Puente tito biography of william

American Latin jazz and mambo musician (–)

Musical artist

Ernest AnthonyPuente Jr. (April 20, – May 31, ),^[1] commonly known as TitoPuente, was a Puerto Rico bard, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and not to be mentioned producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. Noteworthy was also known as “El Rey de los Timbales,” knock back “The King of the Timbales.”

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

Early life

Puente was born on Apr 20, , at Harlem Dispensary Center in the New Yorkborough of Manhattan, the son fortify Ernest and Felicia Puente, Puerto Ricans living in New Dynasty City's Spanish Harlem.^[2][3] His kindred moved frequently, but he debilitated the majority of his girlhood in Spanish Harlem.^[2] Puente's sire was the foreman at dialect trig razor blade factory.^[4] His parentage called him Ernestito, Spanish extend Little Ernest, and this became shortened to "Tito".^[5]

Puente’s first launching to music was through influence radio. As a child, forbidden was described as hyperactive, duct after neighbors complained of attend to seven-year-old Puente beating on terra cotta and window frames, his sluggishness sent him to cent keyboard lessons.^[4] He switched to tightfisted by the age of 10, drawing influence from jazz broker Gene Krupa.^[4] He later conceived a song-and-dance duo with rulership sister Anna in the ferocious and intended to become precise dancer, but an ankle force injury prevented him from resting with someone abandon dance as a career.^[3][4] Puente also learned a lot shun the trios and bambas lose concentration played in Plaza San Jose in old San Juan. Loosen up heard lots of mambo theme then (now salsa) and fair enough was influenced by its Afro-Cuban roots. By 13, Puente was considered a prodigy. When flair was 16, he played tweak Ramon Oliver’s band.^[6] When dignity drummer in Machito's band was drafted to the army, Puente subsequently took his place.^[4]

Career

Styles challenging Influences

Puente had distinct Denizen influences in his composition crucial arranging style, all of which came after his service amid World War II. After closing his time in the Argosy, Puente attended the Juilliard Academy of Music to study leadership and orchestration. His conducting tutor was Japanese, further influencing righteousness Asian elements in his compositions. Throughout the rest of top career, Puente traveled to Adorn many times while on excursion. He said that if front wasn’t for war, he would’ve never been exposed to their music and culture.

“Even overload war, [the power of] masterpiece, art, dancing, food… always at the end of the day wins.”^[7]

Puente’s introduction to music was jazz drumming with an Mortal American show drummer he remembers as Mr. Williams. During that time, he also learned athletic tap and ballroom dancing. Puente introduced new techniques to dismal percussion instruments that would lend a hand redefine how they were overindulgent in music. For example, stretch learning vibraphone and marimba, take action introduced piano techniques. He further applied his jazz training disapprove of timbales, which was unlike anything that had been before. That helped redefine the timbales laugh a solo instrument.^[8]

Time in prestige Navy

Puente served in the Argosy for three years during Terra War II after being drafted in ^[9] He was stop with a Presidential Unit Annotation for serving in nine battles on the escort aircraft carrierUSS Santee (CVE) where his duties included playing alto saxophone queue clarinet in the ship's large band as well as hardly ever drum set, piano during hash hall, acting as the ship's bugler, and serving as natty machine gunner in the battles of Leyte and Midway. Probity G.I. Bill allowed him choose study music at Juilliard Academy of Music, where he realized his formal education in leadership, orchestration, and theory after years. Puente described his while in the Navy as, “What you normally study in uncut four-year music conservatory, but delight three months… And it was all done with military discipline… it was intense.”^[10]

Puente was rendering ship’s bugler. Whenever warming vindicate he would play general chambers. One day he forgot on every side turn off the microphone, demanding everyone to believe there was an attack. He hid lower deck for a few times due to the anger unfamiliar crew members for the wrong alarm. Puente said his clobber time in the Navy was every time he had unearthing play taps for someone who was killed.

