Ray Romero (percussionist)

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"Little" Ray Romero ( Hernan Romero ; born June 18, 1923 in Ponce , † August 15, 2006 in Miami ) was a Puerto Rican percussionist.

Romero was promoted at the age of fourteen by Ruth Fernández , in whose band he played bongos and made small appearances on the radio. In 1938 he moved to New York and played there first in sextets in the Bronx . He was then briefly a member of the orchestras of Federico Pagani , Joe Loco and Xavier Cugat in the early 1940s before he was drafted into military service.

On his return he joined the Noro Morales orchestra , which included his brother Humberto Morales as drummer, Billy "El Gitano" Richko as bassist and the singers Tito Rodríguez and Rudy Morales (another brother). In 1946 he switched to José Curbelo's band. From 1951 he toured the United States with Miguelito Valdés ' band. As the successor to Chino Pozo , he became a member of Tito Rodríguez 'band in 1952, with whom he made recordings such as Frizao con Gusto , Guararé , Mambo Mona and Blen Blen Blen .

At the suggestion of Al Escobar , he joined a tour of Eartha Kitt in 1956 . This was followed by appearances with Sammy Davis Jr. at Tropicoro , with Anselmo Sacasas and again with Tito Rodríguez (1961). In the following years he lived in Puerto Rico. In 1968 he returned to New York and joined the orchestras of Eddie Palmieri and Charlie Palmieri . In 1973 he succeeded Orestes Vilató in Ray Barretto's band. From 1978 he was a member of the Machito Orchestra , with whom he traveled several times to Finland and made a Latin Grammy- winning recording of Manisero in Holland .

Romero has been teaching since the 1980s, teaching at the Drummer's Collective , the Johnny Colon Music School, and the Boy's & Girls Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts . He was honored as a Living Legend in 1997 by The Point Community Development Corporation .

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personal data
SURNAME Romero, Ray
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Romero, Hernan; Romero, Little Ray
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Puerto Rican percussionist
DATE OF BIRTH June 18, 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH Ponce , Puerto Rico
DATE OF DEATH August 15, 2006
Place of death Miami