El Gran Combo

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El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
Country Puerto Rico
Years active 1962 - present
Genres Salsa music
Website(s) www.elgrancombodepuertorico.net

El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Rican Salsa music orchestra. It is Puerto Rico's most successful musical group, and one of Salsa's most famous groups across Latin America. Since many of the genre's legendary singers have been members of the orchestra, the band has been given the moniker La Universidad de la Salsa (The University of Salsa)

El Gran Combo was founded by Rafael Ithier in May of 1962. Ithier is still, as of 2006, the orchestra's pianist and musical director. The group is currently promoting their latest album titled Arroz con Habichuela (Rice and Beans) and they continuously tour around the world.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] The Birth of El Gran Combo

Rafael Ithier had been a member of Rafael Cortijo's "Combo" orchestra, travelling to the eastern United States before forming El Gran Combo. For their first gig, the orchestra was signed by the legendary Cuban comedian, writer and businessman Alvarez Guedes, who hired them to support Dominican singer Joseito Mateo on one of his albums for his record company Gema Records. It was Alvarez Guedes himself who baptized them with the name of El Gran Combo.

The members that met for this first incarnation were Ithier, Eddie Perez, Hector Santos, Rogelio "Kito" Velez, Martín Quiñones, Miguel Cruz and Roberto Roena. That first album was titled Menéame Los Mangos, El Gran Combo con Joseito Mateo (Shake My Handles).

The group met again to define the foundations of the orchestra and they chose singers Daniel Vázquez, Pellín Rodríguez and Chiqui García. On May 21, 1962, El Gran Combo was heard for the first time on Puerto Rican radio. Later on, they became the on-studio musicians of the live television show, "La Taberna India", sponsored by India Beer.

After their live debut at Hotel La Concha in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Chiqui García left the orchestra. Sammy Ayala, who had also played with Ithier in the Cortijo orchestra, recommended the hiring of Andy Montañez. Felipe Rodríguez, another legendary Salsa singer, also followed the group's career closely, sometimes even making suggestions to Ithier.

[edit] First Albums

On November 20, 1963, El Gran Combo released their first group album, Acángana, with Rodríguez and Montañez as leading voices. The album became a number one hit in New York, Panama and Puerto Rico. Their success opened them doors in many Latin American markets and they gained an exclusivity spot in Puerto Rican television show El Show de las 12. The album also reached gold status.

On 1964, musician Elías López joined the orchestra. However, the excess of exposure helped their demands to decline. Still, in 1967, their album Boogaloo con el Gran Combo also reached gold status. In 1969, Roena and López left the orchestra to form the Apollo Sound together. Despite all this, that same year the group is awarded with an Agüeybana de Oro Award in Puerto Rico.

[edit] Near death experience

On February 15, 1970, the members of El Gran Combo shared a near death experience. They were returning to Puerto Rico from Curaçao, and had to stop at Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo. One of the band's members had a bad feeling about the flight they were about to embark on, and the orchestra decided not to take that flight, which would turn out to be the Dominicana Airlines DC-9 that crashed off the Caribbean coast.

[edit] The 1970s

In 1970, their contract with Gema Records wasn't renewed. Despite offers from the renowned Motown label, El Gran Combo decided to produce their own albums. Their first album under their label, EGC, is titled Estamos Primeros.

In 1971, El Gran Combo introduced the trombone to their list of instruments. The trombone was played by Fanny Ceballos. Soon after, their production named De Punta a Punta (slang for "From Coast to Coast") was released. In 1973, Pellín Rodriguez left the group to continue on with a solo career. Legendary Salsa musician Jerry Concepción and the well known sportscaster Rafael Bracero, friends of Ithier, recommended Ithier to replace Rodríguez with Charlie Aponte.

In 1973, El Gran Combo sang in front of 50,000 fans at the famous Yankee Stadium in New York City as the opening act for the Fania All Stars' sold out concert.

Montañez left the band in early 1977 and went to live in Venezuela, where he receive a good contract to replace Oscar De León in another orchestra, Dimension Latina. Jerry Rivas was then chosen to join the orchestra. Both Rivas and Aponte are still members of the orchestra. The success of this new duo was proved with their 1977 album [International]] and 1978's En Las Vegas which reached gold record status.

In 1977, El Gran Combo en Navidad, a Christmas album, was released, with Martín Quiñones appearing as Santa Claus in the album's cover. After a car accident, Quiñones was replaced in the band by his son, Martín Quiñones Jr. He stayed until 1979, being replaced by Luis Díaz.

