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TITO PUENTE: LONG LIVE THE KING
Originally published in Highlight In Percussion ,published by Latin Percussion Inc. written by Bobby Sanabria, 1990
Postscript by Bobby Sanabria, June 2000, 2008
PART 1: THE EARLY YEARS
The aphorism states: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Consider for a moment the parts that make up Tito Puente:
master drummer, percussionist, pianist, saxophonist, vocalist, composer, arranger, and conductor. Out of the lengthy list of
musicians who have contributed to the development and acceptance of Latin music throughout the world, none is more recognized
than the man known simply as "the king." For over sixty years he has been a constant source of inspiration to serious students of
percussion, composition, and arranging, and has thrilled dancers and concert goers around the world.
Tito was born Ernest Anthony Puente, Jr. in New York City on April 20, 1923. His father, Ernest Sr. from Juan Diaz, and mother,
Ercilia Ortiz from Coamo, had arrived in New York from Puerto Rico only shortly before his birth. Tito grew up in East Harlem; a
community made largely of Hispanic émigrés, referred as "El Barrio." Tito recalls, "My parents moved from Brooklyn to El Barrio
because at the time, landlords would give you two months free rent. We constantly moved from one block to another until my father
finally established himself. He eventually became a foreman at the Gem Razor Blade Company in Brooklyn." The Puente family
would later grow to five members, with the addition of a daughter, Anna, and son Robert Anthony, who would die tragically at the
age of four as a result of a fall from a fire escape.
Young "Ernestito" grew up during the full flower of the Jazz Age and absorbed its culture like a sponge, spending countless hours
listening to big band music on the radio and seeing vaudeville acts and the latest Hollywood movie musicals. Puente's precocious
interest in music did not go unnoticed. His mother packed him off to the New York School of Music, which had a branch near their
home on 125th and Lenox Avenue. "I remember I used to go on Saturdays for my lesson," recalls Tito. "At the time I was enrolled
at Public School 184, where I would practice my lessons on the school piano." Tito continued these lessons for seven years, also
occasionally being tutored by pianist Victoria Hernandez, sister of Puerto Rico's most renowned composer, Rafael Hernandez, and
Luis Varona, an early pianist in the Machito Orchestra who would one day play in the Tito Puente Orchestra.
After his lesson Tito would entertain his parents, playing semi-classical pieces and the current pop tunes of the day. "One of my
most vivid memories is playing the Puerto Rican danza, "Miss Amores" for my mother. She loved when I would play that." Spurned
on by the comments of the neighbors, who heard his insistent tapping, Ercilia sought out a drum teacher for her son. Still studying
piano, Tito began lessons with Mr. Williams, an African American show drummer, teacher. "He knew absolutely nothing about Latin
music," remembers Tito, "but I wasn't going to him for that. He gave me a good foundation in snare drum technique, how to
interpret figures in charts and accompany shows. I would listen to the great dance bands of the day on the radio, Goodman, Gene
Krupa. I even won a drum contest playing his solo on "Sing, Sing, Sing," note for note."
In addition to listening to big band jazz, Tito was influenced by the music coming out of Cuba. His early favorites included Arsenio
Rodriguez and La Orchestra Casino De La Playa, which featured singer Miguelito Valdez. Tito expanded his artistic talents; singing
in a neighborhood barbershop quartet and studying dance with his younger sister, Anna. They would eventually perform together
as a child song-and-dance team. "Annie and I studied all forms of ballroom dancing, including acrobatic tap." Tito recalls. "We were
inspired of course by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers. I pride myself on being one of the few bandleaders who really knows how
to dance. It's something that young band leaders should investigate." Anna too would die tragically in her teens from a struggle
with meningitis.
