Erika Muñoz, official administrator of the portal “Se Armó la Rumba en México”, www.SalsaGoogle.com and International Salsa Magazine present the Puerto Rican David Morales.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Son of a seamstress and a furniture upholsterer. He began his studies at the Federico Asenjo and Albert Einstein School in Barrio Obrero where he grew up.
He graduated from Juan Ponce de Leon High School in San Jose and then entered the University of Puerto Rico completing his Bachelor’s Degree in accounting, through a scholarship that ironically he won through an audition he performed in the UPR choir.
At the age of 11 he began working delivering newspapers and years later he worked selling household products. Since he was a child he had two great ambitions: to be a singer and to be an airline pilot. At the age of ten he was already singing the songs of the orchestras of the moment such as Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe, Ismael Miranda, Raphy Leavitt (RIP) and his Orquesta La Selecta, Roberto Roena and his Apollo Sound, Oscar D’León’s La Dimensión Latina and Oscar D’León’s La Dimensión Latina.
Dimensión Latina de Oscar D’León and Jimmy Urbina’s Orquesta Revolución 70 among others.
The first time he saw an orchestra perform in person was Orquesta Revolución 70, who sang at the Placita Barceló in Barrio Obrero and while singing their hit song Soy de Borinquén, David was fascinated by the music and discovered that his desire was to become a salsa singer someday. It was precise with Revolución 70 that David years later would be initiated into music as a singer.
Maestro Jimmy Urbina, director of Revolución 70 was preparing to record an album and it was in this way that Maestro Mario Ortiz (RIP) recommended him for the orchestra. After auditioning as a singer David joined the group and recorded an album where he sang 5 songs of the production along with singers Dino Guy and Angelo Pacheco.
During his artistic career, one of the orchestras that most captivated and inspired David was Raphy Leavitt’s Orquesta La Selecta.
With him, David had the opportunity to sing and from that moment on, the maestro became his mentor and they created a friendship that lasted forever.
In 1982 David had to give up music because he entered the military service where he achieved his dream of becoming a helicopter and airplane pilot. At the end of the 80’s he returned to Puerto Rico and returned to music, singing with the orchestras of Tommy Olivencia, Conjunto Chaney, Omar Alfanno, Manolo Lezcano, Aldo Mata, José Nogueras and Paquito Acosta. He was also a singer in the orchestras of Willie Rosario, Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound, Orquesta La Solución, and Orquesta Costa Brava, where he had the opportunity to record the production “A Pico y Pala”. During this same period the producer and arranger, maestro Carlos “Cuto” Soto baptizes David Morales as “El Piloto”.
David Morales as “El Piloto de la Salsa” (The Salsa Pilot), becoming known by that name within the salsa scene. David Morales had the opportunity to travel to many places around the world to sing with several famous orchestras within the genre.
He has also had the opportunity to sing as a guest with orchestras of the stature of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Oscar D’León, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Tito Nieves, Don Perignon and La Corporación Latina, among others.
After the passage of Hurricane María, in September 2017 David was invited to participate in the recording “Entre Amigos in the recording of “Entre Amigos Después de la Tempestad” with Luis González El Tsunami de la Salsa and Nino Segarra; production that took place together with several singers of trajectory in Nino’s recording studio.
Recently he has just recorded his first album as a soloist, under the direction of pianist, composer, and arranger, maestro Pedro Bermudez, who was David’s partner for many years in Willie Rosario’s orchestra. This production is quite varied, as it includes classic salsa, romantic salsa, boleros, and Cuban salsa, respecting the traditions of the masters and founding fathers of the salsa genre.
All the songs are oriented to the dancer.
There are compositions by Pedro Bermúdez, Ángel Santos, Peter Velázquez, Pablo Milanés, Gloria González, Jimmy Sánchez and Osvaldo Noel, Yturvides Vilchez and Michel Puche.
The arrangers are Pedro Bermúdez, Tommy Villariny, Ramón Sánchez, Carlos Torres,
Tito Rivera and Cuto Soto. It also features the participation of José Alberto “El Canario” as a guest singer in the song titled “El Piloto y El Canario”.
Thanks to all who made possible this record production which was always inspired for the dancer.
Enjoy!!!!
Facebook: David Morales-El Capitán de la Salsa
Phone: 5529778401
Article of Interest: Chevy “El Pitirre De La Salsa”
By: Erika Muñoz from “Se Armó la Rumba en México”