Search Results for: Cuban music

Son 14 The History of the Orchestra and the Success of “A Bayamo en Coche”

The Son 14 orchestra was founded in Santiago de Cuba in 1977 by vocalist Eduardo “El Tiburón” Morales (born in Cuba in 1935) and pianist and musical director Adalberto Álvarez.

As the name suggests, it is a 14-member ensemble dedicated to performing son, the national musical genre of Cuba. In 1978, Lázaro Rosabal (born in Santiago de Cuba in 1953) joined the group.

They quickly recorded several albums for the local EGREM label, many of which became bestsellers throughout Latin America, allowing them to undertake extensive tours across the Americas and Europe.

In 1992, co-founder Álvarez left the band to form his own group. Nevertheless, Son 14 continued its journey under the musical direction of Rosabal.

In addition to their continued success in the Latin market, the band began to gain international recognition, first with the song “El Son De La Madrugada,” included on the compilation Cuba – Fully Charged (Earthworks Records, 1993), and later with the release of Son – The BIG SOUND (Tumi Records, 1995), a compilation of their material from the Álvarez era.

After introducing a modern, vibrant version of son and its variations (son montuno, bolero son, etc.) to non-Latin audiences, Tumi Records commissioned a new recording at Cuba’s EGREM studios. Released in 1996 as part of the Cuba Explosion series, the album Cubanía proved that the band had not lost an ounce of its musical talent and energy under Rosabal’s direction. Three years later, the group released La Máquina Musical, which incorporated Colombian tropical rhythms into their sound, promoting the album with a European tour that included a performance at the Cuba Presente Festival at the Barbican Centre in London. (Source: AllMusic)

The Milestone of “A Bayamo en Coche”

The album A Bayamo en Coche (A Bayamo by Carriage) was released in 1979, with its biggest hit being the title track itself. The album’s opening song, composed and arranged by Adalberto Álvarez from Camagüey, instantly transformed him into one of the leading figures in popular Cuban dance music from that year on.

The song “A Bayamo en coche” not only revives traditional son and enriches it with new sounds but also artistically recreates a cherished tradition rooted in Bayamo, the cradle of Cuban nationality. In this city, coches (horse-drawn carriages) are used for pleasure rides and recreation, and the song’s lyrics narrate these moments.

The album contained other tracks that were hugely popular in Cuba between 1978 and 1980, such as “Calle Enramada” (a son elegy to that main Santiago street), “El Son De La Madrugada” (with a beautiful later version by Omara Portuondo), “Se quema la trocha,” and “Elena la cumbanchera,” which turned the record into a landmark within this genre of Cuban music. Most of the tracks were performed by Tiburón Morales, the group’s lead vocalist.

Tribute to The Gentleman of Son

Recently, Son 14 founder Adalberto Álvarez, known as “El Caballero del Son” (The Gentleman of Son), was honored with a concert at the Karl Marx Theatre. This event celebrated his 46 years in music and the 35th anniversary of his later orchestra, Adalberto Álvarez y su Son.

The concert was a memorable tribute to the work of the composer of “A Bayamo en coche.” Some of his best songs were performed by notable Cuban musicians:

Septeto Santiaguero (Son para un sonero)
Pancho Amat and Alain Pérez (Tu fiel trovador)
Alexander Abreu (Pura imagen)
Paulo F. G. (Fin de semana)

At other points, Frank Fernández performed a duet accompaniment with the voices of Adalberto Álvarez and Jorge Luis Rojas, “Rojitas,” on Santa Cecilia.

Additionally, Rojitas sang with Tania Pantoja (Vivir lo nuestro) and solo (Y qué tú quieres que te den). Robertón and Lele, vocalists from Van Van, performed Agua que cae del cielo, while the orchestra Adalberto Álvarez y su Son took on De Cuba pa’l mundo entero, Son de la madrugada, and Los caminos de Ifá.

