El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico

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Live performance of the El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico

El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico , or just El Gran Combo ( EGC ), is a traditional salsa quester from Puerto Rico , who has been shaping the style of salsa for decades and a number of famous artists such as Andy Montañez , Celia Cruz , Héctor Lavoe , La India and has produced or shaped many others. For this reason she was nicknamed La Universidad de Salsa. They are one of the most successful salsa groups in Puerto Rico and also one of the most popular salsa musicians in Latin America .

El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico with Rafael Ithier

Career

El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico was founded in 1962 in San Juan by its first musical director, Rafael Ithier . Ithier was previously a member of Rafael Cortijo Cortijo y su Combo's band . Then he was invited by Rafael Guedes, owner of the Gema record label, to work on an album by the famous merengue singer Joseíto Mateo. For this purpose they formed the Gran Combo with other well-known artists such as Hector Santos or Roberto Roena. The product of this collaboration was the first album Menéame Los Mangos - El Gran Combo con Joseito Mateo . The hit No Hago Más Ná was very successful on radio stations in Puerto Rico in 1962. This was followed by a guest appearance on the television show La Taberna India , which was sponsored by the India Beer brewery. Furthermore, a live performance in the Hotel La Concha. In 1963 EGC released their album Acángana with lead singers Rodríguez and Montañez and had number one hits in New York, Panama and Puerto Rico. After further appearances on the show El Show de las 12 , they became known throughout the Latin American music market. Her 1967 album Boogaloo con el Gran Combo was correspondingly successful. In 1970 the band wanted to board the plane from Santo Domingo / Dominican Republic to San Juan, which crashed. Due to premonitions, some band members had previously spoken out in favor of using another machine. In 1970 they continued their record deal with Gema Records, although they had already received offers from Motown . In 1971 they first used the musical instrument of the trombone in their musical arrangement. In 1973 they played as the opening act for the Fania All-Stars in the 50,000-seat Yankee Stadium in New York.

In 1977 Andy Montañez left the band to replace Oscar D'León in the Dimension Latina group in Venezuela . Jerry Rivas took his place. The albums "International" (1977) and En Las Vegas were also great successes. In 1982 they performed on the occasion of their 20th anniversary in Madison Square Garden in New York City . In 1984 the band toured Alaska after releasing their album Breaking the Ice . They also played in Frankfurt am Main, Paris , Madrid and in 1992 at the Hiram Bithorn Baseball Stadium in front of 30,000 spectators in their home country of Puerto Rico. In 2002, EGC celebrated its 40th anniversary at Ruben Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The resulting album was rated the best of the year. Her last album for the time being Arroz con Habichuela contains the hits No Hay Manera and Si La Vez Por Ahí . In 2007 they celebrated their 45th anniversary at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan. In 2010 Andy Montañez and Banco Popular released two albums in her honor. Her many well-known hits include songs such as Te Quiero Ver , Clavo y Martillo , Fiesta Con el Gran Combo , De Que Presumes? , A Ti Te Pasa Algo , Me Liberé , La Loma del Tamarindo and Azuquita Pa'l Café .

Prizes and awards

  • Grammy nomination (1984)
  • Calendario de Plata in Mexico
  • Golden Combo in Colombia
  • Paoli Award in Puerto Rico
  • Grammy for Best Tropical Album (2003)

Front singer

  • Charlie Aponte (1973 - present)
  • Jerry Rivas (1977 - present)
  • Luis "Papo" Rosario (1980 - present)
  • Pellín Rodríguez (1962-1973)
  • Andy Montañez (1962-1977)
  • Marcos Montañez (1973)
  • "Chiqui" Rivera (1962)

