{"id":7022,"date":"2017-04-12T09:04:06","date_gmt":"2017-04-12T13:04:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/?p=7022"},"modified":"2023-06-07T08:27:16","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T12:27:16","slug":"history-el-gran-combo-introduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/2017\/04\/12\/history-el-gran-combo-introduction\/","title":{"rendered":"History of El Gran Combo: Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"

It all began on May 26, 1962, when musicians defecting the troubled Combo of timbalero-bandleader Rafael Cortijo decided to form a new band, a new “combo”, which they would name El Gran Combo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the story of one of the most illustrious musical ensembles in the history of Salsa music is not as simple as that. It has a lot of twists and turns, ups and downs, successes and failures. And to get El Gran Combo through all of this, they relied on their leader. One that unlike the leaders of most bands, did not decide to form a band and recruit his friends. Instead, he was selected as leader by his peers.<\/p>\n

This event alone would shape the culture of the band. It could be argued to be one of the most important elements on the band’s continued success and longevity.<\/p>\n

In this blog series, I’ll be sharing with you my knowledge on the history of the band that is called (perhaps self-proclaimed) the “University of Salsa”, per their 1983 album of that name. Recently, El Gran Combo celebrated 55 years of continued and active success in our Latin American songbook.<\/p>\n

Music Scene in 1962<\/h3>\n

A good place to start is to give you a good framework of what was going on at the time. By 1962, Cortijo y Su Combo<\/a> had built a strong international reputation. Cortijo’s Combo was acclaimed everywhere in Latin America and by Latinos in the United States.<\/p>\n

Rafael Cortijo had been a member of “El Combo” directed by Mario Roman. Cortijo took the helm of Roman’s “Combo” in 1955. Upon becoming bandleader, he immediately hired his longtime friend Ismael Rivera as lead singer. What is known today as Salsa music was still not conceived in the mid to late 50s or beginning of the 60s. However, it was just around the corner.<\/p>\n

\"Charlie
Charlie Palmieri, a steady at the famous Palladium Ballroom in NYC, recorded mostly Pachanga’s and Cha Cha’s in his 1962 album “Viva Palmieri”.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The craze in New York was the Pachanga and the Charanga. Tito Rodriguez’s band and Charlie Palmieri y su Charanga La Duboney, two of the main bands at the Palladium, were hitting all cylinders on these. Tito Puente also was into the Pachanga. However, he also kept playing his Afro-Cuban jazz, just like his mentor Machito did. Machito and His Afro-Cubans continued to cultivate the Guaracha, besides his innovative Afro-Cuban jazz.<\/p>\n

In Cuba, Benny Mor\u00e9 was the king with his big band, even under the tight grip of Fidel Castro’s 3-year-old revolution. Meanwhile, La Sonora Matancera left Cuba with Celia Cruz and established themselves in New York. They arrived there after spending a couple of years in Mexico, as their first stop in defecting from Castro’s dictatorship.<\/p>\n

In the United States, Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno and the West Side Story movie won Oscars for Best Supporting Actress and Best Picture respectively.<\/p>\n

Other Things Happening in 1962<\/h3>\n

Talking about movies, in Puerto Rico singer and songwriter Bobby Cap\u00f3 participated in the local production of “Romance en Puerto Rico” with comedian Jose Miguel Agrelot, who had the Coliseum of Puerto Rico named after him, and where today’s top artists and acts perform.<\/p>\n

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Alfred D’ Herger led “La Nueva Ola” movement in Puerto Rico, with singers like Julio Angel, Lucecita, and Chucho.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To round up the scene of 1962, Luis Mu\u00f1oz Mar\u00edn (whom the San Juan international airport is named after) was entering the second half of his last term as governor of Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a new baseball stadium was inaugurated in San Juan. It was named after the first Puerto Rican to play in the Big Leagues, pitcher Hiram Bithorn.<\/p>\n

The new stadium had followed the joy Puerto Ricans and all Latinos felt when Roberto Clemente won his first of four National League batting titles a few months earlier in 1961.<\/p>\n

Puerto Rico Music Scene in 1962<\/h3>\n

But let’s get back to music. Alfred D’ Herger and his “Nueva Ola” movement were taking top billing in TV shows and radio airwaves in Puerto Rico. He did this by recruiting young-talented artists like Chucho Avellanet, Yolandita Monge, Lucecita Benitez, and Ednita Nazario among others.<\/p>\n

The music of guitar trios was still very popular. Felipe Rodriguez y sus Antares were constantly playing in jukeboxes around the island. Other trios played in the Caribe Hilton, the Hotel Normandie, and the Escambron Beach Club. The latter was celebrating 30 years as the main music venue in Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Cortijo y su Combo was riding the wave of their greatest hit, “Qu\u00edtate de la v\u00eda Perico”, released in 1961. They were the house band for the popular TV show “La Taberna India”. The show was seen in black and white since color TV wouldn’t become widely available until the mid to late 60s. Cortijo’s Combo was enjoying great success with their formula of Guarachas combined with a heavy dose of Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena.<\/p>\n

Here’s a video of Cortijo y Su Combo with Ismael Rivera signing “Qu\u00edtate de la v\u00eda Perico”.<\/p>\n