Tito Puente Biography
Tito Puente FULL NAME Ernesto Antonio Puente … Read Full Bio ↴Tito Puente Biography
Tito Puente FULL NAME Ernesto Antonio Puente Jr. The son of Ernest and Ercilia Puente, native Puerto Ricans living in New York City's Spanish Harlem, Puente is often credited as "The Musical Pope", "El Rey de los Timbales" (The King of the Timbales) and "The King of Latin Music". He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz compositions that endured over a 50-year career. He and his music appear in many films such as The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54. He guest-starred on several television shows, including Sesame Street and The Simpsons two-part episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?".
OCCUPATION
Songwriter, Conductor
BIRTH DATE
April 20, 1923
DEATH DATE
May 31, 2000
EDUCATION
The Juilliard School
PLACE OF BIRTH
New York, New York
PLACE OF DEATH
New York, New York
AKA Tito Puente
NICKNAME "El Rey de los Timbales", "King of Latin Jazz", "King of the Timbales", "El Rey", "The King", "Sultan of Salsa", "Musical Pope"
Tito Puente was a musical pioneer, mixing musical styles with Latin sounds and experimenting in fusing Latin music with jazz.
“There's a lot of young people out there who need to develop their talents, and old-timers like me have to give them space.”
—Tito Puente QUOTES
Synopsis
Born on April 20, 1923, in New York City, Tito Puente, donned the "King of Latin Jazz," was a pioneering force in Latin music, known for fusing styles and putting a big-band spin on traditional Latin music. In 1948, Puente formed a band that would become known as the Tito Puente Orchestra. A decade later, he released his best-selling album, Dance Mania (1958). His most notable songs include "Babarabatiri," "Ran Kan Kan" and "Oye Como Va." By the end of his decades-long career, Puente was deemed a musical legend in Latin music and jazz circles. He died in New York City in 2000, at age 77.
Early Life
Famed jazz composer and bandleader Tito Puente was born Ernesto Antonio Puente Jr. in New York City on April 20, 1923. The son of Puerto Rican immigrants, Puente grew up in New York City's Spanish Harlem and became a professional musician at age 13. He learned to play a number of instruments as a child, beginning with the piano and then moving to percussion, saxophone, vibraphone and timbales (paired high-pitched drums).
After an apprenticeship in the historic Machito Orchestra, Puente was drafted into the U.S. Navy and served during World War II.
Career
Puente served in the Navy for three years during World War II after being drafted in 1942. He was discharged with a Presidential Unit Citation for serving in nine battles on the escort carrier USS Santee (CVE-29). The GI Bill allowed him to study music at Juilliard School of Music, where he completed a formal education in conducting, orchestration and theory. In 1969, he received the key to the City of New York from former Mayor John Lindsay. In 1992, he was inducted into the National Congressional Record, and in 1993 he received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal from the Smithsonian. We play jazz with the Latin touch, that's all, you know.
During the 1950s, Puente was at the height of his popularity, and helped to bring Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds like mambo, son, and cha-cha-chá, to mainstream audiences. Puente was so successful playing popular Afro-Cuban rhythms that many people mistakenly identify him as Cuban. Dance Mania, possibly Puente's most well known album, was released in 1958.
Among his most famous compositions are mambo Oye como va (1963), popularized by Carlos Santana and later interpreted, among others, by Julio Iglesias, Irakere or Celia Cruz.
Later, he moved into more diverse sounds, including pop music, bossa nova and others, eventually settling down with a fusion of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz. In 1979, Puente won the first of five Grammy Awards for the albums A Tribute to Benny Moré, On Broadway, Mambo Diablo, and Goza Mi Timbal
In 1990, Puente was awarded the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. He was also awarded a Grammy at the first Latin Grammy Awards, winning Best Traditional Tropical Album for Mambo Birdland. In 1995, he appeared as himself on the Simpsons episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"
In early 2000, he shot the music documentary Calle 54, wearing an all-white outfit with his band. After a show in Puerto Rico on May 31, 2000, he suffered a massive heart attack and was flown to New York City for surgery to repair a heart valve, but complications developed and he died on May 31, 2000. He was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.
