Tito Puente
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Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – June 1, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for dance-oriented
mambo Mambo most often refers to: * Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...
and
Latin jazz Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave, and Afro-Brazilian jazz, whic ...
compositions from his 50-year career. His most famous song is "
Oye Como Va "Oye Cómo Va" is a 1962 cha-cha-chá by Tito Puente, originally released on ''El Rey Bravo'' (Tico Records). The song achieved worldwide popularity in 1970, when it was recorded by American rock group Santana for their album ''Abraxas''. This ...
". Puente and his music have appeared in films including ''
The Mambo Kings ''The Mambo Kings'' is a 1992 musical drama film based on the 1989 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel ''The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love'' by Oscar Hijuelos. The film was directed and produced by Arne Glimcher, and stars Armand Assante, Antonio B ...
'' and
Fernando Trueba Fernando Rodríguez Trueba (born 18 January 1955), known as Fernando Trueba, is a Spanish book editor, screenwriter, film director and producer. Between 1974 and 1979, he worked as a film critic for Spain's leading daily newspaper '' El País' ...
's ''
Calle 54 ''Calle 54'' is a 2000 documentary film about Latin jazz by Spanish director Fernando Trueba. With only minimal introductory voiceovers, the film consists of studio performances by a wide array of Latin Jazz musicians. Artists featured include Chuc ...
''. He guest-starred on television shows, including ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...
'' and ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' two-part episode " Who Shot Mr. Burns?".


Early life

Tito Puente was born on April 20, 1923, at
Harlem Hospital Center Harlem Hospital Center, branded as NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, is a 272-bed, public teaching hospital affiliated with Columbia University. It is located at 506 Lenox Avenue in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City and was founded in 1887. The hosp ...
in the New York
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of
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, the son of Ernest and Felicia Puente,
Puerto Ricans Puerto Ricans ( es, Puertorriqueños; or boricuas) are the people of Puerto Rico, the inhabitants, and citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and their descendants. Overview The culture held in common by most Puerto Ricans is referred t ...
living in New York City's
Spanish Harlem East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City, roughly encompassing the area north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, F ...
. His family moved frequently, but he spent the majority of his childhood in Spanish Harlem. Puente's father was the foreman at a razorblade factory. As a child, he was described as hyperactive, and after neighbors complained of hearing seven-year-old Puente beating on pots and window frames, his mother sent him to 25-cent piano lessons. He switched to percussion by the age of 10, drawing influence from jazz drummer
Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973), known as Gene Krupa, was an American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer who performed with energy and showmanship. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of " Sing, Sing, ...
. He later created a song-and-dance duo with his sister Anna in the 1930s and intended to become a dancer, but an ankle tendon injury prevented him from pursuing dance as a career. When the drummer in
Machito Machito (born Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, December 3, 1909 – April 15, 1984) was a Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music. Ginell, Richard S. ''Biography''. Allmusic, 2011/ref> He w ...
's band was drafted to the army, Puente subsequently took his place.


Career

Puente served in the Navy for three years during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
after being drafted in 1942. He was discharged with a Presidential Unit Citation for serving in nine battles on the
escort carrier The escort carrier or escort aircraft carrier (U.S. hull classification symbol CVE), also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the United States Navy (USN) or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft ...
USS ''Santee'' (CVE-29). The
GI Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...
allowed him to study music at Juilliard School of Music, where he completed formal education in conducting, orchestration, and theory. During the 1950s, Puente was at the height of his popularity and helped to bring Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds like
mambo Mambo most often refers to: * Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...
,
son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...
, and cha-cha-chá, to mainstream audiences. Puente played popular Afro-Cuban rhythms so successfully that many people mistakenly identified him as Cuban. '' Dance Mania'', possibly Puente's most well-known album, was released in 1958. Among his most famous compositions is the cha-cha "
Oye como va "Oye Cómo Va" is a 1962 cha-cha-chá by Tito Puente, originally released on ''El Rey Bravo'' (Tico Records). The song achieved worldwide popularity in 1970, when it was recorded by American rock group Santana for their album ''Abraxas''. This ...
" (1963), popularized by Latin rock musician
Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured ...
and later interpreted, among others, by
Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...
,
Irakere Irakere (faux-Yoruba for 'forest') is a Cuban band founded by pianist Chucho Valdés (son of Bebo Valdés) in 1973. They won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording in 1980 with their album ''Irakere''. Irakere was a seminal musical laborator ...
and Celia Cruz. In 1969, he received the key to the
City of New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
from former Mayor
John Lindsay John Vliet Lindsay (; November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician and lawyer. During his political career, Lindsay was a U.S. congressman, mayor of New York City, and candidate for U.S. president. He was also a regular ...
. In 1992, he was inducted into the National Congressional Record, and in 1993 he received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal from the Smithsonian. In early 2000, Puente appeared in the music documentary ''
Calle 54 ''Calle 54'' is a 2000 documentary film about Latin jazz by Spanish director Fernando Trueba. With only minimal introductory voiceovers, the film consists of studio performances by a wide array of Latin Jazz musicians. Artists featured include Chuc ...
''. 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 Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: ...
as dances and music and much more. The film discusses many of Puente's, as well as
Arsenio Rodríguez Arsenio Rodríguez (born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull; 31 August 1911 – 30 December 1970)Giro, Radamés 2007. ''Diccionario enciclopédico de la música en Cuba''. La Habana, v. 4 p. 45 et seq. was a Cuban musician, composer and bandleader ...
's, contributions and features interviews with some of the musicians Puente recorded with.


