Tito Puente

Name at birth:      Ernesto Antonio Puente
Date of birth:     20 April 1923 (died May 31, 2000)
Place of birth:     New York City (U.S.)

Puente is often referred to as the “King of the Mambo”. An American (New York) composer, bandleader, pianist and virtuoso percussionist, he became the most beloved symbol of Latin jazz and Mambo music.

Puente was born in New York City’s Spanish Harlem. He intended to be a dancer, but because of an injury he could not fulfill his dream and decided to concentrate on that of his other passion: music. It didn’t take long to kick off his music career and at the age of 13 he was already a drummer at Ramon Olivero’s ensemble. 

1947         Puente completed his studies at Juiliard School of Music
1948        Formed his own ensemble, called “Picadilly Boys”, which became famous as the Tito Puente Orchestra. First hit: “Abaniquito”
1950’s        He increased the popularity of Mambo with Buddy Morrow, Woody Herman, and Cuban musicians Celia Cruz and La Lupe.
1952    Puente also helped popularize the cha-cha during the 1950s, and he was the only non-Cuban who was invited to a government-sponsored "50 Years of Cuban Music" celebration in Cuba in 1952.
1960’s        Collaboration of New York City based musicians
1968         Puente hosted his own television show „The World of Tito Puente”.

After a show in Puerto Rico he got a heart attack, from which he never recovered. During his career Tito won 5 Grammy Awards and recorded 118 albums.
Representative Songs: “Oye como va”, “Ran Kan Kan”

Discography:
(as leader)
1997    Percussion’s King
1997    Selection of Mambo & Cha-cha-cha
1997    50 Years of Swing
1997    Tito Meets Machito: Mambo Kings
1998    Cha Cha Cha Rumba Beguine
1998    Dance Mania ’98: Live at Birdland
1998    The Very Best of Tito Puente
1998    Timbalero Tropical
1998    Yambeque
1999    Carnival
1999    Collección original
1999    Golden Latin Jazz All Stars: In Session
1999    Latin Flight
1999    Latin Kings
1999    Lo mejod de lo mejor
1999    Mambo Birdland
2000    Rey
2000    His Vibes & Orchestra
2000    Cha Cha Cha for Lovers
2000    Homenaje a Beny Moré. Vol. 3
2000     Dos idolos. Su música
2000    Tito Puente y su Orquesta Mambo
2000    The Complete RCA Recordings Vol. 1
2000    The Best of Concord Years
2000    Por fin (Finally)
2000    Party with Puente!
2000    Mambo Mambo
2000    Obra maestra
2000    Mambo King Meets the Queen of Salsa
2000    Latin Abstract
2000    Kings of Mambo
2000    Cha Cha Cha for Lovers
2001    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
2002    Fiesta
2002    Collección 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
2006    We love Salsa


by Zsuzsa Melkvi
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About the Author: Zsuzsa Melkvi is a salsa dancer and teacher, having competed in Latin-American and Standard dances from 1995-1998. She is also the founder of Baila Cuba (www.bailacuba.hu), a Dance company focused on giving exclusively pure Afro-Cuban workshops in Hungary. Zsuzsa holds a BA degree in Economics from the University of Hertfordshire.