En La Sala Show “El Saraito” Adalberto Álvarez (R.I.P) Fundador, Director. Arreglista y Pianista del Son 14 de Cuba, Dj. Augusto Felibertt y Vicente López

That night, Maestro José Luis Cortés highlighted Álvarez’s musical quality, focusing specifically on “A Bayamo en coche,” the song that, in 1979, announced the existence of a great artist to the public. Álvarez was capable of bringing son to Cuban art schools and has defended Cuban son with grace and artistry, all while staying true to the essence of one of the dance music genres that best represents Cuban identity. (Source: Joel del Río, Cibercuba)

“A Bayamo En Coche” Album Details (1980)

No.	Track	Genre	Composer
01.	A Bayamo En Coche	Son	Adalberto Álvarez
02.	El Son De La Madrugada	Son guaguancó	Adalberto Álvarez
03.	Se Fue Mi Amor Y No Lo Vi Partir	Bolero son	Adalberto Álvarez
04.	Calle Enramada	Son	Pedro Gómez
05.	Elena La Cumbanchera	Son	Gerardo Martínez
06.	Se Quema La Trocha	Bachata-Son	Adalberto Álvarez
07.	Tal Vez Vuelvas A Llamarme	Son montuno	Adalberto Álvarez
08.	Gimen Las Rosas Por Una Triste Ilusión	Bolero	Adalberto Álvarez
09.	Vamos, Háblame Ahora	Bachata-son	Adalberto Álvarez

Musicians who participated in the recording (1979):

Director, Acoustic Piano, Keyboards: Adalberto Álvarez
Vocals, Minor Percussion: Eduardo “El Tiburón” Morales, Héctor Wedderbron, Daniel Carmenates
Bass: Jorge Machado
Guitar: Efisio Barroso
Trumpet: Eduardo Sánchez, Guillermo Femández, José Fernández, Dagoberto Rodríguez
Trombone: Lázaro Rosabal
Tumbadora (Conga Drum): Ubaldo Canes
Bongó, Cowbell: Guillermo Viera

Recorded at: EGREM Studios (1979)

Collaborators:

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: Luis Conte: The Cuban-American percussionist who fuses Cuban son with global music

Dámaso Pérez Prado and the Succession of the “Mambo King”

Dámaso Pérez Prado was a Cuban musician, composer, arranger, and orchestra conductor, known worldwide as the “Mambo King.”

On December 3, 1983, Pantaleón Pérez Prado, an excellent bass player and composer, passed away in Milan, Italy. He was born on December 27, 1926, in Matanzas, Cuba.

Pantaleón’s Beginnings and Career

Pantaleón followed in the footsteps of his famous older brother, Dámaso Pérez Prado. At age 18, he formed his first orchestra, which he left in 1950 to join Dámaso’s group as a double bassist, accompanying him for several years.

He also played for a short time in Havana with the Laito Castro Orchestra. In the mid-1950s, Pantaleón Pérez Prado went independent and traveled to Europe, where he led an orchestra of Cuban musicians. This group achieved great success performing the songs that Dámaso had popularized.

Dámaso Pérez Prado and the Succession of the King of Mambo

The Legal Dispute

In 1956, a dispute between Dámaso Pérez Prado and his younger brother, Pantaleón (1926–1983), led to an unusual legal conflict. Dámaso sued his brother for $500,000, accusing him of impersonation.

In Hispanic culture, it is common for children to receive both parents’ surnames. In this case, the brothers’ birth names were Dámaso Pérez Prado and Pantaleón Pérez Prado, respectively, with Pérez being the father’s surname and Prado the mother’s.

In Portugal, the song Pantaleón performed, “Mambo del Estudiante” (Student’s Mambo), became the “official anthem” of the University of Coimbra. He also succeeded in Spain, France, and Italy, where he was introduced as “Pérez Prado, Rey del Mambo” (King of Mambo), which produced intentional confusion with his brother Dámaso.