Tito Puente's name is often mentioned in a television production called La Epoca, a film about the Palladium era in New York, Afro-Cuban music and rhythms, mambo and salsa as dances and music and much more. The film discusses many of Puente's, as well as Arsenio Rodríguez's, contributions, and features interviews with some of the musicians Puente recorded with such as Alfonso "El Panameno" Joseph, Luis Mangual, Julian Lianos and others.
Latin Music Sensation
Returning to New York in 1945, Puente used money from the G.I. Bill to study at New York City's famed Juilliard School. In 1948, he formed a band that would later become known as the Tito Puente Orchestra. By the 1950s, the band was attracting large crowds and Puente, subsequently, became known as a Latin music sensation.
In 1958, Puente released his best-selling album, Dance Mania, and more hit records soon followed, with notable songs including "Babarabatiri," "Ran Kan Kan" and "Oye Como Va." Fans enjoyed the way Puente put a big band spin on traditional Latin dances, mixing Latin sounds with jazz and other genres. Puente later added other Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms to his repertoire, including cha-cha, merengue, bossa nova and salsa, and his continuous experimentation and creativity earned him a reputation as a musical pioneer.
Throughout his career, which spanned more than five decades, Puente performed with a number of leading jazz performers, including George Shearing and Woody Herman, as well as with many stars of Latin music. In later years, he performed with many symphony orchestras.
Puente received numerous awards for his work, including five Grammy Awards, the first of which he won in 1979 for the album Homenaje a Beny, a tribute to Benny Moré. (His 1976 album The Legend had been nominated for a Grammy in 1977, and he would receive seven more nominations by the mid-1990s.) Puente went on to garner two more Grammys in the 1980s, for the more traditional Latin jazz albums On Broadway and Mambo Diablo, and picked up a fourth in 1990 for Goza Mi Timbal.
In 1999, Puente was awarded an honorary degree at Columbia University. The following year, he received a Latin Grammy Award (best traditional tropical Latin performance)—his fifth Grammy—for Mambo Birdland.
Other Projects
In addition to music, Puente remained dedicated to causes affecting the Latin community throughout his lifetime. In 1979, he created a scholarship fund for Latin percussionists at the Juilliard School. "The scholarship was a dream of mine for a long time," Puente later said, explaining, "In the Latin community, we have a lot of gifted youngsters who don't get an opportunity to develop their talent because of a lack of money. Long after, I'm gone, the fund will be helping kids."
More than a decade later, Oscar Hijuelos created a character based on Puente for his 1989 novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love (Puente appeared as himself in the 1992 film adaptation of the book). Around this same time, the jazz musician guest-starred on several television shows, including The Simpsons.
Puente's son Richard "Richie" Puente was the percussionist in the 1970s funk band Foxy. Puente's youngest son, Tito Puente Jr., has continued his father's legacy by presenting many of the same songs in his performances and recordings, while daughter Audrey Puente is a television meteorologist for WNYW and WWOR-TV in New York City. Puente's granddaughter, Janeen Puente, is a singer and bandleader
Death and Legacy
By the end of his decades-long career, Tito Puente, sometimes called the "King of Latin Jazz" or simply "El Rey" ("The King"), had made an indelible mark on the popular culture. In addition to making more than 100 albums and creating more than 200 compositions, Puente had become a highly revered musician, regarded as a musical legend in Latin music and jazz circles.
Tito Puente died on May 31, 2000, at the age of 77, in a New York City hospital where he was awaiting heart surgery. Adored by fans across the globe, several supporters waited in line for days to say goodbye to the popular bandleader. He was survived by wife Margaret Acencio, his partner for 30 years; their two children, Tito Jr., a musician, and Audrey, a newscaster; and a son named Richard, also a musician, from his earlier relationship to Ida Carlini.
Tito Puente was a jazz and latin music percussionist. Back in the day, he would have competitions with other bands such as Perez Prado to see who would be named “King of the mambo”. Tito always won.
From various sources and as one can see from video, Puente was an electric performer who always stood up on the timbales. He was an accomplished dancer as well.