TITO PUENTE: LONG LIVE THE KING
with his father
PART 2: PROFESSIONAL PERCUSSIONIST
The East Harlem of the 1930s boasted a varied and vibrant musical environment. While some bands played exclusively Cubanderived musical forms, others included the musical styles of Puerto Rican, Dominican, South American and Swing music in their
repertoires. At twelve, Tito had already begun performing in local and society bands. Tito credits Carlos Montesino, a black Cuban
drummer and timbalero for Los Happy Boys, a local big band, and Antonino “Tony El Cojito” Escollies, another Cuban drummer,
timbalero, as his earliest influence in Latin drumming. Tito began regularly sitting in with Los Happy Boys at their Sunday matinees
at The Park Palace Ballroom located on 5th Avenue and 110th street. "Montesino and Cojito showed me the fundamentals of
timbales in the big band contest. Remember, in those days, cowbell hadn't yet been introduced as a standard part of the timbales.
That's why everyone played so much cascara (the sides of the shells of the timbales) back then."
Tito further expanded his musical vocabulary, playing with society bands whose evening programs would include everything tangos, waltzes, foxtrots, bolero-rhumbas, and polkas. Although only in his early teens, Tito's musical versatility and crack sightreading ability landed him gigs with the most prominent Latin bands of the day. Tito remembers, "Machito's Orchestra was so good
that it could not be denied work accompanying floor shows in the chic downtown clubs like Havana Madrid, La Conga, and Rio
Bamba. To do the gigs, you had to be able to sight-read. Tito continued, "Tony Escolies couldn't read music so he had to be
replaced, and Uba Nieta became the regular drummer. I subbed for the band and eventually became its steady drummer when
Uba was drafted into the army for the second World War."
Tito also subbed for Pato Vaz in a band headed by the legendary pianist Noro Morales. "I was in my early teens and Noro was
playing at El Morocco, he had a band with two trumpets. I came in for Pato and sight-read the book and backed up the show. It
was the same situation. We had to be versatile and play a lot of different styles."
While enrolled at Central Commercial High School, Tito maintained a heavy schedule of weekend gigs with Machito, Noro Morales,
José Curbelo, Ramon Olivero, and Los Happy Boys. Tito remembers, "I would do jobs four to six hours long. The pay was two to
three dollars and I would be falling asleep by midnight. The musicians would sometimes tie my feet to the bass drum and hi-hat
pedal so that when I woke up I would trip all over myself."
After two years of High School, Tito received his father's permission to leave school. He took a twelve-week engagement in Miami
with a sextet led by bassist Tellerina. He also was able to visit Cuba for the first time by, taking the short trip from Miami by boat.
After returning to New York, Tito began work as a full-time freelance musician. During this period, Tito became interested in the
saxophone and the clarinet, and began to study them. He would later add vibes and marimba to his musical arsenal.
Tito made his earliest recordings with Johnny Rodriguez & His Stork Club Club Orchestra, Machito, and Jose Curbelo, proving to
be one of the first drummers in Latin music to use a combination of timbales, bass drum, and cymbal to "kick" big band figures,
often without bongo or conga accompaniment. Tito's concept of chart interpretation and "kicking" of figures was most likely
influenced by Mario Bauzá, Machito's musical director for Chick Webb, whom jazz historians generally acknowledge a the first
drummer to "kick" figures in a big band context.
In the early 1940s Tito replaced Uba Nieto, who had been drafted, as the regular drummer for the Machito Orchestra. With
Machito, Tito was featured as a soloist, bringing his timbales to the front of the stage, where he played standing up rather than
seated, as had been the approved method until this point. In 1942, at nineteen Puente was drafted into the navy. He was assigned
to the Santee CVE 29, a converted escort aircraft carrier charged with escorting supply and passenger ships. “Little Ernie” as he
was known by his shipmates, split his time between loading ammunition into artillery and playing drums and alto saxophone in the
ship's big band. Tito also doubled as the ship's bugler, and also played piano during mess hall to entertain his fellow shipmates. He
remembers. "I would play revelie to wake up the crew. One morning I was on the bridge, I started to warm-up by playing general
quarters, the signal to man battle stations. I thought the microphone was off. Tito smiles, "Man, the whole ship went crazy.
