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Ray Rodríguez and The Colao Band promote Latin music in San Antonio, Texas

Ray Rodríguez is a talented professional musician and ex-serviceman with whom we’ve had the great pleasure of talking to about his career and other interesting details of his life in general. This descendant of Puerto Ricans has shown us a little-known side of himself, and we’re more than happy to share it with our dear readers today, May 1, 2026.

Ray posing — Ray Rodríguez posing for the camera

How Ray got his start in Music and who inspired him

Ray came from a family full of musicians, but his father and grandfather dedicated themselves to the craft of building string instruments such as guitars, requintos, and cuatros. His grandfather, besides being a craftsman, was also a very talented musician, so he was in high demand in his town to liven up events of all kinds. Seeing so many musicians testing the quality of the instruments at home all the time, little Ray tried to be around to learn the tones he heard.

Over time, he had his own guitar and carried it with everywhere he went, something that his family always supported, and he is so grateful for that.

Enlistment into the United States Army

Music was always very present in Rey’s life, but he had not yet mastered it very well, and his interest in it had not developed much at all, so he joined the United States Army. However, once there, some of his fellow soldiers were also musicians, and taught him to play other instruments, but it did not end there. It was at this stage that his interest in singing was sparked and he dedicated to this profession after his retirement. That was 26 years ago.

He came to be there for a total of six years. In the beginning, he joined as an infantryman and later became an artilleryman. He also attended aviation school for about a year, but unfortunately had an accident that fractured his leg in six places, so he was given the option of staying or changing jobs again, and he chose the latter.

It should be noted that he spent much of his service in Germany, and being there, he devoted much of his free time to listening to music that reminded him of his roots and playing it as a hobby.

Ray and The Colao Band — Ray Rodríguez and The Colao Band at the Jazz Festival in Helotes

Why he chose Texas back to the United States

Having been born in Boston, Massachusetts, it struck us that he chose Texas as his new home. On this subject, he told us that his best friend was parked at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and invited Ray to visit him. The artist enjoyed his walk around the city so much that he decided to stay there, so he applied to work at the City of San Antonio Aviation Department and got the position. After completing his retirement procedure, that was how he went directly to San Antonio, where he continues to live to this day.

As for the musical panorama he found there, what dominated the most at the time was regional Mexican music, so salsa, merengue, and other genres of that type were just beginning to take their place on the local music scene. Fortunately, things have changed since then. During those same years, Ray was invited to a rehearsal with the merengue band Grupo Chocolate to serve as a backup singer, and he spent about six years singing with them, but also became the band’s manager and owner.

Already in the year 2007, the band unfortunately broke up and all the members went their separate ways, which is when Ray finally decided to form his own band, The Ray Colao Band.

The Colao Band

For a time, Ray was the singer of Tito Puente Jr.’s band, and both he and the timbalero were having lunch at a restaurant and talking about the band Ray wanted to start. Ray explained to him that his project was like a mix of everything and that it was all “colado” (in this context, it means everything is mixed together). In addition, he always snuck into someone else’s stage without being part of the group (”colado’’ in Spanish), so Puente gave him the idea to use that name for his band, and it was.

Ray and Tito — Ray Rodríguez and Tito Puente Jr.

As for his accompanying musicians today, we can mention guitarist and singer Jessi García, guitarist, pianist, and bassist Rogelio Romer Hidalgo, singer Gilberto Álvarez, percussionist Georgie Padilla, and the late Jesús Navarrete. These were the members who formed the core of the band, and almost all have been working alongside Ray for about 18 years continuously, except for Gilberto, who spent some time in Puerto Rico but then rejoined them. After them, The Colao Band also welcomed Hainel García and Robert García.

In addition to the band, Ray has also been able to open his own restaurant, Cuba 1918, which he has been running for about four years. He says the project is going very well and that it has become a music and arts venue where he hires various bands to entertain customers during their meal.

