From left to right: singer Jerry Rivas, musical director Rafael Ithier and singers Charlie Aponte and Luis "Papo" Rosario. The first song of El Gran Combo was Tingoli.
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Ricansalsa orchestra based in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[2] Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, it was often considered Puerto Rico's most successful musical group.[3] The group received the moniker La Universidad de la Salsa (The University of Salsa) in Colombia,[4] due to the sheer number of famous salsa musicians and singers who developed their careers with it, who started with the group (particularly Andy Montañez), or who were occasionally backed up by the band and La India.
The salsa orchestra was founded in May 1962,[5] by Rafael Ithier.[6] Ithier was still nominally its musical director, and is the only remaining member from the band's original lineup. From 2010 until his death in 2022,[7] Willie Sotelo, who joined the group in 2006 as pianist, had become the band's de facto musical director on tours, with Ithier conducting the group and playing occasionally in select live performances. They are still actively performing after 50 years together.[8] The group was scheduled to celebrate its 50th anniversary on 11 November 2012 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico.[9] The group started its celebration with a grand world tour that took them to five continents.[10]
On November 24, 2022, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, on its 60th anniversary, was featured on Norberto Vélez's YouTube channel titled "Sesiones Desde La Loma Ep. 32". El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico is the first Orchestra featured at the hill.
History
Inception
Rafael Ithier had been a member of Rafael Cortijo's "Cortijo y su Combo" orchestra. After singer Ismael Rivera faced legal drug possession problems when arriving from Panama, some of the group's musicians departed, with Ithier relocating temporarily to the eastern United States. Rafael Álvarez Guedes, the Cuban-born owner of the Gema recording label (and brother of comedic actor Guillermo) needed a backing band to record an album for legendary Dominicanmerengue singer Joseíto Mateo. He asked Ithier for assistance, and Ithier responded by bringing in many of his former colleagues return to the studio. For their first recording sessions, the orchestra included some musicians from Cortijo's original lineup, including saxophonist Hector Santos, trumpet player Rogelio "Kito" Velez, and percussionists Martín Quiñones, Miguel Cruz and Roberto Roena. Alvarez-Guedes proposed to call it Rafael Ithier y su Combo. This was in obvious similarity to Rafael Cortijo y su Combo. Ithier opposed the idea mainly because he was so frustrated with the situation that happened with Cortijo, that he wasn’t thinking of staying around much longer than a few months. Since the word “combo” was in vogue those days for mid-size bands, the group landed with a name that would reflect a “new and improved” combo, a great combo; El Gran Combo.[11][12] The album they recorded was titled Menéame Los Mangos, El Gran Combo con Joseito Mateo (the phrase translates as Shake Your Mangoes for Me, a double entendre).[13]
The group met again to define the foundations of a proper orchestra and chose singers Daniel Vázquez, Pellín Rodríguez and Chiquitín García (who later composed among other major EGC hits, "No Hago Más Ná", and many of Gran Combo's hits). On May 21, 1962, El Gran Combo was heard for the first time on Puerto Rican radio. Later on, they became the in-studio musicians of the live television show, "La Taberna India", sponsored by India Beer.
After their live debut at Hotel La Concha in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Chiquitín García left the orchestra. Vocalist Sammy Ayala, who had also played with Ithier in the Cortijo orchestra, recommended the hiring of Andy Montañez. Andy Montañez was singer for a trio in Puerto Rico and had never sung salsa?
First albums
On November 20, 1963, El Gran Combo released their first group album, Menéame los mangos, with Joseito Mateo as lead singer. Later came Acángana. This album became a number-one hit in New York City, Panama and Puerto Rico. Their success opened doors for them in many Latin American markets and they gained an exclusivity spot on the Puerto Rican television show El Show de las 12. The album also reached gold status.
In 1964, trumpet player and arranger Elías Lopes joined the orchestra, coinciding with the group's first popularity wave. With their daily TV appearances and extensive touring, however, demand for the group declined due to overexposure. Still, in 1967, their album Boogaloo con el Gran Combo also reached gold status. In 1969, Roena and Lopes left the orchestra to form the Apollo Sound together. Despite all this, that same year the group was awarded an Agüeybana de Oro in Puerto Rico. Also, in 1969, Rafael Ithier hired dancer/choreographer Mike Ramos to implement dance routines, which became a signature of El Gran Combo's live performances. Mike came from the world-famous New York City Palladium Ballroom scene. Prior to joining El Gran Combo, Mike danced with the Tito Puente Orchestra and Perez Prado Band among others.
