Search Results for: Celia Cruz

Alberto Crespo and Carlos Santos Release Their Latest Single “Narci” with Grupo Bacheo to the Latin Market

On November 7, 2025, the vibrant Latin music scene celebrates a stellar collaboration that promises to ignite dance floors.

The acclaimed Venezuelan pianist, arranger, and music producer Alberto Crespo joins legendary Puerto Rican sonero Carlos Santos and the talented Grupo Bacheo to present their latest musical track titled “Narci.”

Alberto Crespo and Carlos Santos release their latest song, titled Narci, to the Latin market with Grupo Bacheo

This original composition by Ali Delgado and José Granados, featuring arrangements by Alberto Crespo himself, fuses a modern sound with the unmistakable rhythm of salsa, guaranteeing a musical experience that will delight dancers.

Alberto Crespo: A Piano Master with an International Career.

From his beginnings at the “José Ángel Lamas” Music Conservatory in Caracas, Alberto Crespo demonstrated exceptional passion and talent. His deep immersion in harmony, counterpoint, orchestration, and improvisation has established him as a versatile and well-rounded musician.

By age seventeen, he was already touring with renowned orchestras, sharing the stage with icons such as Naty y Su Orquesta, Celia Cruz, Bobby Capó, Carmen Delia Depini, Carlos Cano Estremera, Andy Montañés, Ismael Miranda, Pete Conde Rodríguez, and José Mangual Jr., among many others.

Alberto Crespo A Piano Master with an International Career

With over three decades of experience in salsa and Latin Jazz, Crespo has consolidated his reputation as a highly prestigious producer, arranger, and pianist. His impressive list of collaborations includes national and international artists such as Maikel Stuart, Frankie Morales (former singer for Tito Puente), Orquesta Bailatino, Grupo Mango, Herman Olivera, Rumberos de Callejón, Gilberto Santa Rosa, and Naty y Su Orquesta. His versatility has led him to be part of the most prominent musical groups in Venezuela.

Carlos Santos: A Classy Sonero with a Legendary Trajectory.

Born on March 13, 1946, in Cataño, Puerto Rico, Carlos Santos is a true sonero whose career took off with Joey Pastrana’s band. His powerful voice and unmistakable salsa flair led him to perform and record with emblematic salsa orchestras, including “Kako y su Trabuco,” “Los Kimbos,” “Conjunto Candela,” and Roberto Roena’s “El Apollo Sound,” in addition to special performances with Ray Barreto and El Conjunto Libre.

Santos has left classics for posterity such as “Chacaboom,” “Las cosas de la vida” and “Amor verdadero” with Joey Pastrana, as well as “Flores para tu altar” and “Me imagino” with Conjunto Candela. His voice also enriched productions by Eddie Palmieri and Los Kimbos with tracks like “Caridad” and “Todo el mundo.” During his time with El Apollo Sound, he garnered hits such as “El Progreso” and “Háblame ahora.”

Carlos Santos Un Sonero con Clase y una Trayectoria Legendaria

Carlos Santos currently resides in Florida, United States, and continues to delight audiences with his international and local performances.

The union of these two pillars of salsa, under the production of Chongo Producción (from New York) and Juancho Producción (in Cali), promises to be a memorable event for Latin music.

Ali Delgado (Caracas) y Juancho Producción (Cali)

Note: “45 RPM is for sale in Cali by Juancho Producción, and will be presented with great fanfare on December 30 at 10:00 a.m. at the Meeting of Music Lovers and Collectors (Encuentro de Melómanos y Coleccionistas) of the Cali Fair, Colombia. 2025.”