Personal life and death

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. His daughter
Audrey Puente Audrey Puente (born March 3, 1970) is an Emmy Award winning American meteorologist. She brings the weather for the weekend news at 6 and 10 p.m. on WNYW in New York City. She also fills in on ''Good Day New York''. Early life and education Was ...
is a television
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for
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and
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in New York City. 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 A heart valve is a one-way valve that allows blood to flow in one direction through the chambers of the heart. Four valves are usually present in a mammalian heart and together they determine the pathway of blood flow through the heart. A heart v ...
, but complications developed, and he died on June 1, 2000, at 2:27 am. He was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.


Awards and recognition

*In 1995, Tito Puente received the
Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award The ''Billboard'' Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award is an honor that is presented by ''Billboard'' magazine to an artist or a group "an enduring and exceptional career, encompassing artistic and personal contributions that have had a major im ...
. *During the presidency of Sen.
Roberto Rexach Benítez Roberto Nicolás Rexach Benítez (December 18, 1929 – April 4, 2012) also known as his stage name Bobby, was a Puerto Rican politician, and former Senator and Representative. Rexach Benítez served as the tenth President of the Senate of Pue ...
, Tito Puente received the unique honor of having both a special session of the
Senate of Puerto Rico The Senate of Puerto Rico ( es, Senado de Puerto Rico) is the upper house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The Senate, together with the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, control th ...
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 The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...
in
Spanish Harlem East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or and historically known as Italian Harlem, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City, roughly encompassing the area north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, F ...
was named after him at a ceremony presided over by House Ways and Means Committee Chair
Charles Rangel Charles Bernard Rangel (, ; born June 11, 1930) is an American politician who was a U.S. representative for districts in New York from 1971 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the second-longest serving incumbent member of the Ho ...
(D-NY) and Rep. José Serrano (D-NY). *An
amphitheater An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
was named in his honor at
Luis Muñoz Marín José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín (February 18, 1898April 30, 1980) was a Puerto Rican journalist, politician, statesman and was the first elected governor of Puerto Rico, regarded as the "Architect of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth." In 1948 he ...
Park, next to the
Roberto Clemente Coliseum Roberto Clemente Coliseum ( Spanish: ''Coliseo Roberto Clemente'') is a sports and concert arena located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and remains one of the largest. General info ...
, in
San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the jur ...
. * In 1995, Puente was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from
Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
. *Puente performed at the closing ceremonies at the
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in Atlanta, Georgia. The timbales he used are displayed at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. *In 1997, he was awarded the
National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...
. *In 1990, he received a Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. *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 Union City is a city in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2020 United States Census the city had a total population of 68,589,Celia Cruz Park. *In 1999, he was inducted into the
International Latin Music Hall of Fame 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. In addition to the induction into the Hall of Fame, the a ...
. *On May 19, 1999, he received an honorary Mus.D degree from
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
. *On August 20, 2000, East 110th Street in Spanish Harlem was named 'Tito Puente Way'. *On October 11, 2022, Puente was honored with a
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in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.


Discography


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 *''Cuban Carnival'' (1956)
RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...
*''Night Beat'' (1957) RCA Victor *''Top Percussion'' (1958) RCA Victor *'' Dance Mania'' (1958) RCA Victor *''Dancing Under Latin Skies'' (1959) *''Mucho Cha-Cha'' (1959) *''Tambo'' (1960) RCA Victor *''Cha Cha With Tito Puente at Grossinger's'' (1960) RCA Victor *''El Rey: Bravo'' (1962) Tico *'' Tito Puente Swings, The Exciting Lupe Sings'' (1965) *''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 India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
) (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 Eddie Palmieri (born December 15, 1936) is an American Grammy Award-winning pianist, bandleader, musician, and composer of Puerto Rican ancestry. He is the founder of the bands La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive. Early life Pal ...
*''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
Benny Golson Benny Golson (born January 25, 1929) is an American bebop/hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a performer, before launch ...
*'' Remembering Clifford'' (Milestone, 1998) With
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
*''
Quincy Plays for Pussycats ''Quincy Plays for Pussycats'' is an album by Quincy Jones featuring sessions recorded between 1959 and 1965 which was released on the Mercury label.Matsubayashi, KMercury Records Collection: SR-61050: Quincy Plays For Pussycats / Quincy Jones/re ...
'' (Mercury, 1959–65 965 ;With
Hilton Ruiz Hilton Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) was an American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent. Biography Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of ...
*'' Rhythm in the House'' (RMM, 1976
998 Year 998 ( CMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Otto III retakes Rome and restores power in the papal city. Crescenti ...
With Sonny Stitt *'' The Matadors Meet the Bull'' (
Roulette Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...
, 1965)