Tito Puente is probably the most beloved figure of the music that is now mostly called Latin jazz. When asked if he played salsa, he replied, ” I don’t play sauce.(the Spanish meaning of the word) I play jazz.” Today’s most popular artist in Latin jazz, Poncho Sanchez, named his son Tito after Tito Puente.
Many of his records are great, such as “In Session”. The quality on record is not as consistent as he apparently was in concert, though. Some recordings are mediocre in quality. The list of people who played with him would fill a who’s who of both Jazz and Latin music. His last release was a duo with Eddie Palmieri, the appropriately named ” Obra Maestra”. If anyone is to name the King of the mambo or the King of Latin Jazz, the most popular answer will be Tito Puente.
Awards and recognition
During the presidency of Sen. Roberto Rexach Benítez, Tito Puente received the unique honor of having both a special session of the Senate of Puerto Rico dedicated to him, and being allowed to perform in his unique style on the floor of the Senate while it was in session.
On September 10, 2007, a United States Post Office in Spanish Harlem was named after him at a ceremony presided by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Rep. José Serrano (D-NY).
An amphitheatre was named in his honor at Luis Muñoz Marín Park, next to the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puente performed at the closing ceremonies at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The timbales he used there are on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.
In 1997, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[12]
In 1990 he received a Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. (ref Hollywood Chamber Of Commerce)
In 1984 he received an honorary Decree from the Los Angeles City Council.
On June 5, 2005, Puente was honored by Union City, New Jersey with a star on the Walk of Fame at Union City's Celia Cruz Park
Tito Puente Musical Legacy
As leader
Mambos Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (10" LP's, 1951) Tico
Mambos Vol. 3 & Vol. 4 (10" LP's, 1952) Tico
Mambos Vol. 5 & King of the Mambo, Vol. 6 (10" LP's, 1953) Tico
Mamborama (1955) Tico
Puente In Percussion (1956) Tico
Cha Cha Cha's For Lovers (1956) Tico
Night Beat (1957) RCA Victor
Top Percussion (1958) RCA Victor
Dance Mania (1958) RCA Victor
Dancing Under Latin Skies (1959)
Mucho Cha-Cha (1959)[14]
Tambo (1960) RCA Victor
Cha Cha With Tito Puente at Grossinger's (1960) RCA Victor
El Rey: Bravo (1963) Tico
El Rey (The King) (1968) Tico
El Rey: Tito Puente & His Latin Ensemble (1984) Concord Picante
Mambo Diablo (1985) Concord Picante
Sensacion (1986) Concord Picante
Un Poco Loco (1987) Bellaphon
Goza Mi Timbal (1989) Concord Picante
Tito's Idea (1995) Tropi Jazz / RMM
Jazzin' (with India) (1996) Tropi Jazz / RMM
Percussion's King (1997)
Selection of Mambo & Cha Cha Cha (1997)
50 Years of Swing (1997)
Tito Meets Machito: Mambo Kings (1997)
Cha Cha Cha Rumba Beguine (1998)
Dance Mania '99: Live at Birdland (1998)
The Very Best of Tito Puente (1998)
Timbalero Tropical (1998)
Yambeque (1998)
Absolute Best (1999)
Carnival (1999)
Colección original (1999)
Golden Latin Jazz All Stars: In Session (1999)
Latin Flight (1999)
Latin Kings (1999)
Lo mejor de lo mejor (1999)
Mambo Birdland (1999)
Special Delivery featuring Maynard Ferguson (1996)
Rey (2000)
His Vibes & Orchestra (2000)
Cha Cha Cha for Lovers (2000)
Homenaje a Beny Moré Vol. 3 (2000) featuring Celia Cruz
Dos ídolos. Su música (2000)
Tito Puente y su Orquesta Mambo (2000)
The Complete RCA Recordings. Vol. 1 (2000)
The Best of the Concord Years (2000)
Por fin (Finally) (2000)
Party with Puente! (2000)
Masterpiece/Obra maestra (2000) with Eddie Palmieri
Mambo Mambo (2000)
Mambo King Meets the Queen of Salsa (2000)
Latin Abstract (2000)
Kings of Mambo (2000)
Cha Cha Cha for Lovers (2000)
The Legends Collection: Tito Puente & Celia Cruz (2001)
The Complete RCA Recordings, Vol. 2 (2001)
RCA Recordings (2001)