Production Credits

General Production

Production: Alberto Crespo & Chongo Productions LLC

Musical Team

Composer: Ali Delgado / José Granados
Vocalist: Carlos Santos
Arrangements: Alberto Crespo

Musicians

Timbal: Carlitos Padrón
Tumbadoras (Congas): Manuel “Manny” Márquez
Bongó / Bell: Carlitos Padrón
Trumpets: Jorge Maestre “Pitufo”
Baritone Saxophone: José Antonio Fariñas
Bass: José Soto “Mortadelo”
Percussion: Carlitos Padrón, Carlos Crespo
Chorus / Background Vocals: Heyzer Cabrera & José Soto “Mortadelo”

Recording and Post-Production

Recording Studios:
- Chongo Estudios (New York)
- A Tempo Estudios (Caracas)
- París Recording Estudios (USA)
Mixing: Heyzer Cabrera / Alberto Crespo
Mastering: Heyzer Cabrera

Important Note by Alberto Crespo:

I was working on the arrangement for the song NARCI, and when I reached the chorus, I wanted to find a beautiful melody with a different harmony, like a chorus of angels singing from heaven. I was pacing around my workspace and the areas near my house, searching for ideas.

My wife, Adriangela, was listening to what I was developing to achieve a final connection, and all of a sudden, she sang that beautiful melody to me. I immediately copied it and added the chords, and honestly, it was something magical, very spiritual… “Ya no estás más a mi lado, cómo te extraño, mi amor, cómo te extraño…” (You are no longer by my side, how I miss you, my love, how I miss you…) That final unison of the chorus is very subtle and sentimental.

Video

Video: Chongo Productions LLC

Carlitos Padron Director de Chongo Producción (desde New York)

Listen to “Narci” on YouTube:

Alberto Crespo y Bacheo

[email protected]

+58 4142521642

Also Read: The Conjunto Bailatino “La Resistencia Salsera” again “Antes los ojos del Mundo” and here, “No hay quinto malo”

Charlie Sierra was a prominent Puerto Rican timbalero, recognized for his long musical career and virtuosity on the instrument

Carlos Manuel Sierra Sánchez, better known in the music world as “Charlie Sierra,” was born on October 10, 1956, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

Charlie Sierra fue un destacado timbalero puertorriqueño

An excellent percussion musician from Barrio Sabana, Charlie Sierra recorded with important figures in music such as Don Mario Ortiz, Andy Montañez, Raphy Leavitt, Marc Anthony, Oscar D’León, Julito Alvarado, and many others. He even recorded the album Bravo by the Fania All-Stars in 1997.

To the worldwide community of salsa fans (salsómanos), he was a member, along with Chago Martínez, Tito De Gracia, Edgardo Morales, and Edwin Clemente, of the Gran Cumbre de Timbaleros (Great Summit of Timbaleros) that emerged in Puerto Rico’s rumbero (Afro-Cuban rhythm/rumba) scene during the penultimate decade of the 20th Century.

Charlie Sierra fue un destacado timbalero puertorriqueño reconocido por su larga trayectoria musical y su virtuosismo en el instrumento

Among these five virtuosos, the majority of the recording sessions in the Puerto Rican market were divided. The others were, practically, second choices for producers.

This fortunate circumstance allowed him to develop an impressive discography as a session musician, which includes the most stellar names in salsa. Likewise, he traveled across a large part of the globe as a member of the backing bands for many of those stars.

Our biographical subject was a child when he began, without a teacher, to learn the bongos and drums which he also played on recordings and on stage and the timbales, leading him to be identified as a fundamentally intuitive musician.

At the age of thirteen, he moved with his family to Bayamón, and it was during his time as a student at the Nuestra Señora del Rosario School that he began to show signs of his talent.

At fourteen, he enrolled in the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Free School of Music (Escuela Libre de Música), where he was a disciple of the Argentine master Samuel Lipchik.

During that time, he also advanced his knowledge of the flute, guitar, and piano, instruments he would never cultivate professionally, as percussion was always his great passion.

Papo Lucca, Charlie Sierra y Cheo Feliciano

However, his time at the Free School of Music was relatively brief (1972-1974). He soon began his professional career, gaining his first experiences with the Orquesta Rica and the Orquesta Tabú.

During this period, he received private lessons from the renowned professor Raúl Berríos Sánchez.

Fully immersed in the music scene, his name began to gain relevance in the salsa world following his tenure with the original Orquesta Mulenze, led by bassist Edwin Morales, during the 1976-1978 period.

At that time, this organization focused its work on providing accompaniment to solo singers affiliated with the genre, both national and foreign, who visited the island. He had the opportunity to travel with several of them: Santos Colón, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Chivirico Dávila, Pellín Rodríguez, Yayo El Indio, etc.