The 1970s
In 1970, El Gran Combo's contract with Gema Records was not renewed. Despite offers from other record companies including the Motown label, the group decided to self-release recordings under their own newly created independent label, Combo Records (alternatively known as EGC Records). The first album released on the label was the 1970 album entitled Estamos Primeros. On February 15, 1970, the members of El Gran Combo shared a near death experience. They were at Venezuela, and scheduled to fly the following day to Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After landing they were told about the Dominicana Airlines DC-9 that crashed off the Caribbean coast which occurred the night before. Therefore, the tale about a group member having a bad feeling regarding that flight while stranded at the Santo Domingo airport is not entirely true, since they did not arrive there until the day after the crash.[14]
In 1971, El Gran Combo introduced the trombone to their instrument mix. The trombone was played by Fanny Ceballos. Soon after, their production named De Punta a Punta was released. In 1972, they released the album "Por el Libro", which marks the 10th anniversary of the orchestra. Pellín Rodriguez left the group to embark on a solo career. Rodríguez was replaced by Charlie Aponte at the recommendation of Jerry Concepción and the well known sportscasterRafael Bracero, both friends of Ithier.
In 1973, El Gran Combo sang in front of 50,000 fans at the famous Yankee Stadium in New York City as the opening act for the Fania All-Stars' sold-out concert.
Montañez left the band in early 1977 and went to live in Venezuela where he replaced Oscar D'León in another orchestra, Dimension Latina. Jerry Rivas was then chosen to join the orchestra. The success of this new duo was proved with their 1977 album International and 1978's En Las Vegas which reached gold record status.
In 1966, En Navidad, a Christmas album, was released, with Martín Quiñones appearing as Santa Claus in the album's cover. After an automobile accident in early 1977, Quiñones was replaced in the band by his son, Martín Quiñones Jr. He stayed until 1979, being replaced by Miguel “El Pollo” Torres.
Recent years
The band continues to receive numerous awards throughout Latin America. In 1984, they traveled to Alaska where they received a great welcome. Soon after Combo Records released their album titled In Alaska: Breaking the Ice. Produced by Ralph Cartagena, the album garnered them their first Grammy nomination.
In 1982 they celebrated their 20th anniversary playing at Madison Square Garden. They also reached Europe that year playing in Paris, France.
In the early 1990s, they were honored in the city of Madrid, Spain to open the decade on the right track. On March 29, 1992, they celebrated a huge concert in the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in front of 30,000 people.
As of 2006[update], the orchestra has released over 40 albums or CD's, and it has received many awards, including golden albums, a "Calendario de Plata" in Mexico, a "Golden Congo" in Colombia, a Paoli Award in their native Puerto Rico, an honorable distinction in Spain and countless others.
In 2006, they released their album titled Arroz con Habichuela ("Rice and Beans"). It has already spawned three hit singles. The first one titled "No Hay Manera" ("There's No Way"), the title song, and "Si la ves por ahí".
Around 2006, Rafael Ithier became ill and decided to take a back seat for live performances and although he mostly still tours with the band, Ithier is just conducting the combo rather than playing the piano, however he is still very much the bandleader of the group. Willie Sotelo took the place of Ithier on the piano and also took over some of the travel management duties.
In 2007, El Gran Combo performed two massive concerts at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum to celebrate their 45th anniversary.
In 2010, two tribute albums were released, one by former member Andy Montañez and another by the bank Banco Popular, as part of their annual music series.
In August 2011, El Gran Combo rewrote the lyrics to their own hit "No Hago Más Ná", or "I Don't Do Anything Else" that sang in satire about the day of a lazy person to a more positive "Echar Pa'lante" or "Moving Forward" which sang about the virtues of going to work. They also released a video with a positive introductory message which showed clips of working people in similarities with them playing instruments.
The group is still going strong and working continuously. Some music historians have dubbed them La Universidad de la Salsa (The University of Salsa), which is also the title of their hit 1983 album.
Recent changes have occurred within the last several years. On August 9, 2013, Founder musician Eddie "La Bala" Perez died due to health complications. On December 12, 2014, Charlie Aponte, one of the vocalists of El Gran Combo for 41 years, retired for personal reasons and launched his own orchestra. His last performance was in Cali, Colombia on December 30, 2014. On January 24, 2015 Anthony Garcia became the new vocalist, as Aponte's replacement. Later in the year, El Gran Combo received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[18][19] Two years later, they were presented with the ASCAP Latin Heritage Award.[20] In early 2019, Luis "Papo" Rosario, the main choreographer and third vocalist since 1980, retired. Joselito Hernández was added as Rosario's replacement.