Dámaso initiated legal action that concluded with Pantaleón being prohibited from using the title “Mambo King,” while also being required to use his full name. Some suggest that, beyond the lawsuit, there was a tacit agreement between the two brothers, based on the fact that Dámaso visited Europe infrequently, focusing his activities in the Americas, while Pantaleón permanently settled in Milan.

Name Confusion and The Conflict’s Revival

Originally, RCA credited the recordings to Dámaso Pérez Prado. However, when his records began appearing in the US, the record company shortened his name to the more alliterative Pérez Prado. In 1955, Dámaso dropped his full name and legally changed it to Pérez Prado.

Around that time, Pantaleón, who played bass with his own group, appeared at the Alhambra theater in Paris under the name “Pérez Prado, el Rey del Mambo.” Pantaleón was subsequently restricted by court order from passing himself off as Pérez.

However, hostilities resumed when an angry French visitor called the Hollywood Palladium, where Pérez Prado was performing, and yelled at the management for featuring an “imposter,” claiming he had danced with the “real” Prado (actually Pantaleón) in Deauville a few weeks prior.

Dámaso Pérez Prado fue un músico, compositor, arreglista y director de orquesta cubano, conocido mundialmente como el Rey del Mambo.

The ensuing lawsuit effectively put Pantaleón out of commission, but the younger brother had a form of posthumous revenge. When Pantaleón died in 1983, a widely circulated obituary was headlined “Mambo King Dies in Milan,” leading many people to (erroneously) believe it was Dámaso who had passed away.

Pantaleón’s Career and Legacy

Pantaleón Pérez Prado performed in Greece and traveled to Iran at the invitation of the Shah himself and his wife, Princess Soraya. He remained active until shortly before his death in 1983.

Dámaso Pérez Prado’s Notable Hits

Dámaso Pérez Prado’s best-known songs include:

“Mambo No. 5”
“Qué rico el mambo” (also known as “Mambo Jambo”)
“Mambo No. 8”
“Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White,” which was a number one hit in the United States.
“Patricia,” which was a worldwide hit and was included in Federico Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita.

Legacy: In addition to his recordings, Dámaso Pérez Prado participated as an actor and musician in several Mexican films. His music was key to the international popularization of the mambo, and his style remains influential in Latin music and jazz.

Collaboration:

Los Mejores Salseros del Mundo

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: Israel “Cachao” López, a Cuban musician and composer, has been hailed as “the Inventor of Mambo

The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra: electrifying fusion and salsa flavored with indie rock

The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra is an 11-member musical group that, as the name suggests, uses salsa as its foundation but also mixes it with other genres such as funk and indie rock to make its music distinct. This combination of beats has led the orchestra to be internationally recognized for its explosive arrangements, modern touches, and repertoire inspired by Anglo-Saxon artists.

Today we are here with arranger and percussionist Gianni Mano (founder) and Argentine singer Solange Prat (vocalist) to find out about their beginnings, the current situation of the orchestra, their roles in the project, and much more.

Solange Prat and Gianni Mano — Argentine singer Solange Prat and American bandleader Gianni Mano

Gianni and Solange’s musical awakening

Gianni began his first address by sharing that his family had some musicians back several generations, but his own interest in music aroused in his childhood. It was then that his parents enrolled him in piano lessons, but his taste for Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean music settled in when he was a teenager, recently moved to Miami to attend college.

In the late 1980s, he got a job at a nightclub, where he discovered hits from great artists who would inspire him in the future, such as Cuban musician and percussionist Carlos “Patato” Valdés. When he listened to the artist, Gianni could hardly credit how wonderful and different it was what captivated his ears.

By the time, the young man was studying percussion focused mainly on classical music, but the impact of those rhythms he had heard was such that he wanted to know much more about them. This led him to move to New York and hire private teachers to know more about salsa, Afro-Cuban, and Nuyorican music, because when heard them, he discovered that this was what he wanted to dedicate himself on an artistic level. He assured us that it is always best to learn music directly from those who play it, so it was the best decision he could take.