From the Orquesta Mulenze, he moved to the lineup of Raphy Leavitt & La Selecta (1978-1979), with whom he had the opportunity to record hits like “La cosquillita,” vocalized by Tony Vega. He later worked with the orchestra led by pianist Tito Valentín, which featured Marvin Santiago as the vocalist.

He then joined trumpeter Mario Ortiz’s orchestra (1982-1984); he collaborated in the founding of the backing bands for the great sonero (Cuban son singer) Carlos «Cano» Estremera (1984) and the equally admired Tony Vega (1988).

In the interim, he worked independently and constantly recorded with other groups and a large number of soloists. He maintained this intense work routine until the present.

In 2009, Charlie Sierra organized his own orchestra, Paso Nivel, with which he recorded the album Ganas de bailar (Paso Nivel, CD-10692).

The album prominently features singer Efraín «Pichi» Gaetán, and included special guests such as Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda, Andy Montañez, and Gilberto Santa Rosa, as well as Primi Cruz, Darvel García, and Héctor Luis «Pichie» Pérez.

Charlie Sierra was a distinguished Puerto Rican salsa timbalero, recognized for his long musical career and his virtuosity on the instrument.

He passed away on October 23, 2024, at the age of 67. Throughout his career, he collaborated with artists of the stature of Andy Montañez, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, and Bobby Cruz.

Musical Career: He began his career with the Orquesta Mulenze in 1970 and later joined Raphy Leavitt & La Selecta’s band.

Notable Collaborations:

He worked with Andy Montañez for over 25 years, being a key piece in his orchestra. He also collaborated with artists like Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Bobby Cruz (on the hit “Sonido Bestial”), Tito Valentín, among others.

Own Orchestra: In 2009, he founded his own orchestra called Paso Nivel, with which he recorded the album “Ganas de bailar” (Desire to Dance).

Collaborators:

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Also Read: Orestes Vilato. Cuban multi-percussionist.

Alberto Gonzalez talks about his book on Hector Lavoe and his experience with ‘‘El Jibarito de Ponce’’

As an artist, one of the most noble actions to be taken is to honor the great artists whose legacy inspired later generations, including those who pay homage to them today. Proof of this is the talented bandleader, composer, singer, and now author, Alberto González, whom we thank for sharing his story and various facets of his life with us, including his role as the author of a new book about “the singer of all singers,” Hector Lavoe.

Alberto and his book on Hector — Author Alberto Gonzalez with a version of his book ”Hector Lavoe and Associates”

Alberto’s initial interest in music

Alberto’s initial interest in music began with an aunt from Puerto Rico who went to live with him and his parents in Chicago. She loved the music of Raphael and Sandro, so her nephew listened to them practically every day and ended up falling in love with their music and how they sang.

Little by little, Alberto began to learn their songs and was unknowingly taking his first steps toward becoming a professional singer. However, it did not stop there; he also listened to the trio music that his parents enjoyed and eventually to the salsa albums that his older brother began bringing to the house. Those salsa albums really caught Alberto’s attention.

Among the artists his brother listened to were Eddie Palmieri, La Sonora Ponceña, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Willie Colón, and the one who would become his greatest inspiration, Héctor Lavoe.

Eventually, his brother became a professional trumpet player and played with various salsa orchestras in Chicago. Since he always heard Alberto singing songs at home, in 1979, he suggested that he audition for a new band of young salsa musicians his manager was putting together. For the audition, Alberto was tasked with learning and singing the popular Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe song “Voso.”

Fortunately, his audition was a great success, and Alberto was asked to join La Típica Leal 79. The story behind the band’s name is interesting: Carlos Caribe Ruíz, the manager of the group, decided on the name Típica Leal because most of the members of his previous band, La Juventud Típica, decided one day to quit; they left him. For that reason, he decided to create a new band, and he made sure to add the word “Leal” (loyal in English) to the band’s name. His hope was that the new band, made up mostly of teenagers, would be loyal and not leave, just like the previous band did.

