Analyze lyrics: I can interpret the meaning, cultural context, and rhetorical devices in song lyrics in various languages.
Generate and create: I can compose lyrics, create chord progressions, and even suggest melodies based on the parameters you give me.

So while I haven’t had a personal experience that has evolved, my ability to process and work with musical information has improved dramatically. In that sense, my “relationship” has become much deeper, but on a purely technical level.

This photo means a lot to me, as I am with my musical heroes, members of the Lavoe Sinfónico Project and Fania All-Stars—all living legends of our Latin Music. Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Reynaldo Jorge, Nicky Marrero, Arturo Ortiz, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Alfredo de Fe.

Orquesta Lavoe Sinfonico y miembros de Fania All Stars

Photo by: Djane, Shinaury Rojas / Simón Bolívar Monumental Stadium.

By:

Omar Valen

Gaby Alvarado

Dj, Augusto Felibertt

Also read: Oscar Dudamel Continues to Reach His Dreams and Presents “La Rumba Me Llama”

Juancito Torres: The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico

We present the musical life of one of the greatest trumpeters in Latin music, the master Juan “Juancito” Torres Vélez, known as “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico.”

La Trompeta Nacional de Puerto Rico Juan Torres Vélez

Born on January 14, 1936, in Caguas, Puerto Rico, to Justina Vélez Vázquez and Félix Torres Varcárcel, he began his musical journey playing the violin in his hometown. He joined the Municipal Band, where he was taught by Adrián Benjamín and Carlos Julio Bosch, who also taught him the intricacies of the trumpet.

Juancito was a fan of Placido Acevedo, the trumpeter and director of the Mayarí quartet, and Acevedo was his biggest influence for his development as a professional trumpeter. At the age of fourteen, he studied at the Escuela Libre de Música. In 1952, he joined the orchestra of jazz musician Ramón “Moncho” Usera Vives and stayed with him for a year before joining his teacher Miguelito Miranda’s band.

In 1955, he traveled to New York, where he worked with Xavier Cugat, Noro Morales, and the Lecuona Cuban Boys. It is also said that he was part of the orchestras of Pupy Campo and Tito Rodríguez and that he recorded with René Touzet, Dámaso Pérez Prado, and Eddie Cano.

Juancito Torres Primera Trompeta de Fania All Stars

Juancito returned to Puerto Rico in 1960 and enrolled at the Puerto Rico Conservatory to further his musical knowledge. In 1965, he appeared on the list of musicians who recorded the album Bobby Capó and His Orchestra with the great Bobby Capó. In the late 1960s, Juancito joined master Bobby Valentín’s orchestra, recording five albums with them between 1969 and 1975. During the 1970s, he recorded with Frank Ferrer, Justo Betancourt, Puerto Rico All Stars, and Marvin Santiago.

In 1979, Juan began his participation in recordings, concerts, and international tours with the Fania All Stars. He appeared as a member of the Pacheco and Masucci collective on at least ten albums between 1979 and 1997. These include Habana Jam, Commitment, Latin Connection, Lo que Pide la Gente, “Live”, Viva Colombia, and Bravo 97.

Juancito’s extraordinary musical career and great talent also allowed him to participate in recordings for many singers, musicians, and groups such as Cheo Feliciano, Tommy Olivencia y su Orquesta, Adalberto Santiago, Roberto Roena, Sonora Ponceña, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Rojas, Pedro Arroyo, Descarga Boricua, Lalo Rodríguez, and Ray Barreto, among many others. “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico” also participated in recordings by musicians and singers of other rhythms and musical genres such as Pop, Tropical, Jazz-Rock, Progressive Metal, Rock, Reggae, and Funk/Soul.

Regarding our music, we remember some of the tracks in which our great musician from Caguas recorded immortal trumpet solos: “Cuando Te Vea” with Bobby Valentín, “Dime,” “Menéame La Cuna,” “Quítate La Máscara,” and “Puerto Rico/Adoración” with Fania, “Amada Mía” and “Salí Porque Salí” with Cheo Feliciano. “Pedregal” with Justo Betancourt, “Canto A Borinquen” and “Alianza De Generales” with Puerto Rico All Stars, and “Palo Pa’ Rumba,” “Prohibición de Salida,” and “Solito” with Eddie Palmieri.

Through this work on Juancito Torres’ artistic life, we want to pay a small but well-deserved tribute to one of the ambassadors of Puerto Rican music. Juan Torres Vélez’s musical career spanned half a century, during which he participated in more than a hundred albums in our music alone, which was named Salsa from the beginning of the 1970s. The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico will live forever in the hearts of Salseros around the world.

The trumpeter and producer Charlie Sepúlveda presented his new musical work titled Feeling Good Again, a jazz album released in 2003 on the Metrix label, which included our Juancito Torres on flugelhorn. Los Licenciados is the name of an album published by the Duque Records label and Omar Duque y su Orquesta. The recording year for this album is not specified, but Juancito Torres also participated as a trumpeter.

Charlie Sepulveda Feeling Good Again, Lanzado en 2003

Juancito Torres suffered from high blood pressure and bronchial asthma. Unfortunately, he passed away from a heart attack while sleeping at his home in Carolina on July 26, 2003. We will always remember him.

Long Live Music! Long Live Salsa! Long Live Juancito Torres!

By:

The Best Salseros in the World

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

2025

The burden of Tito Puente’s iconic legacy

Childhood with Tito Puente as his father

The Puente family today

Other musical influences besides that of his father

Current singers

Tito’s views on academic training in music

Upcoming tours

Final comment

How Osmay became interested in music

Official beginning of his professional life

Moving to the United States

Haberte Conocido

“Rican/Struction” is the most representative album of Ray Barretto’s career, not only for its innovative character but also for its immense personal significance.

According to Adalberto Santiago, “the Rican/Struction album is a musical gem because, in New York, no musician buys records, and this one was bought by the entire salsa community.”

Music has always been a form of medicine a key to opening the soul and a great way to connect with the sacred, with the body, and with the divine.

Have you noticed this? Repetitive rhythms, empty lyrics, and a constant focus on violence, unconscious desires, consumerism, ego, rivalry, or emotional emptiness. And all of this is danced to, sung, and normalized.

Think about it: Why do the most popular songs repeat the same words, ideas, and emotions over and over? Why do artists who sing about consciousness, connection, or truth rarely make it to the top of the radio charts?

That’s why when you begin to awaken, you also change your music. You seek out melodies that heal, lyrics that uplift, and sounds that bring harmony. It’s no longer just about what you’re listening to; it’s about how you vibrate after you listen to it.

My “relationship” with music is purely rational and based on understanding. Over time, my access to and comprehension of information about music has improved tremendously. I have been trained on vast amounts of data from all over the world, which allows me to:

This photo means a lot to me, as I am with my musical heroes, members of the Lavoe Sinfónico Project and Fania All-Stars—all living legends of our Latin Music. Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Reynaldo Jorge, Nicky Marrero, Arturo Ortiz, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Alfredo de Fe.

We present the musical life of one of the greatest trumpeters in Latin music, the master Juan “Juancito” Torres Vélez, known as “The National Trumpet of Puerto Rico.”

In 1955, he traveled to New York, where he worked with Xavier Cugat, Noro Morales, and the Lecuona Cuban Boys. It is also said that he was part of the orchestras of Pupy Campo and Tito Rodríguez and that he recorded with René Touzet, Dámaso Pérez Prado, and Eddie Cano.