Filmography


Selected feature films

*'' Armed and Dangerous'' (1986) as Band Leader *''
Radio Days ''Radio Days'' is a 1987 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen, who also narrates the story. The film looks back on an American family's life during the Golden Age of Radio using both music and memories to tell the story. ...
'' (1987) as Latin Bandleader *''
The Mambo Kings ''The Mambo Kings'' is a 1992 musical drama film based on the 1989 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel ''The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love'' by Oscar Hijuelos. The film was directed and produced by Arne Glimcher, and stars Armand Assante, Antonio B ...
'' (1992) as Himself


Documentaries

*''Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music'' (2000) *''Profiles Featuring Tito Puente Jr.'' (2007) *''Latin Knights'' (2005) *''
Calle 54 ''Calle 54'' is a 2000 documentary film about Latin jazz by Spanish director Fernando Trueba. With only minimal introductory voiceovers, the film consists of studio performances by a wide array of Latin Jazz musicians. Artists featured include Chuc ...
'' (2000)


Concert films

*''Tito Puente – Live in Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival) (1983)'' (2003)


''The Simpsons''

Puente appeared in the two-part
whodunit A ''whodunit'' or ''whodunnit'' (a colloquial elision of "Who asdone it?") is a complex plot-driven variety of detective fiction in which the puzzle regarding who committed the crime is the main focus. The reader or viewer is provided with the cl ...
drama "'' Who Shot Mr. Burns?''" in the sixth season finale and seventh season premiere of American comedy cartoon show ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' in 1995. In the shows, Puente joins Springfield Elementary School as a music teacher after the school discovers it is located over an oil well. However,
Mr. Burns Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, Monty, or C. Montgomery Burns, is a recurring character and the main antagonist of the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced initially by ...
manages to pump the oil first, which makes him the legal owner of the well. This causes the school to fall into debt with budget cuts to the music and maintenance departments, causing Puente to lose his job. When Burns is later shot, Puente becomes one of the prime suspects but manages to clear himself by performing one of his songs for
Chief Wiggum Chief Clancy Wiggum is a fictional character from the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced by Hank Azaria. He is the chief of police in the show's setting of Springfield, and is the father of Ralph Wiggum and the husband of Sara ...
. Seven alternative endings were filmed of various characters shooting Burns; Puente is one of the alternates. Although all endings were animated, the ending of
Maggie Simpson Margaret Evelyn Lenny "Maggie" Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons'' and a part of the Simpson family, notably the youngest member. She first appeared on television in the '' Tracey Ullman Show'' s ...
shooting Burns was the ending chosen to air. The Emmy-nominated song "Señor Burns" from the episode is featured on the 1999 album, ''
Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons ''Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons'' is the 1999 soundtrack album from ''The Simpsons''. It takes many of the musical numbers from the series which were either not included in the previous album, ''Songs in the Key of Springfield'', or were create ...
''.


References


Further reading

* Steven Loza (1999) ''Tito Puente and the Making of Latin Music'', ''
University of Illinois Press The University of Illinois Press (UIP) is an American university press and is part of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, plus 33 scholarly journals, and several electronic project ...
'' *Josephine Powell (2007) "Tito Puente: When The Drums Are Dreaming", (Authorhouse 2007)


External links


Tito Puente
at NPR Music * * *
Tito Puente Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (1997) {{DEFAULTSORT:Puente, Tito Afro-Cuban jazz percussionists American jazz bandleaders American jazz drummers American jazz vibraphonists American male drummers American musicians of Puerto Rican descent American salsa musicians The Blackout All-Stars members Fania Records artists Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Jazz musicians from New York (state) Jazz fusion musicians Avant-garde jazz musicians Juilliard School alumni Latin Grammy Award winners Latin jazz drummers Latin music composers Puerto Rican composers Big band bandleaders Latin jazz bandleaders Latin jazz composers American male jazz musicians Mambo musicians Musicians from New York City 1923 births People from East Harlem RCA Victor artists RMM Records artists Salsa Tico Records artists Timbaleros 20th-century American drummers 20th-century American male musicians 2000 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War II United States National Medal of Arts recipients United States Navy sailors Puerto Rican military officers