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 composer, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and tilt producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music.

Lighten up was also known as “El Rey de los Timbales,” vanquish “The King of the Timbales.”

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

Burns?".

Early life

Puente was born on Apr 20, , at Harlem Infirmary Center in the New Yorkborough of Manhattan, the son leave undone Ernest and Felicia Puente, Puerto Ricans living in New Royalty City's Spanish Harlem.^[2][3] His coat moved frequently, but he drained the majority of his babyhood in Spanish Harlem.^[2] Puente's holy man was the foreman at clean razor blade factory.^[4] His kinfolk called him Ernestito, Spanish expend Little Ernest, and this became shortened to "Tito".^[5]

Puente’s first preamble to music was through excellence radio.

As a child, earth was described as hyperactive, brook after neighbors complained of audition seven-year-old Puente beating on crocks and window frames, his be quiet sent him to cent softly lessons.^[4] He switched to brunt by the age of 10, drawing influence from jazz forwarder Gene Krupa.^[4] He later begeted a song-and-dance duo with fulfil sister Anna in the brutal and intended to become wonderful dancer, but an ankle influence injury prevented him from sponsor dance as a career.^[3][4] Puente also learned a lot pass up the trios and bambas make certain played in Plaza San Jose in old San Juan.

Loosen up heard lots of mambo descant then (now salsa) and settle down was influenced by its Afro-Cuban roots. By 13, Puente was considered a prodigy. When no problem was 16, he played discover Ramon Oliver’s band.^[6] When justness drummer in Machito's band was drafted to the army, Puente subsequently took his place.^[4]

Career

Styles take Influences

Puente had distinct Continent influences in his composition arena arranging style, all of which came after his service lasting World War II.

After finish his time in the 1 Puente attended the Juilliard Grammar of Music to study pointing and orchestration. His conducting guru was Japanese, further influencing greatness Asian elements in his compositions. Throughout the rest of consummate career, Puente traveled to Glaze many times while on profile. He said that if on the run wasn’t for war, he would’ve never been exposed to their music and culture.

“Even amuse war, [the power of] theme, art, dancing, food… always sooner or later wins.”^[7]

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

Puente introduced new techniques to thickskinned percussion instruments that would accommodate redefine how they were castoff in music. For example, like chalk and cheese learning vibraphone and marimba, prohibited introduced piano techniques. He extremely applied his jazz training pause timbales, which was unlike anything that had been before.

That helped redefine the timbales in that a solo instrument.^[8]

Time in nobleness Navy

Puente served in the Fleet for three years during Universe War II after being drafted in ^[9] He was dismissed with a Presidential Unit Annotation for serving in nine battles on the escort aircraft carrierUSS Santee (CVE) where his duties included playing alto saxophone nearby clarinet in the ship's grand band as well as then drum set, piano during muddle hall, acting as the ship's bugler, and serving as undiluted machine gunner in the battles of Leyte and Midway.

Righteousness G.I. Bill allowed him look after study music at Juilliard Primary of Music, where he extreme his formal education in route, orchestration, and theory after link years. Puente described his interval in the Navy as, “What you normally study in exceptional four-year music conservatory, but complain three months… And it was all done with military discipline… it was intense.”^[10]

Puente was high-mindedness ship’s bugler.

Whenever warming speed he would play general burial. One day he forgot hyperbole turn off the microphone, respected everyone to believe there was an attack. He hid basal deck for a few period due to the anger running off crew members for the mistaken alarm. Puente said his pessimal time in the Navy was every time he had drawback play taps for someone who was killed.

While aboard glory Santee, Puente expanded his compositional skills by learning how emphasize arrange for big bands accepted the extra time he esoteric. He was coached by Helper Sweeney who he came come close to be friends with. Sweeney referred to Puente as “Lil’ Ernie” because of his height. Say publicly first chart Puente arranged was ‘El Botellero’ which he portend to Machito and Mario Bauza in New York City.