[edit] Recent Years

The orchestra opened the 70s with the album, Aqui No Se Sienta Nadie. They continued to receive numerous awards in all Latin America. In 1984, they traveled to Alaska where they received a great welcome. Soon after they release their album titled Breaking the Ice which garnered them their first Grammy nomination.

In 1982 they celebrated their 20th anniversary playing at the Madison Square Garden. They also reached Europe that year playing in Paris, France.

In the early 90s, they were honored in the city of Madrid, Spain to open the decade in the right track. In March 29, 1992, they celebrated a huge concert in the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in front of 30,000 people.

[edit] The New Millennium

In 2002, El Gran Combo celebrated their 40th anniversary with two sold-out concerts at the Ruben Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. This celebration spawned a renowned album that was recognized as one of the best of the year. A year later, they received a Grammy for Best Tropical Album.

As of 2006, the orchestra has released over 40 albums or CD's, and it has received many awards, including golden albums, a "Calendario de Plata" in Mexico, a "Golden Combo" in Colombia, a "Paoli Award" in their native Puerto Rico, a honorable distinction in Spain and countless others.

In 2006, they released their latest album titled Arroz con Habichuela. It has already spawned a hit single titled "No Hay Manera" ("There's No Way").

[edit] Discography

Album Year Label
Menéame los Mangos, el Gran Combo con Joseito Mateo 1962 Gema Records
El Gran Combo... de Siempre 1963 Gema Records
Acángana 1964 Gema Records
Ojos Chinos, Jala Jala 1964 Gema Records
El Caballo Pelotero 1965 Gema Records
Traigo un Tumba'o, Meneíto Me 1965 Gema Records
El Swing del Gran Combo con Pellín y Andy 1966 Gema Records
El Gran Combo en Navidad 1967 Gema Records
Maldito Callo 1967 Gema Records
Esos Ojitos Negros 1967 Gema Records
Fiesta Con El Gran Combo 1967 Gema Records
Boleros Románticos con El Gran Combo 1967 Gema Records
Tú Querías Boogaloo, Toma Boogaloo 1967 Gema Records
Pata Pata, Jala Jala y Boogaloo 1967 Gema Records
Boogaloos con El Gran Combo 1964 Gema Records
Tangos 1967 Gema Records
Merengues 1968 Gema Records
Guarachas 1968 Gema Records
Bombas, Bombas, Bombas 1968 Gema Records
Los Nenes Sicodélicos 1968 Gema Records
Latin Power 1968 Gema Records
Smile, It's 1968 Gema Records
Este Si Que es El Gran Combo 1969 Gema Records
Estamos Primeros 1970 Combo Records
De Punta a Punta 1971 Combo Records
Por El Libro 1972 Combo Records
En Acción 1973 Combo Records
Número 5 1973 Combo Records
Disfrútelo Hasta el Cabo 1974 Combo Records
Número 7 1975 Combo Records
Los Sorullos 1975 Combo Records
Mejor Que Nunca 1976 Combo Records
Internacional 1977 Combo Records
En Las Vegas 1978 Combo Records
Aquí No Se Sienta Nadie 1979 Combo Records
Unity 1980 Combo Records
Happy Days 1981 Combo Records
Nuestro Aniversario 1982 Combo Records
20th Anniversary 1982 Combo Records
La Universidad de la Salsa 1983 Combo Records

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[edit] Current Members

[edit] Singers

  • Charlie Aponte (1973 - present)
  • Jerry Rivas (1977 - present)
  • Luis "Papo" Rosario (1980 - present)

[edit] Orchestra

[edit] Former Members

[edit] Singers

[edit] Percussion

  • Milton Correa - timbales (1962 - 1970)
  • Miguel Marrero - timbales (1970 - 1979)
  • Edgardo Morales - timbales (1979 - 1988)
  • Martín Quiñones - conga (1962 - 1977)
  • Martin Quiñones, Jr. - conga (1977)
  • Luis Díaz - conga (1977)

[edit] Bass

  • Miguel Cruz - bass guitar (1962 - 1975)
  • Fernando Pérez - bass guitar (1975 - 1989)

[edit] Brass Section

  • Mike Torres - trumpet (1969)
  • Epifanio "Fanny" Ceballos - trombone (1971 - 1991)
  • Toñito Vázquez - trombone (1991)

[edit] Others

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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