Discography
Album
Year
Label
Menéame los Mangos, el Gran Combo con Joseito Mateo
Andrés Montañez Rodríguez, better known as Andy Montañez, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter.
Juan de Dios Ventura Soriano, better known as Johnny Ventura nicknamed El Caballo Mayor, was a Dominican singer and band leader of merengue and salsa.
Rafael Ithier Natal (born August 29, 1926) is a Puerto Rican salsa musician and the founder of the highly successful orchestra El Gran Combo. Ithier was born in Río Piedras, now a part of the municipality of San Juan.
Rafael Antonio Cortijo was a Puerto Rican musician, orchestra leader, composer and percussion instrument craftsman.
Marvin Santiago was a Puerto Rican salsa singer who became famous all across Latin America during the 1970s. He was also a part-time comedian on Puerto Rican television.
Roberto Roena Vázquez was a Puerto Rican salsa music percussionist, orchestra leader, and dancer. Roena was one of the original members of Cortijo y su combo and later with El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. He later became the leader of his own band, "Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound", widely considered one of the best Latin salsa bands in Puerto Rico. Roena had also been a long-time member of the Fania All Stars, a salsa supergroup that has enjoyed worldwide success since the 1970s.
Pedro Ortiz Dávila, better known as Davilita, was a popular Puerto Rican singer of boleros and patriotic songs. He was the first artist to record the Rafael Hernández standard "Lamento Borincano".
Michael Stuart is an American salsa singer, songwriter and actor.
Pellín Rodríguez was a Salsa singer. Rodríguez was a member of the musical group El Gran Combo and toured with them all over Latin America and Europe, gaining fame and popularity as a singer. In addition to his singing capabilities, Rodríguez had great comedic abilities and participated on comedy bits on various TV shows in Puerto Rico.
Ismael Rivera a.k.a. "Maelo", was a Puerto Rican composer and salsa singer.
Ismael Miranda, also known as El Niño Bonito de la Salsa is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter.
Tony Vega Cesar is a Puerto Rican salsa singer.
Arroz Con Habichuela (Rice with Beans) is the 2006 studio album by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. The Spanish title of the album means "rice with beans" in English which is a popular plate both in Puerto Rico and throughout Latin America. It is the first album featuring new member, Willie Sotelo, on piano who replaced longtime piano player, Rafael Ithier, so that Ithier could focus more on directing the band. Released by Sony International, the album garnered a radio hit with its first single, "No Hay Manera". The album also received the 2007 Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album.
The Puerto Rico All Stars were a salsa and Latin Jazz band founded in 1977 by Frankie Gregory. Based in Puerto Rico, the All-Stars were an alternative and rival to the Fania All-Stars created by Johnny Pacheco. From 1977–1979, the Puerto Rico All Stars issued three albums. A fourth was released in 1996.
Henry Arana Rodríguez was a composer of popular songs who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and lived all but the last years of his life in Puerto Rico. At the time of his death, from complications related to a neurological disease, he was residing in Alabama and was married to Carmen Mártir Santiago. He served in the United States Army in World War II.
The International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) was an annual event established in 1999 and held in New York City to honor artists who have largely contributed to the Latin music genre.
Casa Amadeo, antigua Casa Hernández is the oldest, continuously-occupied Latin music store in New York City, and the Bronx, having opened in 1941.
¡Sin Salsa No Hay Paraíso! (2010) is the 63rd album by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.
Harvey Averne has been described as "one of several prominent Jewish Americans in New York's bustling Latin music scene."
Francisco Ángel Bastar, known as Kako, was a Puerto Rican percussionist and bandleader. He is considered one of the most important timbaleros of the incipient salsa of New York City in the 1960s, especially due to his long-lasting association with Alegre Records.
↑ Keeling and Rough Guides: "The Rough Guide to Puerto Rico", page 377. Rough Guides, 2008.
↑ 853 F. 2d 996 - El Gran Combo Puerto Rico v. National Labor Relations Board. 853 F.2d 996. 129 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2167, 107 A.L.R.Fed. 223, 109 Lab. Cas. P 10,661. EL GRAN COMBO de PUERTO RICO, d/b/a El Gran Combo, Petitioner, v. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, Respondent. (No. 87-1756.) United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit. Heard March 8, 1988. Decided Aug. 3, 1988. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