Instrumentation of the orchestra

  • Rafael Ithier: musical director and piano (1962 - present)
  • Willie Sotelo: Piano (2006 - present)
  • Eddie "La Bala" Pérez: saxophone (1962 - 2013 (†))
  • Freddie Miranda: saxophone (1980 - present)
  • Luis "Taty" Maldonado: Trumpet (1970 - present)
  • Victor "Cano" E. Rodriguez: Trumpet (1980 - present)
  • Moisés Nogueras: Trombón (1991 - present)
  • Freddy Rivera: bass guitar (1989 - present)
  • Domingo "Cuqui" Santos: Timbales (1988 - present)
  • Miguel "Pollo" Torres: Congas (1979 - present)
  • Richie Bastar: Bongos (2001 - Present)
  • Milton Correa: Timbales (1962-1970)
  • Miguel Marrero: Timbales (1970–1979)
  • Edgardo Morales: Timbales (1979–1988)
  • Roberto Roena: Bongos (1962–1969)
  • Martín Quiñones: Congas (1962–1977)
  • Martín Quiñones, Jr .: Congas (1962–1979)
  • Luis Díaz: Congas (1979)
  • Miguel Cruz: bass guitar (1962–1975)
  • Fernando Perez: bass guitar (1975–1989)
  • Jaime Valentin: bass guitar (1995–1997)
  • Mike Torres: Trumpet (1969)
  • Epifanio "Fanny" Ceballos: Trombón (1971–1991)
  • Toñito Vázquez: Trombón (1991)
  • Jorge Torres: Sound Engineer
  • David Marrero: Support

Temporary contributors

  • Hector Santos (1962-1969)
  • Rogelio "Kito" Vélez (1962–1964)
  • Daniel Vázquez (1962)
  • Mickey Duchesne (1962-1969)
  • Elias Lopez (1964-1969)
  • Edwin Cortés (1969)
  • "Baby" Serrano: Bongos (1969–1984)
  • José "Keko" Duchesne: saxophone (1969–1980)
  • Tommy Sánchez (1969)
  • Gerardo "Grillo" Cruz: Trumpet (1969–1979)
  • Miguel Laboy: Bongos (1984-2001)
  • Mike Ramos: background singer (1969–1980)
  • Edwin González (1979)
  • Nelson Feliciano: trumpet (1979–1980)
  • Paquito Guzmán : background singer (1971–1976)
  • Elliot Romero: background singer (1973-1977)
  • Yayo "El Indio": background singer (1977–1979)
  • Tito Henriquez: background singer (1978)
  • Eddie W. Feyjoo: Trumpet (1980)

Discography

Studio albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
US US Latin Latin
2002 40 Aniversario: 1962-2002 - Latin7 (8 weeks)
Latin
2004 Aqui Estamos Y De Verdad - Latin44 (7 weeks)
Latin
2005 Asi Es Nuestra Navidad - Latin11 (6 weeks)
Latin
2006 Arroz Con Habichuela - Latin21 (7 weeks)
Latin
2010 Sin Salsa No Hay Paraiso - Latin8 (25 weeks)
Latin
Salsa: Un Homenaje A El Gran Combo US158 (4 weeks)
US 		Latin3 (29 weeks)
Latin
2013 Frente A Frente - Latin67 (1 week)
Latin
with Grupo Niche
50 Aniversario: Primer Volume - Latin10 (11 weeks)
Latin
2016 Alunizando - Latin4 (6 weeks)
Latin