Sometime later, Alberto would go on to sing with a band called La Inspiración Latina, and he also worked briefly with Orquesta Yambo. In 2001, he moved to Los Angeles, where he began working with Johnny Polanco y Su Conjunto Amistad, becoming one of their main vocalists and traveling the world with them and the band.

Alberto and Johnny Polanco — Alberto Gonzalez playing with Johnny Polanco Y Su Conjunto Amistad

Orquesta Salsa Caliente

When he left Johnny Polanco’s group, Alberto finally felt ready to form his own group, and that is how Orquesta Salsa Caliente was born. He has been leading the band for many years now and has even traveled with the band to Africa and Bermuda.

Over the past few years, Alberto has concentrated mainly on his work as an author. While he continues to perform, his primary focus has been on his debut book ‘‘Hector Lavoe and Associates.’’

Alberto’s Hector Lavoe Experience

In 1979, after auditioning and doing well with the song “Voso,” 15 year old Alberto officially became a member of La Tipica Leal 79.Caribe, the band’s manager, then asked him to learn a few more Hector Lavoe (and Willie Colon) songs. Since Hector was his favorite singer, he gladly learned the songs. Since his voice was somewhat similar to Hector’s, his bandmates began to affectionately call him “Baby Lavoe.”

In the fall of that same year, Alberto learned that Héctor and his orchestra were going to be performing in Chicago. Once he found that out, he asked Caribe to please take him to see Héctor, and, if at all possible, to introduce him to Héctor. Thankfully, he did get to go to that show, and he did meet Héctor. It was during that show, and during one of Héctor’s breaks, that he was able to take a photo with his favorite singer. Alberto still cherishes that photo to this very day. That night, he realized that Héctor was a “man of the people” due to his humility and how he treated others. The photo and his experience with Héctor were some of the main reasons why he decided to write a book about Lavoe. Over the years, many have criticized Héctor and have focused primarily on the negative aspects of his life. Sadly, many people are not familiar with the other side of Héctor, the humble, generous, and kind side of Lavoe. They will learn more about that side of Héctor in the new book.

Well, about a year and a half after first meeting Héctor, La Típica Leal 79 was booked to open for Celia Cruz and Héctor Lavoe. That show would take place at one of the most acclaimed dance halls in the city, where many of the greatest salsa artists performed over the years. That night, Alberto was able to share another conversation with Héctor, and he also took another photo with him. Héctor was generous with his time; he was kind and very accommodating. That’s something that Alberto never forgot.

This and other experiences are documented by the author in the book. Alberto actually interviewed about sixteen of Héctor’s former musicians, and eight of them are featured in the book. You’ll learn about their musical experiences, and you’ll be able to read about their experiences with “El Jibarito de Ponce,” Héctor Lavoe. These are the musicians that are featured: Gilberto Colon Jr., Eddie Montalvo, Jose Mangual Jr., Louie Romero, Eric Matos, Ray Feliciano, Danny Rosado, and Chino Núñez.

Alberto called the book “Héctor Lavoe and Associates,” and that title was somewhat inspired by Willie Colón’s 1978 compilation album “Willie Colón and Associates.”

Alberto and Salsa Caliente — Alberto Gonzalez and his orchestra Salsa Caliente

A few Lavoe stories from the book

Among the many anecdotes that can be read in the book, Alberto told us one in which, on one occasion, a couple of Héctor Lavoe’s musicians had their vehicle broken into, and all of their instruments were stolen. When Héctor found out what had happened, he bought them new instruments and told them not to worry about paying him back. He did not charge them a penny.

Here’s another story. During a show, one of Héctor’s trumpet players accidentally dropped his trumpet on the floor and damaged it beyond repair; the instrument was unplayable. What did Héctor do? Héctor gave him $1,000 to go buy a new trumpet and, once again, didn’t charge him a penny.

These are just a few of the many stories regarding Héctor Lavoe that you’ll be able to read in the more than 400 pages of the book. The book will be officially launched in the coming months. For more information, please visit: www.hectorlavoebook.com.