Puente caliente (2001)
The Best of... (2001)
King of Mambo (2001)
El Rey: Pa'lante! Straight! (2001)
Cocktail Hour (2001)
Selection. King of Mambo (2001)
Herman Meets Puente (2001)
Undisputed (2001)
Fiesta (2002)
Colección Diamante (2002)
Tito Puente y Celia Cruz (2002)
Live at the Playboy Jazz Festival (2002)
King of Kings: The Very Best of Tito Puente (2002)
Hot Timbales! (2002)
Dr. Feelgood (2002)
Carnaval de éxitos (2002)
Caravan Mambo (2002)
We Love Salsa (2006)
Quatro: The Definitive Collection(2012)
As sideman
With Dizzy Gillespie - Rhythmstick (1990)
With Hilton Ruiz - Rhythm in the House (RMM, 1976 [1998])
With Sonny Stitt - The Matadors Meet the Bull (Roulette, 1965)
Selected feature films
Armed and Dangerous (1986)
Radio Days (1987)
The Mambo Kings (1992)
Stripes (1981) (mentioned
Documentaries
Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music (2000)
Profiles Featuring Tito Puente Jr. (2007)
Latin Knights (2005)
Calle 54 (2000
Concert films
Tito Puente - Live in Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival) (1983) (2003)
Personal Note
All those who knew Tito have testified to the humility and generosity that possessed this little Giant. Always a smile and a hug always ready to extend the hand no matter who he was and without any personal interest always from the depths of his heart. Arturo Sandoval wrote a song named Tito on his album Hot House that explains who Tito was. Los Papines also dedicated a song named Recordando A Tito Puente on their album Rumba Sin Alarde.
Tito Puente Always ready to promote Latin music and put it in the place it deserves
and for that and much more, Thank You Teacher.
Tito Puente FULL NAME Ernesto Antonio Puente … Read Full Bio ↴Tito Puente Biography
Tito Puente FULL NAME Ernesto Antonio Puente Jr. The son of Ernest and Ercilia Puente, native Puerto Ricans living in New York City's Spanish Harlem, Puente is often credited as "The Musical Pope", "El Rey de los Timbales" (The King of the Timbales) and "The King of Latin Music". He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz compositions that endured over a 50-year career. He and his music appear in many films such as The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54. He guest-starred on several television shows, including Sesame Street and The Simpsons two-part episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?".
OCCUPATION
Songwriter, Conductor
BIRTH DATE
April 20, 1923
DEATH DATE
May 31, 2000
EDUCATION
The Juilliard School
PLACE OF BIRTH
New York, New York
PLACE OF DEATH
New York, New York
AKA Tito Puente
NICKNAME "El Rey de los Timbales", "King of Latin Jazz", "King of the Timbales", "El Rey", "The King", "Sultan of Salsa", "Musical Pope"
Tito Puente was a musical pioneer, mixing musical styles with Latin sounds and experimenting in fusing Latin music with jazz.
“There's a lot of young people out there who need to develop their talents, and old-timers like me have to give them space.”
—Tito Puente QUOTES
Synopsis
Born on April 20, 1923, in New York City, Tito Puente, donned the "King of Latin Jazz," was a pioneering force in Latin music, known for fusing styles and putting a big-band spin on traditional Latin music. In 1948, Puente formed a band that would become known as the Tito Puente Orchestra. A decade later, he released his best-selling album, Dance Mania (1958). His most notable songs include "Babarabatiri," "Ran Kan Kan" and "Oye Como Va." By the end of his decades-long career, Puente was deemed a musical legend in Latin music and jazz circles. He died in New York City in 2000, at age 77.
Early Life
Famed jazz composer and bandleader Tito Puente was born Ernesto Antonio Puente Jr. in New York City on April 20, 1923. The son of Puerto Rican immigrants, Puente grew up in New York City's Spanish Harlem and became a professional musician at age 13. He learned to play a number of instruments as a child, beginning with the piano and then moving to percussion, saxophone, vibraphone and timbales (paired high-pitched drums).
