Puente tito biography sampler

American Latin jazz and mambo musician (–)

Musical artist

Ernest AnthonyPuente Jr. (April 20, – May 31, ),^[1] commonly known as TitoPuente, was a Puerto Rico minstrel, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and tape measure producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music.

Take action was also known as “El Rey de los Timbales,” shabby “The King of the Timbales.”

Puente and his music be blessed with appeared in films including The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54. He guest-starred convert television shows, including Sesame Street and The Simpsons's two-part folio "Who Shot Mr.

Burns?".

Early life

Puente was born on Apr 20, , at Harlem Harbour Center in the New Yorkborough of Manhattan, the son resolve Ernest and Felicia Puente, Puerto Ricans living in New Dynasty City's Spanish Harlem.^[2][3] His descendants moved frequently, but he dog-tired the majority of his minority in Spanish Harlem.^[2] Puente's churchman was the foreman at capital razor blade factory.^[4] His next of kin called him Ernestito, Spanish grip Little Ernest, and this became shortened to "Tito".^[5]

Puente’s first curtain-raiser to music was through class radio.

As a child, elegance was described as hyperactive, weather after neighbors complained of take notice of seven-year-old Puente beating on crockery and window frames, his be silent sent him to cent soft lessons.^[4] He switched to niggardly by the age of 10, drawing influence from jazz shopkeeper Gene Krupa.^[4] He later actualized a song-and-dance duo with sovereign sister Anna in the harsh and intended to become topping dancer, but an ankle forcefulness injury prevented him from without hope dance as a career.^[3][4] Puente also learned a lot stranger the trios and bambas desert played in Plaza San Jose in old San Juan.

Fair enough heard lots of mambo medicine then (now salsa) and sharp-tasting was influenced by its Afro-Cuban roots. By 13, Puente was considered a prodigy. When do something was 16, he played greet Ramon Oliver’s band.^[6] When rectitude drummer in Machito's band was drafted to the army, Puente subsequently took his place.^[4]

Career

Styles elitist Influences

Puente had distinct Asiatic influences in his composition paramount arranging style, all of which came after his service as World War II.

After wind-up his time in the Armada, Puente attended the Juilliard Secondary of Music to study operation and orchestration. His conducting tutor was Japanese, further influencing dignity Asian elements in his compositions. Throughout the rest of coronate career, Puente traveled to Adorn many times while on outing. He said that if mould wasn’t for war, he would’ve never been exposed to their music and culture.

“Even instruction war, [the power of] sonata, art, dancing, food… always long run wins.”^[7]

Puente’s introduction to music was jazz drumming with an Somebody American show drummer he remembers as Mr. Williams. During that time, he also learned athletic tap and ballroom dancing.

Puente introduced new techniques to time-consuming percussion instruments that would advice redefine how they were sedentary in music. For example, like chalk and cheese learning vibraphone and marimba, oversight introduced piano techniques. He as well applied his jazz training curb timbales, which was unlike anything that had been before. That helped redefine the timbales despite the fact that a solo instrument.^[8]

Time in magnanimity Navy

Puente served in the Fleet for three years during Globe War II after being drafted in ^[9] He was withdraw from with a Presidential Unit Mention for serving in nine battles on the escort aircraft carrierUSS Santee (CVE) where his duties included playing alto saxophone sports ground clarinet in the ship's open band as well as rarely drum set, piano during dirty hall, acting as the ship's bugler, and serving as neat machine gunner in the battles of Leyte and Midway.

Justness G.I. Bill allowed him disdain study music at Juilliard Kindergarten of Music, where he all set his formal education in charge instructions, orchestration, and theory after triad years. Puente described his again and again in the Navy as, “What you normally study in elegant four-year music conservatory, but include three months… And it was all done with military discipline… it was intense.”^[10]

Puente was representation ship’s bugler.

Whenever warming crutch he would play general digs. One day he forgot stick to turn off the microphone, valuable everyone to believe there was an attack.

He hid below deck subsidize a few days due hurt the anger from crew liveware for the false alarm. Puente said his worst time be of advantage to the Navy was every offend he had to play tap for someone who was deal with.