Puerto Rican bandleader and musician Diana Sosa talks about her many projects in Nashville, Tennessee

We had a wonderful and very nice conversation with Puerto Rican percussionist, timbalera, conga player, and cuatro player Diana Sosa, who kindly told us about all the projects she has in the pipeline. Her husband and bandmate, guitarist and vocalist Chuck Nelson, put us in touch with her so we could learn more about both the project they share and the one she has undertaken on her own.

Then these are the things the talented Puerto Rican shared with us on this warm Sunday before Easter.

Diana Sosa is playing — Diana Sosa is posing for the camera while playing the timbales

How Diana got into the world of music

Diana was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where she began to love music and play, but not professionally yet. She was just experimenting with some traditional instruments of her homeland, such as the Puerto Rican cuatro, which she even studied with a private teacher.

At the age of 39, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she finally got her first big opportunities in music, and the background she brought for years helped her a lot. It all started with a short rehearsal she was invited to, and from there, she has done nothing but prove what she is really made of.

Of course, she keeps studying and preparing to improve every day. When she is not learning to play with fellow musicians like John Santos, she is taking online courses to solve any doubts she may have.

Diana’s first opportunity with The Bicho Brothers

The first serious group that gave Diana the opportunity to develop professionally—and with which she keeps to playing to this day is The Bicho Brothers, a classic rock band whose members really appreciated the contribution provided by Diana. For this reason, it is she who brings that Latin flavor, the product of her heritage and years of training in these genres.

Something that really attracted the audience was that she was the only woman in the group and, incidentally, she played the timbales, which was uncommon back then. In addition, she added atypical sounds to certain well-known songs, which was also remarkable.

Diana Sosa and the rest of the Bicho Brothers — The Bicho Brothers from left to right: Jeff Krinks (guitar and vocals), Ron Krasinski (drums), Diana Sosa (timbales, congas, percussion, and Puerto Rican cuatro), Chuck Nelson (guitar and vocals), and Kenny Zarider (keyboards and vocals)

Another important personality who encouraged her to follow this route was the great producer Bill Cuomo, who told her she was very good at playing but needed to improve her technique. Twenty years later, it can be said that she took him at his Word seeing all she has achieved since then. From that point on, there have been many other projects and opportunities that make her very happy and keep her fulfilled.

Soul Sacrifice

Soul Sacrifice is a Santana tribute band founded in 1969 that has won a high reputation in Nashville by becoming one of the best tributes to Santana to date. The mix of familiar melodies and infectious rhythms they play at every show transports audiences to the biggest classics of the legendary Latin rock group created by Carlos Santana.

The band also includes some of the same members of The Bicho Brothers, such as the cases of Diana and Chuck due to all the years they have spent playing together, but including Cuban musician John Santos. He plays a fundamental role in making people feel they are listening to the original Santana rather than an imitation, which is why both he and Diana are key to the band’s performance.

Diana’s Mambo Maniacs

Diana also has her own project, which she decided to call Diana’s Mambo Manics. This Latin music group was founded in the early summer of 2025 as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. In that time of year, there are always many festivals dedicated to Hispanic and Latin music in the United States and around the world, so Diana and a group of musicians she had been in contact with for some time took the opportunity to play wherever they were able to make themselves known.

Among some of the musicians in the band we can mention John Santos as singer and timbalero, whose presence is essential at every show. The group also includes conga player Josvany Cordero, bassist Isoel Villareal, pianist Kenny Zarider, trumpeter Joe Mercado, and trombonist Huge Lindsay.

The main difference between this band, The Bicho Brothers and Soul Sacrifice is that it plays exclusively Latin music, but of the great artists in the 1950s and 1960s who performed at the Palladium Ballroom, the Copacabana, El Corso, Chez José & 3 and 1, among many others. Diana feels that, to a certain extent, she pays tribute to her parents, who used to go dancing and enjoying these rhythms to some of these places in their youth.

However, not all are covers. She is about to release an original song featuring Puerto Rican cuatro player Prodigio Claudio, but she did not have the details to share with us yet.

Diana and Tito Puente Jr. — Diana Sosa Playing with Tito Puente Jr.