More albums

  • Menéame los Mangos (1962)
  • El Gran Combo ... de Siempre (1963)
  • Acángana (1963)
  • Ojos Chinos, Jala Jala (1964)
  • El Caballo Pelotero (1965)
  • Traigo un Tumba'o, Meneíto Me (1965)
  • El Swing del Gran Combo (1966)
  • 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 (1967)
  • Merengues (1968)
  • Guarachas (1968)
  • Bombas, Bombas, Bombas (1968)
  • Los Nenes Sicodélicos (1968)
  • Latin Power (1968)
  • Smile, It's El Gran Combo (1968)
  • Este Si Que Es El Gran Combo (1969)
  • Estamos Primeros (1970)
  • De Punta A Punta (1971)
  • Por El Libro (1972)
  • En Acción (1973)
  • Number 5 (1973)
  • Disfrútelo Hasta El Cabo (1974)
  • Number 7 (1975)
  • Los Sorullos (1975)
  • Mejor Que Nunca (1976)
  • Internacional (1977)
  • En Las Vegas (1978)
  • Aquí No Se Sienta Nadie (1979)
  • Unity (1980)
  • Happy Days (1981)
  • Nuestro Aniversario (1982)
  • 20th Anniversary (1982)
  • La Universidad de la Salsa (1983)
  • In Alaska: Breaking The Ice (1984)
  • Innovations (1985)
  • Nuestra Musica (1985)
  • Y Su Pueblo (1986)
  • 25th Anniversary (1987)
  • Romántico Y Sabroso (1988)
  • Amame (1988)
  • Latin Up! (1989)
  • Erupción (1991)
  • Gracias (1992)
  • First Class International (1993)
  • La Ruta Del Sabor (1994)
  • Para Todos Los Gustos (1995)
  • Por Todo Lo Alto (1996)
  • 35 Years Around The World (1997)
  • Pasaporte Musical (1998)
  • Nuevo Milenio, El Mismo Sabor (2001)
  • Arroz con Habichuela (2006)
  • Sin Salsa No Hay Paraiso (2009)

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
Latin Latin
1986 Por ella
El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico Y Su Pueblo 		Latin12 (5 weeks)
Latin
Garantia
El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico Y Su Pueblo 		Latin13 (14 weeks)
Latin
1987 Nunca Fui
El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico Y Su Pueblo 		Latin35 (5 weeks)
Latin
Mima
25th Anniversary 		Latin43 (2 weeks)
Latin
1988 Cupido
Romantico Y .... Sabroso 		Latin8 (14 weeks)
Latin
Quince anos
Romantico Y .... Sabroso 		Latin26 (10 weeks)
Latin
Potro Amarrado
 Latin28 (4 weeks)
Latin
1989 Amame
¡Amame! 		Latin8 (14 weeks)
Latin
Aguacero
¡Amame! 		Latin12 (12 weeks)
Latin
1990 Wed Nina
¡Amame! 		Latin27 (2 weeks)
Latin
Otra Vez Enamorado
¡Amame! 		Latin36 (2 weeks)
Latin
Companera
Latin Up 		Latin14 (7 weeks)
Latin
Latin Up
Latin Up 		Latin34 (2 weeks)
Latin
1991 La Curandera
¡Erupcion! 		Latin23 (9 weeks)
Latin
Aguas Pasadas
¡Erupcion! 		Latin30 (5 weeks)
Latin
1992 Te Quiero Porque Quiero
¡Erupcion! 		Latin31 (4 weeks)
Latin
Los Tenis
30 Años De Sabor 1962-1992 		Latin31 (7 weeks)
Latin
1993 Te Deseo
First Class International 		Latin35 (4 weeks)
Latin
1995 No Digas Que No
Para Todos Los Gustos El Gran Combo 		Latin25 (2 weeks)
Latin
2001 Me Libere
Nuevo Milenio ~ El Mismo Sabor 		Latin11 (19 weeks)
Latin
2003 Se Nos Perdio El Amor
Nuevo Milenio ~ El Mismo Sabor 		Latin44 (4 weeks)
Latin
2005 El Matrimonio
Aquí Estamos Y ... ¡De Verdad! 		Latin47 (1 week)
Latin

literature

  • Marisol Berríos-Miranda and Shannon Dudley: El Gran Combo, Cortijo, and the Musical Geography of Cangrejos / Santurce, Puerto Rico. in: Caribbean Studies , Vol. 36, No., 2, July – December 2008, pp. 121–151 (English).

Web links

Notes and individual references

  1. ↑ Übers. The Salsa University
  2. ↑ Trans. Rice with Beans
  3. ^ Obituary on NBC Latino
  4. ↑ a b Chart sources: US