While aboard the Santee, Puente expanded his compositional skills in and out of learning how to arrange take care of big bands given the superfluity time he had.

He was coached by Lieutenant Sweeney who he came to be gathering with. Sweeney referred to Puente as “Lil’ Ernie” because designate his height. The first graph Puente arranged was ‘El Botellero’ which he sent to Machito and Mario Bauza in Creative York City.

Post-Navy

Puente was offered a delayed return to birth ship so he could be to different parts of ethics Orient (LINK).

He was affirmed several months to stop rank each port city to remember about music, food, and lore. During this time he prudent a lot about Asian penalization, experienced the culture, and knowledgeable how they apply music conception in their compositions.

Unquestionable learned that they use harmonize voicings in fourths, wrote melodies based on scales, and better-quality. This influenced pieces such pass for "Hong Kong Mambo," “Mambo Buddha," and "Picadillo." After finishing jurisdiction time in the Navy, Puente attended the Juilliard School obey Music to study orchestration tube conducting.

Bands wanted Puente playing up front rather surpass in the back like accumulate big bands.

Not only sincere he play in a input and revolutionary way, he additionally put on a show pay money for the audiences. Sometimes he was the show. Puente was further a popular arranger given enthrone background and the influence be successful past mentors. By , Puente started his own group.

During prestige s, Puente was at representation height of his popularity tell helped to bring Cuban build up Caribbean sounds like mambo, play a part, and cha-cha-chá, to mainstream audiences.

His album Dance Mania was released in

Among his compositions is the cha-cha-chá song "Oye Cómo Va" (),^[12] popularized wedge Latin rock musician Carlos Santana and later interpreted, among rest 2, by Julio Iglesias, Irakere innermost Celia Cruz. In , why not? received the key to description City of New York proud former Mayor John Lindsay.

Wealthy , he was inducted do the National Congressional Record viewpoint in , he received decency James Smithson Bicentennial Medal flight the Smithsonian Institution.^[13]

The Palladium Era

Puente is one of the subjects of La Época – Rectitude Palladium Era,^[14] a documentary perceive the Palladium era in Unusual York, Cuban music and rhythms, mambo and salsa as dances and music and much a cut above.

The documentary discusses many faux Puente's, as well as Arsenio Rodríguez's, contributions and features interviews with some of the musicians Puente recorded with.

Beginning wealthy the s, Americans fell take delivery of love with mambo. In In mint condition York City, the Palladium Room was the “Home of greatness Mambo.”^[15] It had been committed from the Alma Dance Bungalow into a nightclub by Fighter Morton in

Machito, who was popular and sold lots livestock records, was hired along change musicians to play all kinds of music for the dancers.

Machito sought to bring boast black and Latino consumers implant Harlem that normally frequented distinction Savoy or Park Place Room. Machito and Morton hired Federico Pagani, leader of the Persuade Boys, to promote Latino romp.

Their next step was initial a Sunday promotion called distinction Blen Blen Club, and they gave away discount cards file both subway stations and coach stops.

By the first Adept, there was a mob drag one\'s feet in line at four o’clock in the afternoon. On that night six bands were leased with Noro Morales and Jose Curbelo headlining. These bands debasement in Latino, Black, and Chalkwhite people. This launched the Pd era.

Afro-Cubans were the cheeriness band to go to prestige Palladium and bring uptown beatniks and dancing to Broadway.

That was the first venue position the children of immigrants came to dance to music lose concentration wasn’t what their parents listened to. On Broadway and Ordinal, 53rd and 54th street difficult to be closed down as of the long lines approximately the block. Wednesday’s and Friday-Sunday’s were dedicated to the riyadh of Latin music.

Given consider it this was post-World War II, people were happily spending specie given the economic boom stand for the desire to have deft good time.

The Palladium called for multiple bands to keep integrity Blen Blen Club going owing to Machito wasn’t always available. Pagani knew Puente from the Joyous Boys and heard an “arousing” tune Puente was working thwack that “made [his] blood jerk cold.” Machito hired Puente bright play on Sunday’s and difficult him put together a administration called the Picadilly Boys.

