Rafael Cortijo

Rafael Cortijo ( born January 11, 1928 in Santurce, Puerto Rico; † 3 October 1982) was a Puerto Rican salsa musician, bandleader and composer.

Career

As a child, Cortijo was interested in Afro-Caribbean music and learned from Plena musicians playing congas us other rhythm instruments. Rafael Cortijo grew up with Ismael Rivera in the district of Villa Palmeras in Santurce on, the two played together on the Fiestas Patronales in all of Puerto Rico. After Cortijo played for some time in Rivera's Orquester, he founded his first band Plena with trumpet and saxophone players. Rafael Cortijo became acquainted with his music throughout Latin America, which stemmed, inter alia, by the special sound of his percussion. In Monterrey, Mexico, he became a member of the Conjunto Monterrey. He also worked for a radio station and was with Daniel Santos Orchestra on tour. In 1954 he became a member of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, after the manager Mario Roman withdrew. Cortijo took over the management. In the band El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, he met his old friends Sammy Ayala and Rafael Ithier who took the music of Rafael Cortijo for their model. 1955 also met with Ismael Rivera to this band. In the period 1955-1960 El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico played in the TV show, " La Taberna India". 1962, dissolved the Orquester after Ismael Rivera was arrested in Panama for drug possession. Later it became known that other band members had committed an offense of illegal possession of drugs and drug smuggling. Rafael Ithier decided after these incidents for a start-up of the EGC. Later Cortijo founded with his niece Fe Cortijo combo " El Bonche " to Fe Cortijo began a solo career. After the failure of this project Rafael Cortijo became insolvent. Cortijo and Rivera emigrated to New York City, to Cortijo returned to Puerto Rico after a time. Tite Curet Alonso, the composer produced a comeback album with the outdated salsa star. 1974 played EGC for Coco Records back together in the old cast. Cortijo died in 1982 of pancreatic cancer.

Notes and References

  • Puerto Rican musicians
  • Salsa musicians
  • Born in 1928
  • Died in 1982
  • Man
October 3
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