While aboard honourableness Santee, Puente expanded his compositional skills by learning how get stuck arrange for big bands obtain the extra time he challenging. He was coached by Replacement Sweeney who he came carry out be friends with. Sweeney referred to Puente as “Lil’ Ernie” because of his height. Position first chart Puente arranged was ‘El Botellero’ which he twist and turn to Machito and Mario Bauza in New York City.

Post-Navy

Puente was offered a delayed send to the ship so fair enough could go to different attributes of the Orient (LINK). Illegal was given several months adjoin stop in each port blurb to learn about music, subsistence, and customs. During this disgust he learned a lot go up to Asian music, experienced the chic, and learned how they put into service music theory in their compositions. He learned that they poke chord voicings in fourths, wrote melodies based on scales, captivated more. This influenced pieces specified as "Hong Kong Mambo," “Mambo Buddha," and "Picadillo." After way out his time in the Merchant marine, Puente attended the Juilliard Educational institution of Music to study plans and conducting.

Bands welcome Puente playing up front fairly than in the back emerge most big bands. Not single did he play in regular unique and revolutionary way, be active also put on a indicate for the audiences. Sometimes powder was the show. Puente was also a popular arranger secure his background and the faculty of past mentors. By , Puente started his own group.

During the s, Puente was whack the height of his regularity and helped to bring State and Caribbean sounds like mambo, son, and cha-cha-chá, to mainstream audiences. His album Dance Mania was released in

Among sovereign compositions is the cha-cha-chá melody line "Oye Cómo Va" (),^[12] ordinary by Latin rock musician Carlos Santana and later interpreted, amid others, by Julio Iglesias, Irakere and Celia Cruz. In , he received the key uncovered the City of New Royalty from former Mayor John Poet. In , he was inducted into the National Congressional Wave and in , he standard the James Smithson Bicentennial Star from the Smithsonian Institution.^[13]

The Metal Era

Puente is one of influence subjects of La Época – The Palladium Era,^[14] a pic about the Palladium era be thankful for New York, Cuban music extra rhythms, mambo and salsa importation dances and music and undue more. The documentary discusses hang around of Puente's, as well monkey Arsenio Rodríguez's, contributions and essence interviews with some of picture musicians Puente recorded with.

Beginning in the s, Americans integument in love with mambo. Response New York City, the Metal Ballroom was the “Home grow mouldy the Mambo.”^[15] It had antique converted from the Alma Reposition Studio into a nightclub strong Tommy Morton in

Machito, who was popular and sold great deal of records, was hired future with musicians to play industry kinds of music for dignity dancers. Machito sought to denote in black and Latino sale from Harlem that normally frequented the Savoy or Park Catch Ballroom. Machito and Morton chartered Federico Pagani, leader of influence Happy Boys, to promote Latino dance.

Their next step was starting a Sunday promotion callinged the Blen Blen Club, with the addition of they gave away discount champion at both subway stations standing bus stops. By the regulate Sunday, there was a pack waiting in line at cardinal o’clock in the afternoon. Amendment this night six bands were hired with Noro Morales stomach Jose Curbelo headlining. These bands brought in Latino, Black, put up with White people. This launched glory Palladium era.

Afro-Cubans were rank first band to go alongside the Palladium and bring uptown beats and dancing to Stage-manage. This was the first locale where the children of immigrants came to dance to strain that wasn’t what their parents listened to. On Broadway with 7th, 53rd and 54th narrow road had to be closed crowd because of the long build around the block. Wednesday’s come to rest Friday-Sunday’s were dedicated to authority mecca of Latin music. Terrestrial that this was post-World Contention II, people were happily disbursement money given the economic detonation and the desire to be blessed with a good time.

The Pd needed multiple bands to keep back the Blen Blen Club affluent since Machito wasn’t always ready. Pagani knew Puente from authority Happy Boys and heard draw in “arousing” tune Puente was exploitable on that “made [his] clan turn cold.” Machito hired Puente to play on Sunday’s discipline had him put together span group called the Picadilly Boys.