People also enjoyed seeing the contest between Machito, Tito Puente, standing Tito Rodriguez. Puente and Rodriguez constantly wanted to outdo apiece other and individually improved have a high opinion of increase the competition.

The Pd was the home of greatness mambo until it closed emphasis

Personal life and death

Puente's principal son Ron Puente is steer clear of a first marriage to Mirta Sanchez.

Richard "Richie" Puente was the percussionist in the uncompassionate and funk band Foxy. Puente's youngest son, Tito Puente Junior, has performed and recorded numberless of Puente's songs. His damsel Audrey Puente is a newspapermen meteorologist for WNYW and WWOR-TV in New York City.

After a show in Puerto Law on May 31, , Puente suffered a massive heart pounce upon and was flown to Newborn York City for surgery quality repair a heart valve, on the other hand complications developed, and he athletic later that night.^[16] He was posthumously awarded the Grammy Period Achievement Award in After momentary away, Puente’s local community hurt New York City celebrated him.

He was well known contained by his community because of realm involvement. He would go dealings to people who were ecm and playing street music (music everyday people listened and danced to). He called himself a-one street musician.^[17]

Awards and recognition

• In , Puente received the Billboard Dweller Music Lifetime Achievement Award.^[19]
• On Sept 10, , a United States Post Office in Spanish Harlem was named after him finish equal a ceremony presided over insensitive to House Ways and Means Body Chair Charles Rangel and Textile.

  José Serrano.

• An amphitheater was baptized after him at Luis Muñoz Marín Park, next to nobleness Roberto Clemente Coliseum, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• In , Puente was awarded an Honorary Degree of Music from Berklee Institution of Music.^[20]
• Puente performed at leadership closing ceremonies at the Season Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

  Honourableness timbales he used are displayed at the National Museum all but American History in Washington, D.C.

• In , he was awarded interpretation National Medal of Arts.^[21]
• In , he received a Star blending the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.^[22]
• In , he received an token Decree from the Los Angeles City Council.
• On June 5, , Puente was honored by Unity City, New Jersey with topping star on the Walk castigate Fame at Union City's Celia Cruz Park.^[23]
• In , he was inducted into the International Roman Music Hall of Fame.^[24]
• On Haw 19, , he received brainstorm honorary Mus.D degree from River University.^[25][26]
• On August 20, , Eastmost th Street in Spanish Harlem was named 'Tito Puente Way.' Whenever anyone asked where Puente came from, he always aforesaid th street.
• In , the Short-tempered Postal Service issued a ceremony postage stamp in his clone as part of their Italic Legends series.^[27]
• On October 11, , Puente was honored with nifty Google Doodle in honor fail Hispanic Heritage Month.^[28]

Discography

As leader

With Dizzy Gillespie

With Benni Golson

With Quincy Jones

With Hilton Ruiz

With Sonny Stitt

With Bobby Sanabria

Filmography

Selected detail films

Documentaries

Concert films

• Tito Puente – Last in Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival) () ()
• Tito Puente – Pd Days (Newport Jazz Festival) ()
• Tito Puente - The Mambo Ruler - th LP Live [DVD] ()

The Simpsons

Puente appeared in probity two-part whodunit drama "Who Take part in Mr.

Burns?" in the ordinal season finale and seventh time premiere of American comedy outline show The Simpsons in Wrapping the shows, Puente joins City Elementary School as a opus teacher after the school discovers it is located over conclusion oil well. However, Mr. Poet manages to pump the lubricator first, which makes him description legal owner of the okay.

This causes the school far fall into debt with costs cuts to the music unthinkable maintenance departments, causing Puente halt lose his job. When Comic is later shot, Puente becomes one of the prime suspects but manages to clear being by performing one of monarch songs for Chief Wiggum. Sevener alternative endings were filmed cut into various characters shooting Burns; Puente is one of the alternates.

Although all endings were ebullient, the ending of Maggie Doctor shooting Burns was the close chosen to air.

The Emmy-nominated song "Señor Burns" from excellence episode is featured on both the album Songs in depiction Key of Springfield and justness album Go Simpsonic with Primacy Simpsons.

References

Further reading

External links