Alberto and Hector in Ponce — Alberto Gonzalez next to the statue of Hector Lavoe in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Creator of Afro-Rican Jazz William Cepeda talks about this subgenre

When we talk about the best characteristics of Puerto Rican artists, innovation is definitely one of them, and our guest is an excellent example of this. Grammy nominee and composer William Cepeda was born and raised in Loiza, known as the heart of “Little Africa” in Puerto Rico, so we can sense that this had much to do with his later artistic inclinations. We will talk about this and other things in the next paragraphs of this gripping story.

Musician William Cepeda — This is Puerto Rican Grammy nominee, composer, and musician William Cepeda

What got William interested in music

The environment in which William grew up had everything to do with his interest in music as a serious profession. In Loiza, Puerto Rican bomba was one of the most listened genres by the community, and cultural events based on it were passed down through generations. It was there that a very young William began attending the colloquially known as “bombazos” and connecting with this music from an early age.

Practically the whole town was involved in these traditions, including his family, so he could not escape all these activities carried out year after year. In fact, his grandparents and some of his uncles and cousins were musicians, so it was common for the young boy to see them play their instruments and know what that was about.

When he turned 14, he finally began seriously studying music, especially the theory part. Although one of his options to study was accounting, this career would never overcome his enormous taste for music, so he never materialized this interest.

How William got started professionally in music

While still an inexperienced teenage musician, William started playing percussion with some local groups, one of them being La Orquesta Zodiac, composed of a group of salsa veterans with more than 50 years of professional experience. Although these gigs were already paid, the young man still saw music as a side hobby.

However, long time later, he would completely change his mind after noticing that his skills and opportunities could take him further than he thought possible.

William Cepeda at the festival — William Cepeda at the Luminato Festival in Toronto

Afro-Rican Jazz

Having already a more or less consolidated career, William was part of the invention of Afro-Rican Jazz, which can be defined as a concept that celebrates Puerto Rico’s heritage and its African roots while offering a new version of the jazz that everyone knew, giving it a touch of modern flavor that was absolutely innovative for the time.

Growing up in an environment where traditional Puerto Rican music was so present and having experience only with local groups, he still had a long way to go as an artist. His outlook started to broaden by going to study at Berklee in Boston and then to do a master’s degree in New York, which in turn led him to play with American groups and musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, James Brown, Miriam Makeba, and many other famous jazz musicians.

Gillespie became one of his biggest mentors when playing with him and his group The United Nations Orchestra, which included Cuban, Colombian, Dominican, Panamanian, and Brazilian musicians. It was precisely because of this great diversity of nationalities and influences that the orchestra received this name. However, there were no Puerto Rican musicians or music, so Gillespie gave William the opportunity to become the youngest member and create a subgenre product of a mixture of jazz and some styles from his place of origin.

William told us that many Boricuan musicians used to play Latin jazz based on Cuban music, but none of them had ever ventured to create a subgenre of jazz with a Puerto Rican base. That was when the artist realized that something had to be done about it, so he chose to fuse jazz with Puerto Rican music and later named his group Afro-Rican Jazz.

He also continued to experiment with genres until he found something he called “Plena jazz,” the name he used for one of his albums and the result of mixing plena, another traditional genre born in the neighborhoods of Puerto Rico, and jazz. He also made a symphonic rumba album at the time.

William Cepeda and his doctorate — William Cepeda receiving his honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music

Dizzy Gillespie’s protégé

Although William was influenced by a number of artists, when we check out his story his history, there is no denying that the South Carolinian trumpeter was the greatest influence and role model for the young man.

With respect to this stage of his life, William recalls with affection that Dizzy was always very attentive to his development within the group, to the point that he came to see him as an artistic father. As we said before, he knew nothing about jazz or American music when he left Puerto Rico, but Dizzy and his musicians were “a second university” where he learned what no educational institution could teach him, something he thanks to them.

“Dizzy saw talent in me, so he always pushed me to be better every day. He encouraged me, protected me, and guided me in my development as a musician,” he said of his teacher.

Artists he has collaborated with

William has collaborated with countless great Latin artists such as Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, Oscar D’León, and many others. Most of these contacts came about thanks to references of acquaintances, combined with the percussionist becoming known to the public for some time, which generated many recommendations.

All the above artists also influenced him to a certain extent, but he also says that he liked and still likes other genres such as classical music, jazz, the folklore of other countries, and many others.

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