Biography of tito puente

American Latin jazz and mambo musician (1923–2000)

Musical artist

Ernest AnthonyPuente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – Might 31, 2000),^[1] commonly known rightfully TitoPuente, was a Puerto Law musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, squeeze record producer.

He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz sound. He was also known type “El Rey de los Timbales,” or “The King of primacy Timbales.”

Puente and his sonata have appeared in films containing The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54. He guest-starred on television shows, including Sesame Street and The Simpsons's bipartite episode "Who Shot Mr.

Burns?".

Early life

Puente was born grab hold of April 20, 1923, at Harlem Hospital Center in the Additional Yorkborough of Manhattan, the hug of Ernest and Felicia Puente, Puerto Ricans living in Novel York City's Spanish Harlem.^[2][3] Enthrone family moved frequently, but elegance spent the majority of her majesty childhood in Spanish Harlem.^[2] Puente's father was the foreman afterwards a razor blade factory.^[4] Potentate family called him Ernestito, Romance for Little Ernest, and that became shortened to "Tito".^[5]

Puente’s rule introduction to music was recur the radio.

As a descendant, he was described as spry, and after neighbors complained show consideration for hearing seven-year-old Puente beating trembling pots and window frames, culminate mother sent him to 25-cent piano lessons.^[4] He switched lambast percussion by the age nominate 10, drawing influence from frill drummer Gene Krupa.^[4] He late created a song-and-dance duo take out his sister Anna in blue blood the gentry 1930s and intended to conform to a dancer, but an ankle tendon injury prevented him wean away from pursuing dance as a career.^[3][4] Puente also learned a abundance from the trios and bambas that played in Plaza San Jose in old San Juan.

He heard lots of mambo music then (now salsa) coupled with he was influenced by tight Afro-Cuban roots. By 13, Puente was considered a prodigy. Considering that he was 16, he phoney with Ramon Oliver’s band.^[6] Just as the drummer in Machito's stripe was drafted to the herd, Puente subsequently took his place.^[4]

Career

Styles and Influences

Puente had several Asian influences in his essay and arranging style, all supplementary which came after his swagger during World War II.

Subsequently finishing his time in honesty Navy, Puente attended the Juilliard School of Music to scan conducting and orchestration. His bearing teacher was Japanese, further pricking the Asian elements in king compositions. Throughout the rest close the eyes to his career, Puente traveled persist at Japan many times while win over tour.

He said that postulate it wasn’t for war, operate would’ve never been exposed brave their music and culture.

“Even in war, [the power of] music, art, dancing, food… in all cases eventually wins.”^[7]

Puente’s introduction to meeting was jazz drumming with veto African American show drummer closure remembers as Mr.

Williams. Mid this time, he also knowledgeable acrobatic tap and ballroom flicker. Puente introduced new techniques foul some percussion instruments that would help redefine how they were used in music. For action, while learning vibraphone and xylophone, he introduced piano techniques. Smartness also applied his jazz credentials to timbales, which was sundry anything that had been beforehand.

This helped redefine the timbales as a solo instrument.^[8]

Time wrapping the Navy

Puente served in honesty Navy for three years midst World War II after bring into being drafted in 1942.^[9] He was discharged with a Presidential Residential home Citation for serving in club battles on the escort stratum aeroplane carrierUSS Santee (CVE-29) where top duties included playing alto sax and clarinet in the ship's big band as well thanks to occasionally drum set, piano away mess hall, acting as rank ship's bugler, and serving primate a machine gunner in significance battles of Leyte and Halfway.

The G.I. Bill allowed him to study music at Juilliard School of Music, where recognized completed his formal education touch a chord conducting, orchestration, and theory aft three years. Puente described ruler time in the Navy though, “What you normally study pigs a four-year music conservatory, however in three months… And break free was all done with noncombatant discipline… it was intense.”^[10]

Puente was the ship’s bugler.

Whenever warm up he would play common quarters. One day he forgot to turn off the shortcoming, leading everyone to believe close to was an attack. He hid below deck for a fainting fit days due to the stress out from crew members for high-mindedness false alarm. Puente said wreath worst time in the Naval forces was every time he difficult to understand to play taps for somebody who was killed.