After an apprenticeship in the historic Machito Orchestra, Puente was drafted into the U.S. Navy and served during World War II.
Career
Puente served in the Navy for three years during World War II after being drafted in 1942. He was discharged with a Presidential Unit Citation for serving in nine battles on the escort carrier USS Santee (CVE-29). The GI Bill allowed him to study music at Juilliard School of Music, where he completed a formal education in conducting, orchestration and theory. In 1969, he received the key to the City of New York from former Mayor John Lindsay. In 1992, he was inducted into the National Congressional Record, and in 1993 he received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal from the Smithsonian. We play jazz with the Latin touch, that's all, you know.
During the 1950s, Puente was at the height of his popularity, and helped to bring Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds like mambo, son, and cha-cha-chá, to mainstream audiences. Puente was so successful playing popular Afro-Cuban rhythms that many people mistakenly identify him as Cuban. Dance Mania, possibly Puente's most well known album, was released in 1958.
Among his most famous compositions are mambo Oye como va (1963), popularized by Carlos Santana and later interpreted, among others, by Julio Iglesias, Irakere or Celia Cruz.
Later, he moved into more diverse sounds, including pop music, bossa nova and others, eventually settling down with a fusion of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz. In 1979, Puente won the first of five Grammy Awards for the albums A Tribute to Benny Moré, On Broadway, Mambo Diablo, and Goza Mi Timbal
In 1990, Puente was awarded the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. He was also awarded a Grammy at the first Latin Grammy Awards, winning Best Traditional Tropical Album for Mambo Birdland. In 1995, he appeared as himself on the Simpsons episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"
In early 2000, he shot the music documentary Calle 54, wearing an all-white outfit with his band. After a show in Puerto Rico on May 31, 2000, he suffered a massive heart attack and was flown to New York City for surgery to repair a heart valve, but complications developed and he died on May 31, 2000. He was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.
Tito Puente's name is often mentioned in a television production called La Epoca, a film about the Palladium era in New York, Afro-Cuban music and rhythms, mambo and salsa as dances and music and much more. The film discusses many of Puente's, as well as Arsenio Rodríguez's, contributions, and features interviews with some of the musicians Puente recorded with such as Alfonso "El Panameno" Joseph, Luis Mangual, Julian Lianos and others.
Latin Music Sensation
Returning to New York in 1945, Puente used money from the G.I. Bill to study at New York City's famed Juilliard School. In 1948, he formed a band that would later become known as the Tito Puente Orchestra. By the 1950s, the band was attracting large crowds and Puente, subsequently, became known as a Latin music sensation.
In 1958, Puente released his best-selling album, Dance Mania, and more hit records soon followed, with notable songs including "Babarabatiri," "Ran Kan Kan" and "Oye Como Va." Fans enjoyed the way Puente put a big band spin on traditional Latin dances, mixing Latin sounds with jazz and other genres. Puente later added other Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms to his repertoire, including cha-cha, merengue, bossa nova and salsa, and his continuous experimentation and creativity earned him a reputation as a musical pioneer.
Throughout his career, which spanned more than five decades, Puente performed with a number of leading jazz performers, including George Shearing and Woody Herman, as well as with many stars of Latin music. In later years, he performed with many symphony orchestras.
Puente received numerous awards for his work, including five Grammy Awards, the first of which he won in 1979 for the album Homenaje a Beny, a tribute to Benny Moré. (His 1976 album The Legend had been nominated for a Grammy in 1977, and he would receive seven more nominations by the mid-1990s.) Puente went on to garner two more Grammys in the 1980s, for the more traditional Latin jazz albums On Broadway and Mambo Diablo, and picked up a fourth in 1990 for Goza Mi Timbal.
In 1999, Puente was awarded an honorary degree at Columbia University. The following year, he received a Latin Grammy Award (best traditional tropical Latin performance)—his fifth Grammy—for Mambo Birdland.