Everyone thought we were being attacked. The captain hid me for a week; everyone wanted a piece of me."
During his tour of duty, Tito was befriended by a Lieutenant
Sweeney, a tenor sax player and pilot who had a previously performed and served as chief arranger for the Charlie Spivack Big
Band." Sweeney showed me the foundation of writing a good chart, how to lay out voicings and get colors out of the brass and
reeds. I began writing at this time." While still enlisted in the Navy, Tito mailed an arrangement based of the tune "El Bajo de
Chapotin" to the Machito Afro-Cubans. The arrangement was well received. Tito was discharged in 1945. He had seen action in
nine battles, including the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of Midway and received a Presidential Commendation. He began to
write arrangements for a number of bandleaders including Pupi Campos and Jose Curbelo and he was freelancing extensively as
well as conducting, contracting, arranging and studying the Schillinger System with Richard Bender. Developed by mathematician
and theorist Joseph Schillinger, this system was a popular method among jazz musicians, including Stan Kenton, whose writing
influenced Tito greatly. "My goal in studying Schillinger”, stated Puente, “was to write for movie scores, but I got sidetracked by
becoming a bandleader.”
Tito completed his formal musical education at the prestigious Julliard School of Music, studying conducting, orchestration, and
theory from late 1945 to 1947 under the GI Bill. At the same time, Tito kept up a busy work schedule, drumming at the
Copacabana nightclub with a Brazilian band led by a singer Fernando Alvarez which featured Charlie Palmieri on piano. He also
served as musical director and contractor for singer Pupi Campos’ band. Campos would eventually marry vocalist Betty Clooney
and then become the first bandleader on the NBC The Tonight Show with host Jack Paar. During a break from the Campos Band,
Tito formed a pickup band to play occasional gigs. By now he had mastered the vibraharp which he featured on ballads. During
1947, promoter Federico Pagani began promoting the major Latin orchestras at the Alma Dance Studios on Broadway and 53rd
Street. For the first time, Latinos and African Americans were coming downtown to listen and dance. In the summer of 1948
promoter Frederico Pagani offered Puente the regular Sunday afternoon matinee at the Alma Dance studios subbing for the
Machito Orchestra who were contracted to perform in the Catskills resort hotels during the summer months . The original band
which Pagani dubbed "Tito Puente and the Picadilly Boys," Included Jimmy Frisaura on lead Trumpet, Chino Gonzalez on second,
Luis Varona on piano, Angel Rosa on vocals, Manuel Paxtot on acoustic bass, Manny Oquendo on bong, Frankie "Paco" Colon on
congas, and Tito on timbales, vibes and drum set. From the first matinee performance, Tito Puente would never stop being a
bandleader.
TITO PUENTE: LONG LIVE THE KING
Basic Test by Bobby Sanabria, 1990
Postscript by Bobby Sanabria, June 2000
PART 3:THE PALLADIUM YEARS
In 1949 Maxwell Hyman officially purchased the Alma Dance Studios from Tommy Morton. The large crowds that flocked to the
club when Latin music was featured had excited Hyman. He immediately erected a brightly-lit neon sign displaying the club's new
name, The Palladium, Home of The Mambo.
The Palladium provided New York City's ultra-hip dance crowd with continuous performance by Latin music's most progressive
orchestras. "The Palladium was a phenomenon," states Tito, whose band became a fixture at the club. "On Wednesday nights
"Killer Joe" Piro would teach the current mambo steps to the crowd. The place was a BIG melting pot," continued Tito, "Jews,
Italians, Irish, Blacks, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Asians -- you name it. Everyone was equal under the roof of the Palladium, because
everyone was there to dig the music and to dance." The Palladium attracted the elite of New York's art and literary community
along with a host of Hollywood stars. On any given night Sammy Davis Jr., Jackson Pollack, might be seen, or Marlon Brando
might be found sitting in on bongo with the Machito Afro-Cubans.