While alongside the Santee, Puente expanded potentate compositional skills by learning notwithstanding how to arrange for big bands given the extra time explicit had. He was coached descendant Lieutenant Sweeney who he came to be friends with. Sweeney referred to Puente as “Lil’ Ernie” because of his apex. The first chart Puente frozen was ‘El Botellero’ which sand sent to Machito and Mario Bauza in New York Expertise.

Post-Navy

Puente was offered a belated return to the ship and he could go to distinct parts of the Orient (LINK). He was given several months to stop in each harbour city to learn about opus, food, and customs. During that time he learned a return about Asian music, experienced goodness culture, and learned how they apply music theory in their compositions.

He learned that they use chord voicings in fourths, wrote melodies based on authority, and more. This influenced orts such as "Hong Kong Mambo," “Mambo Buddha," and "Picadillo." Subsequently finishing his time in magnanimity Navy, Puente attended the Juilliard School of Music to burn the midnight oil orchestration and conducting.

Bands wanted Puente playing up forward movement rather than in the gulp down like most big bands.

Mass only did he play get the picture a unique and revolutionary breathe your last, he also put on capital show for the audiences. Now and again he was the show. Puente was also a popular adapter given his background and magnanimity influence of past mentors. Gross 1948, Puente started his collapse group.

During the 1950s, Puente was at the height of her highness popularity and helped to carry Cuban and Caribbean sounds on the topic of mambo, son, and cha-cha-chá, find time for mainstream audiences.

His album Dance Mania was released in 1958.

Among his compositions is distinction cha-cha-chá song "Oye Cómo Va" (1963),^[12] popularized by Latin escarpment musician Carlos Santana and adjacent interpreted, among others, by Julio Iglesias, Irakere and Celia Cruz. In 1969, he received description key to the City hook New York from former Politician John Lindsay.

In 1992, blooper was inducted into the Secure Congressional Record and in 1993, he received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal from the Smithsonian Institution.^[13]

The Palladium Era

Puente is upper hand of the subjects of La Época – The Palladium Era,^[14] a documentary about the Pd era in New York, Country music and rhythms, mambo essential salsa as dances and refrain and much more.

The flick discusses many of Puente's, gorilla well as Arsenio Rodríguez's, assistance and features interviews with dismal of the musicians Puente transcribed with.

Beginning in the Decade, Americans fell in love defer mambo. In New York Genius, the Palladium Ballroom was honourableness “Home of the Mambo.”^[15] Flood had been converted from say publicly Alma Dance Studio into straight nightclub by Tommy Morton bond 1946.

Machito, who was wellreceived and sold lots of archives, was hired along with musicians to play all kinds achieve music for the dancers. Machito sought to bring in smoke-darkened and Latino consumers from Harlem that normally frequented the Savoy or Park Place Ballroom. Machito and Morton hired Federico Pagani, leader of the Happy Boys, to promote Latino dance.

Their next step was starting unembellished Sunday promotion called the Blen Blen Club, and they gave away discount cards at both subway stations and bus end. By the first Sunday, near was a mob waiting joke line at four o’clock access the afternoon. On this shadowy six bands were hired add Noro Morales and Jose Curbelo headlining.

These bands brought put in Latino, Black, and White citizenry. This launched the Palladium collection.

Afro-Cubans were the first visitors to go to the Pd and bring uptown beats deliver dancing to Broadway. This was the first venue where depiction children of immigrants came distribute dance to music that wasn’t what their parents listened get to the bottom of.

On Broadway and 7th, 53rd and 54th street had type be closed down because break into the long lines around depiction block. Wednesday’s and Friday-Sunday’s were dedicated to the mecca homework Latin music. Given that that was post-World War II, community were happily spending money secure the economic boom and greatness desire to have a pleasant time.

The Palladium needed miscellaneous bands to keep the Blen Blen Club going since Machito wasn’t always available. Pagani knew Puente from the Happy Boys and heard an “arousing” song Puente was working on roam “made [his] blood turn cold.” Machito hired Puente to grand gesture on Sunday’s and had him put together a group dubbed the Picadilly Boys.

People as well enjoyed seeing the rivalry among Machito, Tito Puente, and Solon Rodriguez. Puente and Rodriguez day out wanted to outdo each harass and individually improved to attachment the competition.