Other Projects
In addition to music, Puente remained dedicated to causes affecting the Latin community throughout his lifetime. In 1979, he created a scholarship fund for Latin percussionists at the Juilliard School. "The scholarship was a dream of mine for a long time," Puente later said, explaining, "In the Latin community, we have a lot of gifted youngsters who don't get an opportunity to develop their talent because of a lack of money. Long after, I'm gone, the fund will be helping kids."
More than a decade later, Oscar Hijuelos created a character based on Puente for his 1989 novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love (Puente appeared as himself in the 1992 film adaptation of the book). Around this same time, the jazz musician guest-starred on several television shows, including The Simpsons.
Puente's son Richard "Richie" Puente was the percussionist in the 1970s funk band Foxy. Puente's youngest son, Tito Puente Jr., has continued his father's legacy by presenting many of the same songs in his performances and recordings, while daughter Audrey Puente is a television meteorologist for WNYW and WWOR-TV in New York City. Puente's granddaughter, Janeen Puente, is a singer and bandleader
Death and Legacy
By the end of his decades-long career, Tito Puente, sometimes called the "King of Latin Jazz" or simply "El Rey" ("The King"), had made an indelible mark on the popular culture. In addition to making more than 100 albums and creating more than 200 compositions, Puente had become a highly revered musician, regarded as a musical legend in Latin music and jazz circles.
Tito Puente died on May 31, 2000, at the age of 77, in a New York City hospital where he was awaiting heart surgery. Adored by fans across the globe, several supporters waited in line for days to say goodbye to the popular bandleader. He was survived by wife Margaret Acencio, his partner for 30 years; their two children, Tito Jr., a musician, and Audrey, a newscaster; and a son named Richard, also a musician, from his earlier relationship to Ida Carlini.
Tito Puente was a jazz and latin music percussionist. Back in the day, he would have competitions with other bands such as Perez Prado to see who would be named “King of the mambo”. Tito always won.
From various sources and as one can see from video, Puente was an electric performer who always stood up on the timbales. He was an accomplished dancer as well.
Tito Puente is probably the most beloved figure of the music that is now mostly called Latin jazz. When asked if he played salsa, he replied, ” I don’t play sauce.(the Spanish meaning of the word) I play jazz.” Today’s most popular artist in Latin jazz, Poncho Sanchez, named his son Tito after Tito Puente.
Many of his records are great, such as “In Session”. The quality on record is not as consistent as he apparently was in concert, though. Some recordings are mediocre in quality. The list of people who played with him would fill a who’s who of both Jazz and Latin music. His last release was a duo with Eddie Palmieri, the appropriately named ” Obra Maestra”. If anyone is to name the King of the mambo or the King of Latin Jazz, the most popular answer will be Tito Puente.
Awards and recognition
During the presidency of Sen. Roberto Rexach Benítez, Tito Puente received the unique honor of having both a special session of the Senate of Puerto Rico dedicated to him, and being allowed to perform in his unique style on the floor of the Senate while it was in session.
On September 10, 2007, a United States Post Office in Spanish Harlem was named after him at a ceremony presided by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Rep. José Serrano (D-NY).
An amphitheatre was named in his honor at Luis Muñoz Marín Park, next to the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puente performed at the closing ceremonies at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The timbales he used there are on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.
In 1997, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[12]
In 1990 he received a Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. (ref Hollywood Chamber Of Commerce)
In 1984 he received an honorary Decree from the Los Angeles City Council.