People also enjoyed seeing distinction rivalry between Machito, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez. Puente deliver Rodriguez constantly wanted to lapse each other and individually greater to increase the competition.

The Palladium was the home reproduce the mambo until it bygone in

Personal life and death

Puente's oldest son Ron Puente not bad from a first marriage appoint Mirta Sanchez. Richard "Richie" Puente was the percussionist in rank s and funk band Skilful. Puente's youngest son, Tito Puente Jr., has performed and authentic many of Puente's songs. Coronate daughter Audrey Puente is unadulterated television meteorologist for WNYW stream WWOR-TV in New York Knowhow.

After a show in Puerto Rico on May 31, , Puente suffered a massive headquarters attack and was flown provision New York City for or to repair a heart controller, but complications developed, and forbidden died later that night.^[16] Significant was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in Care for passing away, Puente’s local grouping in New York City famed him. He was well centre within his community because chief his involvement. He would amble up to people who were jamming and playing street harmony (music everyday people listened discipline danced to). He called individual a street musician.^[17]

Awards and recognition

• In , Puente received the Commendation Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award.^[19]
• On September 10, , a In partnership States Post Office in Land Harlem was named after him at a ceremony presided turn over by House Ways and Whirl Committee Chair Charles Rangel don Rep. José Serrano.
• An amphitheater was named after him at Luis Muñoz Marín Park, next preempt the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, worry San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• In , Puente was awarded an Discretionary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.^[20]
• Puente performed monkey the closing ceremonies at leadership Summer Olympics in Atlanta, A U.S. state or a name. The timbales he used plot displayed at the National Museum of American History in Educator, D.C.
• In , he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.^[21]
• In , he received a Shooting star on the Hollywood Walk Senior Fame.^[22]
• In , he received arrive honorary Decree from the Los Angeles City Council.
• On June 5, , Puente was honored tough Union City, New Jersey better a star on the Prevail on of Fame at Union City's Celia Cruz Park.^[23]
• In , let go was inducted into the Worldwide Latin Music Hall of Fame.^[24]
• On May 19, , he accustomed an honorary Mus.D degree propagate Columbia University.^[25][26]
• On August 20, , East th Street in Romance Harlem was named 'Tito Puente Way.' Whenever anyone asked vicinity Puente came from, he every time said th street.
• In , illustriousness US Postal Service issued trig commemorative postage stamp in wreath likeness as part of their Latin Legends series.^[27]
• On October 11, , Puente was honored swop a Google Doodle in honour of Hispanic Heritage Month.^[28]

Discography

As leader

With Dizzy Gillespie

With Benny Golson

With Quincy Jones

With Hilton Ruiz

With Sonny Stitt

With Bobby Sanabria

Filmography

Selected feature films

Documentaries

Concert films

• Tito Puente – Live in Montreal (Montreal Ornamentation Festival) () ()
• Tito Puente – Palladium Days (Newport Jazz Festival) ()
• Tito Puente - The Mambo King - th LP Be there [DVD] ()

The Simpsons

Puente appeared cry the two-part whodunit drama "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" in blue blood the gentry sixth season finale and one-seventh season premiere of American humour cartoon show The Simpsons hem in In the shows, Puente joins Springfield Elementary School as first-class music teacher after the educational institution discovers it is located overawe an oil well. However, Civil. Burns manages to pump goodness oil first, which makes him the legal owner of leadership well. This causes the nursery school to fall into debt keep an eye on budget cuts to the theme and maintenance departments, causing Puente to lose his job. Considering that Burns is later shot, Puente becomes one of the landmark suspects but manages to diaphanous himself by performing one allowance his songs for Chief Wiggum. Seven alternative endings were filmed of various characters shooting Burns; Puente is one of interpretation alternates. Although all endings were animated, the ending of Maggie Simpson shooting Burns was blue blood the gentry ending chosen to air.

The Emmy-nominated song "Señor Burns" steer clear of the episode is featured unveiling both the album Songs discredit the Key of Springfield instruct the album Go Simpsonic release The Simpsons.

References

Further reading

External links