Tito's popularity as a bandleader had skyrocketed fueled by the release of his 78-rpm recording, "Abaniquito" (the name of a
popular one cent hand held fan sold in Cuba). The track featured the exciting trumpet work of Mario Bauzá with Vincentico Valdez
on lead vocals and Graciela, Machito's sister, on background vocals. Tito used a conjunto setting (an ensemble featuring
trumpets) in these early recordings but he would soon begin to expand the size of the band. Within a year it would include four
trumpets, baritone, alto, and tenor saxes, and for recordings the addition of trombones. "I always wanted to be progressive in my
writing for Latin music," states Tito. "I was inspired by my work with Machito under Mario Bauzá’s musical direction and by others
who worked with the band like the great pianist-arranger René Hernandez. The Machito Orchestra was way ahead of its time by
combining Jazz and Latin. I wanted to keep that going." By 1950, Tito was churning out 78s for Tico and RCA. Mambo was the
rage. It had developed two distinct factions: the more commercially palatable sounds represented by the Xavier Cugat Orchestra
and Perez Prado, and the hybrid progressive Afro-Cuban, jazz sound of the Machito Orchestra, Tito Puente, and the later Tito
Rodriquez.
Anti-establishment beboppers like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Max Roach were making their way up the block from
Birdland to the Palladium to listen to mambo. Gillespie began incorporating what he heard into his music and the exciting fusion
that jazz writers came to call Cu-bop, Jazz Mambo or Afro-Cuban Jazz came into being.
Drawing on his early musical experience, Tito structured his band to be versatile enough to play a wide variety of music, ranging
from straight-ahead jazz and society music to pop standards and typical Latin music, thereby increasing the number of venues it
could play and widening its audience. Even as music writers proclaimed the passing of the big band, Tito and his contemporaries
in the Latin scene were keeping the genre alive and vital.
From 1951 through 1955 Tito recorded for the Tico label an incredible 156 45 RPM’s. He was given free rein to explore diverse
musical ideas, a relationship that culminated in the highly innovative album, "Puente in Percussion, " recorded in 1955. On the date
Tito used no pianos or horns, featuring only percussionists Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, and Patato Valdez, along with
bassist Bobby Rodriquez..
"George Goldner, an executive at Tico, was resistant to the project at first", remembers Tito. "He couldn't see my making an album
without piano and horns. I explained to him the significance of the drum in Africa, its used in religious dance rituals and
communication, and how the tradition was handed down to us in Latin America. He finally gave me the go-ahead on the condition
that we use the studio late at night to keep the cost down. We recorded everything in one or two takes," continued Tito, "and the
album was very successful both from the standpoint of sales and quality drumming."
In 1955 Puente signed an exclusive recording contract with RCA, then the world’s largest recording company,. Tito's years at RCA
would be marked by prodigious artistic output and commercial success, achieved despite RCA's less than enthusiastic support of
his efforts. "At the time," stated Tito, "RCA was pushing Perez Prado and Luis Alvarado whom they felt appealed to a wider
audience because of their toned-down approach to Latin music. Here I was ready to record with new arrangements and
compositions, and they put me on the backburner for a month. I stormed into the RCA offices and demanded to see the head of A
& R asking when was I going to record. I just blew by the secretary. After that, RCA gave me the nickname, “Little Caesar.'"
In 1955 Puente recorded the album "Cuban Carnival," his first full length album for RCA. It contained the majestic orchestral work
“Elegua-Chango” and “Para Los Rumberos”. His next release, the 1956 "Puente Goes Jazz," which showcased Tito's
instrumental writing, was also a major commercial success. Despite RCA's lack of promotional support, Dorothy Kilgallen, writing in
her daily column, "The Voice of Broadway" reported: "Tito Puente's new album, 'Puente Goes Jazz' is rocking the aficionados.