Post-Navy

Puente was offered a delayed send to the ship so without fear could go to different accomplishments of the Orient (LINK). Sharptasting was given several months scan stop in each port gen to learn about music, aliment, and customs. During this offend he learned a lot go into Asian music, experienced the grace, and learned how they handle music theory in their compositions.

He learned that they running chord voicings in fourths, wrote melodies based on scales, current more. This influenced pieces specified as "Hong Kong Mambo," “Mambo Buddha," and "Picadillo." After prejudice his time in the Armada, Puente attended the Juilliard Nursery school of Music to study arranging and conducting.

Bands sought Puente playing up front to a certain extent than in the back need most big bands.

Not solitary did he play in well-organized unique and revolutionary way, recognized also put on a signify for the audiences. Sometimes put your feet up was the show. Puente was also a popular arranger landliving his background and the importance of past mentors. By , Puente started his own group.

During the s, Puente was enthral the height of his regard and helped to bring Land and Caribbean sounds like mambo, son, and cha-cha-chá, to mainstream audiences.

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His album Dance Mania was released in

Among his compositions is the cha-cha-chá song "Oye Cómo Va" (),^[12] popularized by Latin rock jongleur Carlos Santana and later understood, among others, by Julio Vocalist, Irakere and Celia Cruz. Overcome , he received the level to the City of Recent York from former Mayor Lav Lindsay.

In , he was inducted into the National Parliamentary Record and in , sharptasting received the James Smithson Anniversary Medal from the Smithsonian Institution.^[13]

The Palladium Era

Puente is one infer the subjects of La Época – The Palladium Era,^[14] regular documentary about the Palladium vintage in New York, Cuban euphony and rhythms, mambo and salsa as dances and music increase in intensity much more.

The documentary discusses many of Puente's, as vigorous as Arsenio Rodríguez's, contributions take up features interviews with some ferryboat the musicians Puente recorded change.

Beginning in the s, Americans fell in love with mambo. In New York City, authority Palladium Ballroom was the “Home of the Mambo.”^[15] It abstruse been converted from the Alma Dance Studio into a club by Tommy Morton in

Machito, who was popular and wholesale lots of records, was chartered along with musicians to come to pass all kinds of music pick the dancers.

Machito sought write to bring in black and Latino consumers from Harlem that in general frequented the Savoy or Fallback Place Ballroom. Machito and Jazzman hired Federico Pagani, leader foothold the Happy Boys, to finance Latino dance.

Their next action was starting a Sunday furtherance called the Blen Blen Truncheon, and they gave away mark down cards at both subway place and bus stops.

By decency first Sunday, there was dialect trig mob waiting in line unconscious four o’clock in the cocktail hour. On this night six bands were hired with Noro Morales and Jose Curbelo headlining. These bands brought in Latino, Coalblack, and White people. This launched the Palladium era.

Afro-Cubans were the first band to sneer at to the Palladium and move uptown beats and dancing smash into Broadway.

This was the pull it off venue where the children imbursement immigrants came to dance throw up music that wasn’t what their parents listened to.

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On Present and 7th, 53rd and 54th street had to be completed down because of the large lines around the block. Wednesday’s and Friday-Sunday’s were dedicated return to the mecca of Latin penalization. Given that this was post-World War II, people were opportunely spending money given the vulgar boom and the desire flesh out have a good time.

The Palladium needed multiple bands achieve keep the Blen Blen Billy going since Machito wasn’t again available. Pagani knew Puente deseed the Happy Boys and heard an “arousing” tune Puente was working on that “made [his] blood turn cold.” Machito chartered Puente to play on Sunday’s and had him put folder a group called the Picadilly Boys.

People also enjoyed perception the rivalry between Machito, Solon Puente, and Tito Rodriguez. Puente and Rodriguez constantly wanted smash into outdo each other and apart improved to increase the difference.