Profile of Raimundo Elpidio Vázquez Lauzurica: The Guardian of the Rhythm in Sonora Matancera

The heir to a musical dynasty that defined the sound of the “Dean of Latin Ensembles”

On March 15, 1934, the Jesús María neighborhood in Havana saw the birth of one of the most solid figures in Cuban syncopation: Raimundo Elpidio Vázquez Lauzurica. Known worldwide as “Elpidio Vázquez,” his destiny was written between the strings of a double bass and the mystique of Cuba’s most iconic musical group.

As the son of the legendary Pablo Vázquez Gobín (“Bubú”) and the older brother of master pianist Javier Vázquez, Elpidio did not just inherit an instrument he inherited a historical responsibility.

His formal connection with Sonora Matancera began in 1952, when he started subbing for his father. It didn’t take long for his talent to secure him the permanent spot, becoming the rhythmic backbone of the institution until the end of his career.

Legacy and Musical Contributions: Beyond the Double Bass

Elpidio Vázquez was not just a performer; he was a sonic architect. His ability to maintain a precise tumbao allowed Sonora Matancera to preserve that unmistakable harmonic signature that captivated the entire continent.

In addition to his technical prowess, Elpidio shined as a composer, contributing tracks that became essential hits:

“Le dio con la sartén”: A guaracha recorded by the “Flaco de Oro” (The Golden Thin Man), Celio González, in late 1959.
“La negrita inteligente”: A gem performed by the Queen herself, Celia Cruz, in 1961.

His versatility led him to explore other musical horizons. He participated in the vibrant Cuban descarga (jam) sessions alongside Osvaldo “Chihuahua” Martínez and collaborated on historic recordings with giants of salsa and bolero, such as Ismael Rivera, Daniel Santos, Johnny Pacheco, Justo Betancourt, and Roberto Torres.

The Double Bass: Unlike many bassists of the salsa era who quickly transitioned to the Baby Bass or the electric bass, Elpidio is remembered for his mastery of the acoustic double bass, maintaining that organic, deep sonority of traditional, evolved Cuban son.

Recognition and Saying Goodbye to the Stage

One of the most memorable chapters of his career took place in 1989, during the 65th-anniversary celebration of Sonora Matancera. Organized by Gilda Mirós, Elpidio rocked world-renowned stages like Carnegie Hall and New York’s Central Park, reaffirming the band’s timeless relevance.

Career with Sonora Matancera

The Historic Handover: In 1952, Elpidio took on the responsibility of replacing his father on the double bass for Sonora Matancera. This was no small task, as he had to maintain the characteristic tumbao that had defined the group’s sound for decades.
Sonic Signature: He is credited with imprinting a robust harmonic stamp and a rhythmic stability that allowed Sonora to back the biggest stars of the era (Celia Cruz, Nelson Pinedo, Bienvenido Granda, etc.) with flawless precision.
Exile and Continuity: Like the rest of the group, he left Cuba in 1960, continuing his career abroad and participating in Sonora’s prolific New York era and their international tours.

A historical footnote: After the death of Rogelio Martínez, it is said that Elpidio was designated as the group’s musical director by public deed. However, in a gesture of humility and after decades of dedication, he preferred to retire in New Jersey, letting his brother Javier take the helm for the orchestra’s new era.

Today, the figure of Elpidio Vázquez remains a symbol of artistic fidelity and musical excellence the bridge between the tradition of “Bubú” and the modernity of New York salsa.

Also Read: La Sonora Matancera musical congregation of long trajectory and its sound quality, is one of the most popular in the Caribbean island “Cuba”

Uruguayan composer and multiinstrumentalist Sebastián Natal and his band Grupo Sensación

After having contact for days and overcoming some pitfalls, we could finally get to talking with producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Sebastián Natal, who kindly attended and revealed his views on the path he has followed to become the great artist he is today.

Sebastián Natal posing for the camera with his instruments

Sebastián Natal’s beginnings

First, Sebastián appreciated our interest in learning a little more about him and began to describe his native country’s musical and cultural context at the time. First of all, the artist was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, where a tropical music movement was established by then, considering many genres from the tropics and the Caribbean, such as salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia, guaguancó, and many more.