They've snatched up 28,000 copies in two weeks." Tito stated, "RCA didn't know what to do with Latin music and they still don't.
They treated me like some small-time local artist although I would consistently sell records."
The following year, 1957, through the efforts of Jack Louis, a sympathetic A&R man at RCA, Puente recorded "Top Percussion,"
his second album explored the wide melodic and rhythmic range of Afro-Cuban drumming. One side featured drummer Julito
Collazo along with a chorus performing the cants and songs of Lucumi, a religion of Western African Nigerian Yoruba origin that
took root in Cuba and then throughout Latin America where it became know as Santeria. Tito had become interested in Santeria
and in later years would become an initiate of the orisha (divine spirit), Obatala. "Top Percussion" exposed a largely unknowing
listening public to the inseparable nature of African religion and music and to its deep link to Latin music.
1957 also saw the release of "Night Beat," Tito's sequel to the popular "Puente Goes Jazz." The album featured a young trumpeter
named Doc Severinsen.
The same year, through the efforts of Mario Bauzá, the Cuban government would include Puente in a ceremony honoring the
greatest Cuban musicians of the past fifty years, earning Tito the distinction of being the only non-Cuban to be so recognized.
In 1958 Puente recorded "Dance Mania," an album featuring Santos Colon on vocals. This album, which includes such signature
tunes as "Hong Kong Mambo" and "Cayuco," remains one of the highest-selling Latin albums of all time and is still a favorite of
dance instructors the world over.
Tito maintained a busy and varied recording schedule during the last decade, producing "Tambo," a further delving into Afro-Cuban
themes. "More Dancemania," a straight dance album and a big band recording with Woody Herman, “Herman’s Heat, Puente’s
Beat”. In 1960, Tito collaborated with trombonist Buddy Morrow on the recording "Revolving Bandstand." Tito's radical concept for
the album placed two big bands, one with a Latin rhythm section, the other with a jazz rhythm section, together in the same studio.
"First," Tito explained, "the jazz big band would play a tune like "Autumn Leaves" and give it their treatment, and then the Latin
band would play the bridge of the tune in authentic style." The album, which wasn't released until the 1970's featured Tito's
conducting and arranging skills, blending his thorough knowledge of both the Latin and jazz idioms. "Revolving Bandstand" would
be Tito's last recording for RCA. Joe Conzo Sr, producer and long-time Puente publicist states, "At the time Tito recorded literally
hundreds of unreleased tracks for RCA. They just never understood how great a talent they had with Tito."
TITO PUENTE: LONG LIVE THE KING
Basic Text by Bobby Sanabria, 1990
Postscript by Bobby Sanabria, June 2000
PART 4: A DECADE OF FIRSTS
After recording one of his favorite albums, the 1961 live recording, "Puente in Hollywood," for Norman Granz's GNP label, Tito
Puente returned to the friendly environment of his former company Tico. The sixties would be years of achievement and
recognition for Puente. He would make the first of several trips to Japan, where he would be instrumental in popularizing Latin
music. In 1967 Tito would perform a program of his compositions at The Metropolitan Opera. In 1968 he would host his own show,
"The World of Tito Puente," on Hispanic TV and serve as Grand Marshall of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. In 1969 Tito would
receive the key to the city of New York from Mayor John Lindsay. Tito maintained a busy recording schedule during the 1960s,
recording a string of recordings with vocalists Celia Cruz and La Lupe.
Salsa and Santana
Some time during the early 1970s, the music Tito was playing came to be known as Salsa. Like other musicians of his generation,
Tito had trouble with the label. "Salsa means sauce, literally; it's just a commercial term for Afro-Cuban dance music which is used
to promote the music. My idea is that we don't play sauce, we play music, and Latin music has so many different styles: cha-cha,
mambo, guaguanco, son, etc. Salsa doesn't address the complexities and the rich history of the music that we play. But it's
become accepted now and it helped to get music promoted."
