Name at formation: EL Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
Date of formation: 1962
El Gran Combo is a Puerto Rican Salsa music orchestra, one of Salsa's most famous groups to have come out of Puerto Rico. Many legendary Salsa singers have been members of the orchestra.
Founded by by Rafael Ithier, who is still the orchestra's pianist and musical director and currently promoting their latest album 'Arroz con Habichuela (Rice and Beans)'. Rafael was a member of Rafael Cortijo's "Combo" orchestra, travelling to the eastern United States before he formed El Gran Combo. The legendary Cuban comedian, writer and businessman Alvarez Guedes, hired and Christened the group El Gran Combo for the first time, to support Dominican singer Joseito Mateo on one of his albums for his record company Gema Records.
On November 20, 1963, El Gran Combo released their first album, Acángana. The album became a number one hit in New York, Panama and Puerto Rico. Their success opened new doors in many Latin American markets and they gained an exclusivity spot on Puerto Rican television show El Show de las 12. The album sold well and soon reached gold.
In 1967, their album Boogaloo con el Gran Combo also reached gold and In 1969, the group was awarded an Agüeybana de Oro Award in Puerto Rico.
On February 15, 1970, the members of El Gran Combo shared a near death experience, by deliberatley missing Dominicana Airlines DC-9 that crashed off the Caribbean coast because one of the band's members had a bad feeling about the flight.
In 1970, El Gran Combo decided to produce their own albums and their first album under their own record label was Estamos Primeros. In 1971, El Gran Combo introduced the trombone to their list of instruments and they sang to 50,000 fans at the famous Yankee Stadium in New York City, as the opening act for the Fania All Stars' sold out concert in 1973. Their album 'Breaking the Ice' won them their first Grammy nomination and in 1982, they celebrated their 20th anniversary playing at the Madison Square Garden.
El Gran Combo continued to celebrate their 40th anniversary with two sold-out concerts in 2002 at the Ruben Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and a year later, they received a Grammy for Best Tropical Album. The orchestra has released over 40 albums and continue to receive many awards, including golden albums, a "Calendario de Plata" in Mexico, a "Golden Combo" in Colombia, a "Paoli Award" in their native Puerto Rico, as well as in several other countries.
Their recently released album titled "Arroz con Habichuela”, has had three hit singles.
The first one titled "No Hay Manera" ("There's No Way"), the title song, and "Si La Vez Por Ahí" went on to become big hits.
Trivia:
El Gran Combo has been given the prestigous honour of the so called La Universidad de la Salsa (The University of Salsa)
The band still performs even after 45 years of existence.
Discography:
1962 Menéame los Mangos, el Gran Combo con Joseito Mateo
1963 El Gran Combo... de Siempre
1963 Acángana
1964 Ojos Chinos, Jala Jala
1965 El Caballo Pelotero
1965 Traigo un Tumba'o, Meneíto Me
1966 El Swing del Gran Combo con Pellín y Andy
1967 El Gran Combo En Navidad
1967 Maldito Callo
1967 Esos Ojitos Negros
1967 Fiesta Con El Gran Combo
1967 Boleros Románticos Con El Gran Combo
1967 Tú Querías Boogaloo, Toma Boogaloo
1967 Pata Pata, Jala Jala Y Boogaloo
1967 Boogaloos Con El Gran Combo
1967 Tangos
1968 Merengues
1968 Guarachas
1968 Bombas, Bombas, Bombas
1968 Los Nenes Sicodélicos
1968 Latin Power
1968 Smile, It's El Gran Combo
1969 Este Si Que Es El Gran Combo
1970 Estamos Primeros
1971 De Punta A Punta
1972 Por El Libro
1973 En Acción
1973 Número 5
1974 Disfrútelo Hasta El Cabo
1975 Número 7
1975 Los Sorullos
1976 Mejor Que Nunca
1977 Internacional
1978 En Las Vegas
1979 Aquí No Se Sienta Nadie
1980 Unity
1981 Happy Days
1982 Nuestro Aniversario
1982 20th Anniversary
1983 La Universidad De La Salsa
1984 In Alaska: Breaking The Ice
1985 Innovations
1985 Nuestra Musica
1986 El Gran Combo Y Su Pueblo
1987 25th Anniversary
1988 Romántico Y Sabroso
1989 Amame
1990 Latin Up!
1991 Erupción
1992 Gracias
1993 First Class International
1994 La Ruta Del Sabor
1995Para Todos Los Gustos
1996 Por Todo Lo Alto
1997 35 Years Around The World
1998 Pasaporte Musical
2001 Nuevo Milenio, El Mismo Sabor
2002 40 Aniversario
2004 Estamos Aqui...¡Y De Verdad!
2006 Arroz con Habichuela
By Lourd Vijay
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About the Author: Lourd Vijay is the principal Promoter of Latin culture, music and dance in the Asian Region. He recently stood 10th at the “most Popular Entrepreneur of the year 2009” amongst 180 nominees from across the country. An innovative choreographer and a very able instructor, he is the director of the Lourd Vijay’s Dance Studios (www.lvds.in) in India.
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