On June 5, 2005, Puente was honored by Union City, New Jersey with a star on the Walk of Fame at Union City's Celia Cruz Park
Tito Puente Musical Legacy
As leader
Mambos Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (10" LP's, 1951) Tico
Mambos Vol. 3 & Vol. 4 (10" LP's, 1952) Tico
Mambos Vol. 5 & King of the Mambo, Vol. 6 (10" LP's, 1953) Tico
Mamborama (1955) Tico
Puente In Percussion (1956) Tico
Cha Cha Cha's For Lovers (1956) Tico
Night Beat (1957) RCA Victor
Top Percussion (1958) RCA Victor
Dance Mania (1958) RCA Victor
Dancing Under Latin Skies (1959)
Mucho Cha-Cha (1959)[14]
Tambo (1960) RCA Victor
Cha Cha With Tito Puente at Grossinger's (1960) RCA Victor
El Rey: Bravo (1963) Tico
El Rey (The King) (1968) Tico
El Rey: Tito Puente & His Latin Ensemble (1984) Concord Picante
Mambo Diablo (1985) Concord Picante
Sensacion (1986) Concord Picante
Un Poco Loco (1987) Bellaphon
Goza Mi Timbal (1989) Concord Picante
Tito's Idea (1995) Tropi Jazz / RMM
Jazzin' (with India) (1996) Tropi Jazz / RMM
Percussion's King (1997)
Selection of Mambo & Cha Cha Cha (1997)
50 Years of Swing (1997)
Tito Meets Machito: Mambo Kings (1997)
Cha Cha Cha Rumba Beguine (1998)
Dance Mania '99: Live at Birdland (1998)
The Very Best of Tito Puente (1998)
Timbalero Tropical (1998)
Yambeque (1998)
Absolute Best (1999)
Carnival (1999)
Colección original (1999)
Golden Latin Jazz All Stars: In Session (1999)
Latin Flight (1999)
Latin Kings (1999)
Lo mejor de lo mejor (1999)
Mambo Birdland (1999)
Special Delivery featuring Maynard Ferguson (1996)
Rey (2000)
His Vibes & Orchestra (2000)
Cha Cha Cha for Lovers (2000)
Homenaje a Beny Moré Vol. 3 (2000) featuring Celia Cruz
Dos ídolos. Su música (2000)
Tito Puente y su Orquesta Mambo (2000)
The Complete RCA Recordings. Vol. 1 (2000)
The Best of the Concord Years (2000)
Por fin (Finally) (2000)
Party with Puente! (2000)
Masterpiece/Obra maestra (2000) with Eddie Palmieri
Mambo Mambo (2000)
Mambo King Meets the Queen of Salsa (2000)
Latin Abstract (2000)
Kings of Mambo (2000)
Cha Cha Cha for Lovers (2000)
The Legends Collection: Tito Puente & Celia Cruz (2001)
The Complete RCA Recordings, Vol. 2 (2001)
RCA Recordings (2001)
Puente caliente (2001)
The Best of... (2001)
King of Mambo (2001)
El Rey: Pa'lante! Straight! (2001)
Cocktail Hour (2001)
Selection. King of Mambo (2001)
Herman Meets Puente (2001)
Undisputed (2001)
Fiesta (2002)
Colección Diamante (2002)
Tito Puente y Celia Cruz (2002)
Live at the Playboy Jazz Festival (2002)
King of Kings: The Very Best of Tito Puente (2002)
Hot Timbales! (2002)
Dr. Feelgood (2002)
Carnaval de éxitos (2002)
Caravan Mambo (2002)
We Love Salsa (2006)
Quatro: The Definitive Collection(2012)
As sideman
With Dizzy Gillespie - Rhythmstick (1990)
With Hilton Ruiz - Rhythm in the House (RMM, 1976 [1998])
With Sonny Stitt - The Matadors Meet the Bull (Roulette, 1965)
Selected feature films
Armed and Dangerous (1986)
Radio Days (1987)
The Mambo Kings (1992)
Stripes (1981) (mentioned
Documentaries
Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music (2000)
Profiles Featuring Tito Puente Jr. (2007)
Latin Knights (2005)
Calle 54 (2000
Concert films
Tito Puente - Live in Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival) (1983) (2003)
Personal Note
All those who knew Tito have testified to the humility and generosity that possessed this little Giant. Always a smile and a hug always ready to extend the hand no matter who he was and without any personal interest always from the depths of his heart. Arturo Sandoval wrote a song named Tito on his album Hot House that explains who Tito was. Los Papines also dedicated a song named Recordando A Tito Puente on their album Rumba Sin Alarde.
Tito Puente Always ready to promote Latin music and put it in the place it deserves
and for that and much more, Thank You Teacher.