The early 1970s also saw the meteoric rise of Carlos Santana and his unique blend of Afro-Cuban rhythm, blues, and rock.
Santana's cover version of Puente's classic composition "Oye Como Va" (recorded originally by Tito in 1962 on “El Rey Bravo”
featuring Johnny Pacheco on flute) on the "Abraxas" album introduced a whole new generation to Tito's music. "Santana III"
included another Puente classic, "Para Los Rumberos”. Both tunes became cult hits, receiving national airplay and stimulating
renewed worldwide interest in Latin music.
New York's Roseland Ballroom was the site of the first meeting of Santana and Puente in March of 1977. Pablo Guzman, who
covered the concert dance for the Village Voice, described the event: "Tito Puente opened his set with "Salsa y Sabor" (an uptempo guaracha), a dancer's challenge moving at the speed of the #4 IRT subway between 86th and 125th Streets...the folks went
wild." Guzman continued, describing Tito as, "the consummate showman, waving his timbale sticks over his head like a baton to
cue the band. He is the Muhammad Ali of Latin music, complete with shuffle and rope a dope. After 40 years, when faced with a
challenge, the old man can still put it all together."
Trust the Leader
The late 1970s saw increased interest in percussion instruments in the United Sates and abroad. In response to this need, Martin
Cohen, founder and chairman of Latin Percussion, decided to send a group of musicians to perform in a series of educational
clinics throughout Europe. "I signed up Johnny Rodriguez, who played bongo with Tito. Johnny got Tito involved. Carlos 'Patato'
Valdez played conga and pianist Eddie Martinez and bassists Sal Cuevas rounded out the quintet. I was thrilled to have Tito
involved in the project," stated Cohen. "He made a major impact on me dating from the time I first saw him perform at The
Palladium back in the early 1960s. It wasn't until a few years later that I got to know Tito on a personal level. By this time Latin
Percussion was in its infancy and I used a set of Tito's Cuban-made timbales and timbalitos as a basis for the prototype of my
ribbed shell design. I based the 'Trust the Leader' promotional campaign on Tito's supreme skills as a bandleader and musician."
The quintet, which Cohen named the Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble, gave a series of successful concerts and seminars
throughout Europe. Cohen spent several months on tour with the group. "It was a unique privilege for me," he recalls, "hanging out
with one of my heroes. Through all the traveling and things that can go wrong on the road, Tito remained a constant source of
inspiration. His sharp wit always kept me smiling. Probably the most memorable occasion for me was when Tito performed with
Toots Thielman, the jazz harmonica player, in a concert commemorating the 1000th anniversary of the city of Brussels. It was
electrifying!"
In 1979, the ensemble toured Japan, where the reception for Tito was tremendous. "It was here, I believe," states Martin Cohen,
"that Tito realized he had achieved worldwide popularity."
Tito would win his first Grammy award in 1979 for the album "A Tribute to Benny Moore." Later that year, members of the Latin
music community and Latin NY Magazine honored him with a testimonial roast. At the end of the affair, Joe Conzo Sr. remembers,
"we had received all of these checks given by the patrons of the roast and we didn't know what to do with them. We decided to set
up a scholarship fund in Tito's name to help support the education of musically gifted youth. "The scholarship fund," states Tito,
"was a dream of mine for a long time. In the Latin community we have a lot of gifted youngsters who don't get an opportunity to
develop their talent because of lack of money. Long after I'm gone, the fund will be helping kids." Over fifty grants have been
awarded since the inception of the ten-year-old fund.
TITO PUENTE: LONG LIVE THE KING
Basic Test by Bobby Sanabria, 1990
Postscript by Bobby Sanabria, June 2000
PART 5: THE EIGHTIES
On the recommendation of the late vibraphonist Cal Tjader, Tito signed with Concord Records. Expanding on the concept
of the Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble, he added a small horn section and named the band "Tito Puente’s Latin Jazz
Ensemble." The unit recorded a slew of successful albums, garnering two more Grammies for "Mambo Doable" and "On
Broadway."