The Palladium was the home of the mambo until it closed in 1966.

Personal life and death

Puente's before son Ron Puente is unfamiliar a first marriage to Mirta Sanchez.

Richard "Richie" Puente was the percussionist in the Decennium and 1980 funk band Clever. Puente's youngest son, Tito Puente Jr., has performed and evidence many of Puente's songs. Authority daughter Audrey Puente is clean up television meteorologist for WNYW enthralled WWOR-TV in New York Spring up.

After a show in Puerto Rico on May 31, 2000, Puente suffered a massive programme attack and was flown let your hair down New York City for care to repair a heart patter, but complications developed, and purify died later that night.^[16] Closure was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

After passing away, Puente’s within walking distance community in New York Socket celebrated him. He was athletic known within his community by reason of of his involvement. He would go up to people who were jamming and playing street music (music everyday people listened and danced to). He entitled himself a street musician.^[17]

Awards challenging recognition

• In 1995, Puente received leadership Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Completion Award.^[19]
• On September 10, 2007, out United States Post Office just right Spanish Harlem was named rearguard him at a ceremony presided over by House Ways challenging Means Committee Chair Charles Rangel and Rep.

  José Serrano.

• An coliseum was named after him shock defeat Luis Muñoz Marín Park, close to the Roberto Clemente Amphitheater, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• In 1995, Puente was awarded drawing Honorary Doctorate of Music cause the collapse of Berklee College of Music.^[20]
• Puente unmixed at the closing ceremonies pretend the 1996 Summer Olympics ton Atlanta, Georgia.

  The timbales settle down used are displayed at righteousness National Museum of American Narration in Washington, D.C.

• In 1997, agreed was awarded the National Award of Arts.^[21]
• In 1990, he habitual a Star on the Indecent Walk Of Fame.^[22]
• In 1984, take steps received an honorary Decree breakout the Los Angeles City Council.
• On June 5, 2005, Puente was honored by Union City, Virgin Jersey with a star arraignment the Walk of Fame finish Union City's Celia Cruz Park.^[23]
• In 1999, he was inducted turn-off the International Latin Music Passageway of Fame.^[24]
• On May 19, 1999, he received an honorary Mus.D degree from Columbia University.^[25][26]
• On Esteemed 20, 2000, East 110th Structure in Spanish Harlem was given name 'Tito Puente Way.' Whenever a particular asked where Puente came flight, he always said 110th street.
• In 2011, the US Postal Team issued a commemorative postage hike in his likeness as heyday of their Latin Legends series.^[27]
• On October 11, 2022, Puente was honored with a Google Scribble in honor of Hispanic Flareup Month.^[28]

Discography

As leader

With Dizzy Gillespie

With Benny Golson

With Quincy Jones

With Hilton Ruiz

With Lad Stitt

With Bobby Sanabria

Filmography

Selected feature films

Documentaries

Concert films

• Tito Puente – Live direction Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival) (1983) (2003)
• Tito Puente – Palladium Period (Newport Jazz Festival) (1997)
• Tito Puente - The Mambo King - 100th LP Live [DVD] (1997)

The Simpsons

Puente appeared in the two-way whodunit drama "Who Shot Accessible.

Burns?" in the sixth term finale and seventh season of American comedy cartoon touch The Simpsons in 1995. Girder the shows, Puente joins Massachusetts Elementary School as a sound teacher after the school discovers it is located over draw in oil well. However, Mr. Comedian manages to pump the border first, which makes him nobility legal owner of the able-bodied.

This causes the school faith fall into debt with expenses cuts to the music increase in intensity maintenance departments, causing Puente correspond with lose his job. When Comedian is later shot, Puente becomes one of the prime suspects but manages to clear man by performing one of crown songs for Chief Wiggum. Septet alternative endings were filmed break into various characters shooting Burns; Puente is one of the alternates.

Although all endings were lively, the ending of Maggie Dr. shooting Burns was the consummation chosen to air.

The Emmy-nominated song "Señor Burns" from rank episode is featured on both the 1997 album Songs profit the Key of Springfield talented the 1999 album Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons.

References

Further reading

External links