The musician assured us that, at that moment, he could not believe the world he was missing, but when he found it, he did not let it slide.

At this point, Solange joined us and said her interest in music began in her native Argentina, where her parents always listened to Gloria Estefan, Juan Luis Guerra, and other artists of this type. On her mother’s side of the family, some relatives played the guitar and a lot of Argentine folk music such as sambas and chacareras, so she had a lot of contact with that music and eventually started singing at a very young age.

Gianni playing live — Gianni Mano playing live at Brooklyn Bowl

Since the girl used to sing all the time, her mother enrolled her in singing lessons until she got her first opportunity in a band at the age of 15. Added to that she spent about six months on a cruise in the Caribbean, and when she came back, she wanted to continue training on an artistic level, but with a focus on the music she had been listening to during her trip.

Sometime later, she went to visit a friend in New York, and it was there that she met Gianni, who asked her to join The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, which was already founded. It was something very new for her, as she had never sung salsa before, but she accepted the challenge anyway, and Gianni served as a mentor for her at all times.

Gianni as an arranger

As for his role as an arranger, Gianni told us that, when he left his previous job to devote himself entirely to music, he spent oceans of time transcribing arrangements of other artists’ songs to see how they worked. He remembers that the first song with which he tried this was one by Tito Puente, but then he did the same thing with hundreds more.

For a long time, he listened to all these pieces hundreds of times to understand the form of a salsa-based song and how it needs to be structured for the enjoyment of the dancer on the dance floor. That is how he began to write his own arrangements, although acknowledging that they were not all that good at first, so he had to practice a lot.

His coexistence with groups of different genres and practice with various types of instruments helped him greatly to master this area in all styles.

Solange Prat singing at the Sofar Sounds New York

The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra

In 2009, Gianni was making some demos and garnered rave reviews, so he felt ready to start his own musical project, but obviously he could not do everything alone. He began to place ads in online newspapers to recruit artists to join his band, although there was a subject which worried him: language. He told us that he was looking for musicians who mastered both English and Spanish, and in that sense, Solange pleasantly surprised him with her singing ability in both languages.

The orchestra’s first show was in 2010, which let it to gaining some popularity in the public of the city.

From Solange’s point of view, she describes her arrival in the orchestra as an unexpected event for her career, since in Argentina she had experienced a lot with soul, R&B, and funk. However, this would change with her move to New York, which is when she met Gianni and discovered a whole new world for her until then, but she loved it a lot.

So, she did his best to learn everything she could about this new music and keep up with required level. Gianni played a big role in this, as he taught her how to play certain instruments and gave him CDs from some of the great salsa legends to take them as a guide.

She closed the subject by saying that moving to New York, meeting these musicians, and becoming part of this new music scene was great and inspiring.

Gianni, Solange, and the rest of the orchestra — From left to right: Angela Ortiz (piano), Rafael Gomez (bass), Jhohan Hernandez (congas), Felipe Fornier (bongo). Solange Prat (voice), Gianni Mano (Percussion), Alex Asher (trombone), John Challoner (trumpet), Jason Prover (trumpet), and Dimitri Modebacher (baritone sax)

How to maintain an 11-piece orchestra alive

Currently, the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra has 11 members in total. At a time when bands and musical groups are getting smaller and smaller, we wanted to know what Gianni and his artists do to stay together in an environment that pushes them in the opposite direction.

The percussionist says that one of his greatest dreams was to have a large salsa orchestra, and he has succeeded, but he admits that things were simpler before COVID-19. After that, far fewer people attended salsa dances or were willing to pay for such an event. Still, they have done everything humanly possible to keep the group together, since in the words of Gianni, an orchestra composed of six or seven people does not sound as good or as complete as one with nine or more musicians.

However, he does not deny that they have had some issues with certain venues due to the orchestra’s size, such as small stages or low ability to pay everyone, but in general, club owners and promoters just want a good show and for people to enjoy it. For this reason, they make an effort to hire bands like the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra because they know what they have to offer.

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