Tito Puente was born Ernest Anthony Puente, Jr. on April 20, 1923 in New York City. His parents had just arrived from their native Puerto…
Artist Profiles: Tito Puente
Tag: salsa
Artist Profiles: La Excelencia
La Excelencia was founded by Julian Silva and Jose Vazquez-Cofresi who in 2005 formed the orchestra in New York City. The orchestra was created with…
Jose Lugo & Guasábara Combo Win Best Tropical Latin Album Grammy Award
The album ¿Donde Están? (En Grande Music) by Jose Lugo & Guasábara Combo is the winner of the Best Tropical Latin Album at the 59th…
Artist Profiles: Haila Maria Mompie
Born in January 28, 1974, in Las Tunas, eastern province of Cuba, daughter of a singer father and a stylist mother, Haila Maria Mompie Gonzalez…
Artist Profiles: Giovanni Hidalgo
Widely acknowledged among the greatest congueros of his generation, Giovanni Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1963, first taking up the drums…
Latin Changeups
I’ve long contended that Latin music (something of a loaded term) was the first world music (ditto) to catch on in a big way. Even…
Artist Profiles: Canteca de Macao
Madrid-based band Canteca de Macao was founded in 2003 and has caused a stir in international music circles in recent years with its wild blend…
Artist Profiles: Arsenio Rodriguez
Arsenio Rodriguez was a revolutionary figure in Cuban music during the 1940s. He was a bandleader, tresero (tres player) and percussionist, who developed the classic…
Artist Profiles: Alfredo De La Fe
Alfredo De La Fe is a Cuban-born and New York-based violinist who lived in Colombia for more than 16 years, responsible for transforming the violin…
Les Moncada Chats with “Timbalero Monster” Nicky Marrero
There are timbaleros (timbales players) in Latin music and then there are timbaleros. Nicky Marrero is the master at his work! Nicky Marrero has performed…