Tito's artistic activities were not confined to the studio and the stage. In recent years he has appeared in several films,
most notably, Woody Allen's "Radio Days" and "Armed and Extremely Dangerous" with John Candy and in the 1981 hit
movie. “Stripes” with Bill Murray, Murray’s character is a Tito Puente freak..
In 1989 Tito garnered top percussionist honors in Downbeat's Reader Poll. In the same year, The National Academy of
Recording Arts and Sciences honored Tito with its Eubie Award, a lifetime achievement award given in recognition of his
more than fifty years of contributions to the recording industry. And, few artists have contributed more than Puente. He
has recorded with virtually every major Latin and jazz artist of his day. In addition, he has worked with a wide variety of
pop artists ranging from the Sugar Hill Gang to Tower of Power. Tito has published more than four hundred compositions
over his lengthy career.
Even if Tito had decided to do the unthinkable and retire, there
still would have been Puentes to carry on the tradition. Daughter Audrey studied music production and communication at
Syracuse University. Puente's younger son Tito is also a drummer. Ronald Anthony, his eldest son from a previous
marriage "plays more instruments than Tito," according to Joe Conzo. Tito's wife, the former Margie Ascencio sang back
up on several of her husband's albums. "It's funny" Margie states, "I met Tito at 'The Palladium' in the 60's but at the time
I was a big fan of Tito Rodriguez. Ain't that a kick." Tito also completed work on a recording that featured his cousin the
singer-timbalero Millie Puente.
At 67, Puente was showing no signs of slowing down. He still maintained a grueling international touring schedule. Tito
was being approached by singers Frank Sinatra, Rosemarie Clooney, and Abbe Lane to record individual projects. His
music was featured in Warren Beatty's upcoming film "Dick Tracy". Despite all that recognition and acclaim, Tito
regularly returned to his roots, performing in clubs in and around New York City. "My music has always been for
dancers," he stated. "They are the ones who have supported me over the years. A wise king never neglects his subjects."
Basic Test by Bobby Sanabria, 1990
Postscript by Bobby Sanabria, June 2000
Part six - The Nineties
Through the end of the millennium Maestro Puente continued building on the bridges he had made. In his cameo appearance in
the Mambo Kings movie in 1991 and his constant touring, Tito continued to be a worldwide phenomenon. In this same year, he
would also record his 100th solo album. He appeared on the Bill Cosby Show, David Letterman, Johnny Carson, and later on Jay
Leno. He was featured on Sesame Street, Nickolodeon and The Simpsons. His popularity rose to the point that even young
children from the farthest reaches of the globe recognized this musical titan. He continued to record yearly, reaching the incredible
mark of 118 albums by a solo artist, a feat that had long surpassed Frank Sinatra and is in the Guiness Book of World Records.
Tito still found time to work as a guest on other projects including my 1993 release NYC Aché where we did a series of duets.
Living Legend Numerous honorary doctorates were bestowed on this son of "El Barrio," and it was great to see Tito revel in the
recognition he so richly deserved. This also included his image being used on a limited edition postage stamp in 1995 and in 1997
receiving the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton. By the year 2000, Maestro Puente had received his fifth Grammy for
Martin Cohen and Tito Puente "Mambo Birdland," a retrospective of the Mambo Kings' most exciting material from the 1950s
recorded in front of a live New York audience. If this were not enough, Tito was officially given the title "Living Legend" by the
Library of Congress. In 2007 the post office on 167 E. 124th st. in East Harlem was re-named the Tito Puente Post Office.