Obviously, these genres did not originate in Uruguay, as bomba is Puerto Rican, salsa is Cuban, and bachata is Dominican. However, there were quite a few groups and musicians who used these tropical roots to create their own identity. Outside of Montevideo, other provinces listened much more to cumbia and charanga.

The orchestras that played these rhythms were dedicated to developing covers of salsa songs, but by bringing them into other genres that were emerging at the time, such as plena, plena danza, and bomba, among others. Sebastián grew up with this sonority in his country, so the whole musical environment he was exposed to abroad became very familiar to him and easy to assimilate. From the early ‘nineties, as a young boy, he began to absorb all the influence from the dawn of romantic salsa and iconic songs such as “Aquel Viejo Motel,” “Cinco Rosas,” “Sin Sentimiento,” “Amores Como El Nuestro,” and many others of its kind.

It is worth adding that Sebastián comes from a family of musicians, starting with his own father, Yeneca Natal, who was the musical director and pianist for Grupo Sensación. Music always surrounded him, so it can be said that he was meant to follow this path.

Sebastián and Yeneca Natal — Sebastián Natal next to his father Yeneca Natal

When and why Sebastián left Uruguay and moved to New York

In 2005, at just 21 years old, Sebastián joined the Sonora Borinquen, which was the most popular orchestra at the time. Thanks to them, he had the opportunity to tour the United States and Canada, where he could see environments and ways of working that were completely different from what he was used to. Two years later, he toured the United States again, but by then he already saw the country as a new destination to advance his career.

Unfortunately, Uruguay was becoming too small for the plans he had for his development in salsa, which sparked his curiosity about the Big Apple and all it had to offer him musically speaking.

By 2008, he decided to move to New York for a few months, but so many doors opened for him that he never left and continues to live there to this very day.

Sebastián, the multi-instrumentalist

The first instrument Sebastián came in contact with was the piano, which he started playing it at age four and from which he graduated at age 11. Since he had not attended high school yet, he could not study a master’s degree to continue his musical education. In addition, he was a child who wanted to play football and do the usual things for his age, so a few years later, his father made him join an Afro-Uruguayan music group. In that orchestra Sebastián played piano and bass, which allowed him to further develop his skills with those instruments.

Sebastián in Panama — Sebastián Natal in Panama City

After that, he began to create his own tropical music band, inspired by the Venezuelan orchestra Los Adolescentes. All the members were minors, and, as well as in the previous group, Sebastián also played piano and bass.

Sebastián as a producer and composer

Regarding his role as a producer and composer, Sebastián confessed that he has no idea how he came to learn these areas of music. He did emphasize that he always lets his music and his feelings flow to deliver the message he wants to convey in each of his pieces. After that, he defines the ideas and adds the music.

He says he greatly admires professional lyricists and composers. He admits he is neither the best nor the worst composer, but he always tries to reach his own heart to convey what he feels.

Sebastián Natal Y Grupo Sensación

The idea of Grupo Sensación started with the orchestra of the same name where his father worked in 1982, but unfortunately the group did not have much impact due to how closed that environment was at the time. There were a number of orchestras that got the best contracts, and it was very difficult for the rest to achieve. Over time, Yeneca left Grupo Sensación and managed to join several of these more established orchestras to gain more reputation.

Soon after, when Sebastián moved to the United States, he almost immediately noted that the Uruguayan community needed a tropical orchestra, but he did not know what name give it. With the passing of his father on October 19, 2010, he chose to use the name “Grupo Sensación” as a way to continue the legacy of his father and the tropical movement born in his country so many years ago.

Sebastián and Pedrito — Pedrito Martínez and Sebastián Natal on stage

Artists he has collaborated with

Sebastián has had the opportunity to collaborate with artists of the stature of Nino Cegarra, Oscar D’León, José Alberto “El Canario,” Domingo Quiñones, Tony Vega, Roberto Blades, Cheo Feliciano, Tito Nieves, Viti Ruiz, and many more. However, few were the ones with whom he has truly been able to have a conversation or a close connection beyond purely profesional relationships.