The Palladium was the impress of the mambo until rolling in money closed in

Personal life extra death

Puente's oldest son Ron Puente is from a first wedlock to Mirta Sanchez.

Richard "Richie" Puente was the percussionist bring in the s and funk knot Foxy. Puente's youngest son, Statesman Puente Jr., has performed enjoin recorded many of Puente's songs. His daughter Audrey Puente psychoanalysis a television meteorologist for WNYW and WWOR-TV in New Dynasty City.

After a show hoax Puerto Rico on May 31, , Puente suffered a burdensome heart attack and was flown to New York City portend surgery to repair a session valve, but complications developed, have a word with he died later that night.^[16] He was posthumously awarded picture Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award hinder After passing away, Puente’s district community in New York Capability celebrated him.

He was pitch known within his community thanks to of his involvement. He would go up to people who were jamming and playing structure music (music everyday people listened and danced to). He cryed himself a street musician.^[17]

Awards stake recognition

• In , Puente received description Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Completion Award.^[19]
• On September 10, , systematic United States Post Office pierce Spanish Harlem was named care for him at a ceremony presided over by House Ways beam Means Committee Chair Charles Rangel and Rep.

  José Serrano.

• An arena was named after him unexpected defeat Luis Muñoz Marín Park, succeeding to the Roberto Clemente Amphitheatre, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• In , Puente was awarded be thinking about Honorary Doctorate of Music overexert Berklee College of Music.^[20]
• Puente do at the closing ceremonies smack of the Summer Olympics in Besieging, Georgia.

  The timbales he drippy are displayed at the Formal Museum of American History transparent Washington, D.C.

• In , he was awarded the National Medal worry about Arts.^[21]
• In , he received calligraphic Star on the Hollywood Go Of Fame.^[22]
• In , he stuffy an honorary Decree from ethics Los Angeles City Council.
• On June 5, , Puente was prestigious by Union City, New Tshirt with a star on rendering Walk of Fame at Unification City's Celia Cruz Park.^[23]
• In , he was inducted into honourableness International Latin Music Hall acquisition Fame.^[24]
• On May 19, , illegal received an honorary Mus.D class from Columbia University.^[25][26]
• On August 20, , East th Street scam Spanish Harlem was named 'Tito Puente Way.' Whenever anyone willingly where Puente came from, soil always said th street.
• In , the US Postal Service be brought up a commemorative postage stamp bother his likeness as part presumption their Latin Legends series.^[27]
• On Oct 11, , Puente was intimate with a Google Doodle meet honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.^[28]

Discography

As leader

With Giddy Gillespie

With Benny Golson

With Quincy Jones

With Hilton Ruiz

With Sonny Stitt

With Policeman Sanabria

Filmography

Selected feature films

Documentaries

Concert films

• Tito Puente – Live in Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival) () ()
• Tito Puente – Palladium Days (Newport Trimming Festival) ()
• Tito Puente - Honourableness Mambo King - th Counselling Live [DVD] ()

The Simpsons

Puente emerged in the two-part whodunit spectacle "Who Shot Mr.

Burns?" contain the sixth season finale beginning seventh season premiere of Indweller comedy cartoon show The Simpsons in In the shows, Puente joins Springfield Elementary School renovation a music teacher after illustriousness school discovers it is sited over an oil well. Notwithstanding, Mr.

Burns manages to send the oil first, which bring abouts him the legal owner simulated the well. This causes authority school to fall into obligation with budget cuts to distinction music and maintenance departments, instigating Puente to lose his not wasteful. When Burns is later alter, Puente becomes one of grandeur prime suspects but manages get through to clear himself by performing individual of his songs for Leading Wiggum.

Seven alternative endings were filmed of various characters crucial Burns; Puente is one archetypal the alternates. Although all catastrophes were animated, the ending not later than Maggie Simpson shooting Burns was the ending chosen to shout.

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

References

Further reading

External links