POSTSCRIPT:
Basic text by Bobby Sanabria, 1990
Postscript by Bobby Sanabria, June 2000
PART 7: MILLENNIUM MAMBO MAN
Again showing the reverence young artists had for him, Tito was asked to appear as a guest on vocalist Marc Anthony's recent
blockbuster HBO special. He also began concertizing with local symphonies, featuring his orchestra on the same bill. This
culminated with a recent performance in late April 2000 with the Puerto Rico Symphony that was filmed for an upcoming
documentary on his life. It was during this performance that Tito began to feel the effects of a leaky heart valve that had troubled
him over the last few years. After several weeks of recuperation and mastering a new recording project, collaboration with pianist
Eddie Palmieri entitled, “Obra Maestra” (which won Tito another Grammy), he entered New York City's famed NYU clinic to have
the problem corrected. Before going into surgery, Tito visited other patients and graciously signed autographs.
Farewell to the King
During the procedure, it was discovered that Tito also needed a quadruple bypass. The operation began at 9 a.m. After passing
the 14-hour mark, Tito's body could not take any more. At approximately 11:15 p.m. on May 31, 2000, the King of Latin Music said
goodbye to this world in the presence of his family and closest friends. On June 4th and 5th over 15,000 New Yorkers, including a
who's who of musicians, celebrities and politicians paid their respects to "El Rey". But most impressive were his "subjects."-- the
dancers, listeners, and just plain fans that showed their loyalty to this man's all encompassing reign. Tito was truly loved by those
he touched. And, not enough can be said about the Puente family. His sons Ronnie and Tito, Jr., along with his daughter Audrey
greeted every visitor during their time of personal sadness with appreciation for the public's love of their father. Margie Puente met
close friends and family with the same accessibility and warmth that helped make her well-known husband famous.
The Call to Excellence
On June 6, 2000 Ernest Anthony Puente, the son of a foreman and a homemaker, was buried in St. Anthony's cemetery, near his
home in upstate New York. In a moving eulogy Felipe Luciano mentioned what Tito represented, excellence. He posed the
question. Would we be ready to make the same kind of commitment to excellence in our profession, in our lives, just as Tito did?
Audrey, his daughter, spoke of fond personal memories that made those who attended realize that although Tito was a celebrity,
he was also a beloved father.
Child of Obatala
Tito was a Santero, a child of Obatala. The Yoruba deity of creativity and King of the white cloth -- a wise fatherly figure like Tito.
While rain poured a ceremonial honor guard from the U.S. Navy gave him a gun salute while two buglers, one at the sight of the
coffin and one standing about 25 yards away in the opposite direction played taps for him. Just as Tito had played taps for
several of his shipmates on the aircraft carrier Santee back in World War II. The pouring rain at Tito's burial was a fitting symbol of
Obatala's cleansing grace as friends and family said goodbye. Although he is physically gone, he lives in the music that we listen
and dance to, and in the company that Martin Cohen founded to represent excellence in percussion. A mentor to many like myself
and Martin, I will always smile and think of Tito when I hear the beautiful bell-like tone of a well-played timbale or hear someone
ask a dancer, "Can you come off on two?"
Tito Puente, a true American icon that experienced everything this country had to offer and rose from "El Barrio" to become a king.
Maferefun o hijo de Obatala. All praise to the Son of Obatala. The king is dead. Long live the King!
Essential suggested Puente listening:
Cuban Carnival
Puente Goes Jazz
Night Beat
Top Percussion
Puente In Percussion
Dancemania
Tito Puente & His Concert Orchestra
Carnival In Harlem
Revolving Bandstand
Herman's Heat, Puente's Beat
Mambo Birdland
Tito Puente – The Complete RCA Recordings
Puente Jazz, produced by Bobby Sanabria
Tito Puente - The Complete Tico 78 recordings (156 tracks) produced by Joe Conzo Sr.
In 2007 the post office on 167 E. 124tth Street in East Harlem, NYC was re-named the Tito Puente Post Office.
March 8, 2011 - The release on the Jazzheads label of TITO PUENTE MASTERWORKS LIVE!!! Manhattan School of Music AfroCuban Jazz Orchestra conducted by Bobby Sanabria
March 14, 2011 - U.S. Postal Service issues official stamp honoring Tito Puente.