“You can only say you played with someone if you’ve had a connection with that person. I’ve been able to play with great artists, but many times they don’t even know who I am. That’s why I don’t include them on my resume. Now if they call you back, then you can say you did things very well and that there’s someone really interested in you,” said Sebastián on this interesting subject.

The cases of Bill Murray and Camila Cabello were completely different, as he managed to record songs with them through his friend and fellow musician, Pedrito Martínez, whom he describes as “the best percussionist in the world”. It was also Martínez who connected him with the world-famous composer and guitarist Eric Clapton, with whom he performed at the American Airlines Center in Dallas—one of the most beautiful experiences he has had in his career and his life in general.

“Sonido Bestial Sinfónico” solidifies classical sound in salsa

The February 27, 2026, performance of Sonido Bestial Sinfónico, which reunited “The Kings of Salsa,” Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz, at Puerto Rico’s Coca-Cola Music Hall, served as a farewell for Bobby Cruz. With a sold-out crowd thanks to Alexandra Fuentes’ production and a promotional alliance with the radio station Salsoul the legendary salsa vocalist said goodbye to the stage, insisting that while death had come looking for him, it had taken Willie Colón instead.

During Sonido Bestial Sinfónico, the audience also celebrated the 81st birthday of virtuoso pianist Richie Ray (born February 15) and the 88th birthday of singer Bobby Cruz, who celebrated his birthday the day before the event. Midway through the performance, the duo took a moment to blow out the candles on a cake brought onto the CCMH stage.

The concert was conducted by maestro Cucco Peña, featuring the voice of Yanira Torres and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Puerto Rico. From the local salsa scene, standout musicians included timbalero maestro Edwin Clemente, Emanuel Navarro on congas, and Richie Carrasco on bongo and cowbell, alongside the essential bass swing provided by Edwin Morales, director of the Orquesta Mulenze. Richie Ray’s wife, Angie Maldonado, and Jerry Medina were featured on backing vocals.

This symphonic concert, which celebrates more than six decades of “The Kings of Salsa” in music, had been postponed from its original date of October 25, 2025.

The repertoire included major hits popularized by the duo that have become classics of tropical music. Following a symphonic medley opening, the setlist included “Sonido Bestial,” “Agúzate,” “Richie’s Jala Jala,” “La Lluvia,” “Míster Trumpetman,” “El Diferente,” “Mi Amigo Juan,” “Yo Sé Que Te Amo,” “La Zafra,” “Juan en la Ciudad,” “A Mi Manera,” and a reprise of “Sonido Bestial,” among others.

The performance on Friday, February 27, 2026 of the Symphonic Bestial Sound concert that reunited "The Kings of Salsa", Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz — The performance on Friday, February 27, 2026 of the Symphonic Bestial Sound concert that reunited “The Kings of Salsa”, Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz

The show’s pinnacle featured Cucco Peña singing “Idilio” alongside Norberto Vélez in a heartfelt tribute to the late Willie Colón. The conductor acknowledged that figures like Willie Colón have made it possible for Puerto Rico to hold an important place on the global stage, affirming that “music is the face of Puerto Rico to the world.”

Richie Ray interjected a segment in which he shared his testimony of conversion to Christianity, extending an invitation to anyone who wished to join the ministry he now leads as a pastor. During this segment, the song “Hombres de Valor” was performed.

Another significant moment occurred when Bobby Cruz sang “La Novia,” clarifying that he is “free, but not available.” In addition to the hits achieved during the duo’s monumental and historic musical career, Richie Ray led several classical music pieces adapted for salsa.

The Coca-Cola Music Hall in Puerto Rico served as Bobby Cruz's farewell concert. It was a sold-out show. — The Coca-Cola Music Hall in Puerto Rico served as Bobby Cruz’s farewell concert. It was a sold-out show.

The patriotic finale featured the performance of “Mi Bandera,” which served as a farewell from both Richie and Bobby to the island, as both artists reside within the Puerto Rican diaspora in the continental United States. Events of this magnitude are what give deep meaning to maestro Cucco Peña’s statement: “Music is the face of Puerto Rico to the world” within the universal musical scene.

Also Read: Don Perignon and La Puertorriqueña Release Classique et Savoureux