Para Los Rumberos
Tito Puente and His Orchestra Lyrics
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Vamos rumbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos congero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Caríbello que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos congero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Caríbello que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Timbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Chepito que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Timbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Chepito que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos rumbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos congero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Caríbello que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos congero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Caríbello que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Chepito que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Timbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Chepito que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos rumbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
The lyrics of Tito Puente's song "Para Los Rumberos" call out to multiple percussionists, urging them to come together and play the rhythms of rumba. The song is an invitation to dance, with the repetitive verses using the names of each percussionist to build up the excitement until the rumba starts. The urgency and repetition of "la rumba ya va empezar" meaning "the rumba is about to start," creates a sense of anticipation, and the use of each musician's name adds an inclusive feel to the song.
Overall, "Para Los Rumberos" expresses the joy and passion of Latin music, and the importance of coming together to create an experience that is both communal and euphoric. It captures the essence of what makes Latin rhythms so infectious, such as the complex interplay between different percussion instruments, and the way that each musician contributes to the overall sound.
Line by Line Meaning
Vamos rumbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go rumbero because the party is about to start
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Santana because the party is about to start
Vamos congero que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go congero because the party is about to start
Vamos Caríbello que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Caríbello because the party is about to start
Vamos congero que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go congero because the party is about to start
Vamos Caríbello que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Caríbello because the party is about to start
Vamos Timbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Timbero because the party is about to start
Vamos Chepito que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Chepito because the party is about to start
Vamos Timbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Timbero because the party is about to start
Vamos Chepito que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Chepito because the party is about to start
Vamos rumbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go rumbero because the party is about to start
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Santana because the party is about to start
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Let's go Santana because the party is about to start
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TITO PUENTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@juanantoniopachecovargasma7513
Alguien puede negar que Tito Puente es el Rey del Timbal?
Habrán pasado 20 años de su partida y su Reynado será por siempre!!!
Tuve el honor de oírlo tocar con su Latín Ensamble y en la voz esa noche estuvo la Gran Celia Cruz!!!
@inneropinion6572
Tito,un gran músico, jazzista ,música afro caribeña,lo que tu quieras. Pero mejor aún, una gran persona. Una vez fui a verlo en un concierto en Miami. Y el Sr. Puente, despues del concierto bajó a firmarnos autógrafos de una manera muy cordial con absoluta simpatía y humildad.Cómo hacen falta todos esos músicos de antaño.
@marcelopuruncajassanchez9878
Si señor, porque gracias al sabor de los caribeños, Latinoamerica es muy alegre y rumbera. Saludos desde Cali, Colombia.
@carlosmontielcortes4179
yo no soy de Puerto Rico, soy del Puerto de Veracruz y aquí como en todo el mundo se le admira a Tito por su grandeza musical Dios Bendiga a Tito Puente y un abrazo fuerte a la musica afrocaribeña de Puerto Rico, en donde los cantantes no gritan: !cantan! Saludos mareleyjay
@luiscontreras-dm2bp
Waoooo no sabia de donde venía la salsa rumbera y ni que existía ese gran ser humano que fue Tito Puente
@SSergio_Galaratti
Soy Latino. Amo La Musica En Especial EL ROCK. Pero Don Tito Es Amo y Señor Rey Del Timbal Es Unico... Rey De Rey 👑👑👑👑👑👑
@Tony-dq4mw
Que nostalgia me da ver a todos estos artistas que ya muchos de ellos ya no están físicamente con nosotros que dios los tenga en su santa gloria solo nos queda su legado que pasara de generación en generación pasaran 100 años mas y ahí seguirán vivos en nuestros corazones nosotros los salseros que crecimos con su música los mantendremos vigentes siempre un saludo para todos desde Venezuela
@g.a.v.o.8625
Solo los q conocemos, sabemos q esta es una música ancestral y magnífica. Medellín (Colombia), siempre amando nuestra herencia.
👍🏼
@SuperGlotta
From THE AMERICANS in u.s.a... TO THE WORLD 🎶
@luisnieves338
Es increíble como los puertoriqueños han dejando que el regueton reemplace su música autóctona, lo mismo estamos viviendo los Dominicanos con la asquerosa subcultura del dembow