Bassist and trumpeter Bobby Valentin contributed greatly to the Fania All-Stars during the '70s (he was their principle arranger) and recorded numerous solo albums during the period, moving from boogaloo and Latin soul into salsa as his career progressed. Born in Puerto Rico in 1941, Valentin was taught guitar by his father before he even... [+] Read More

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The older brother of Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri was every bit as gifted a pianist as his sibling, very percussive and responsive to rhythm while also flashing florid passages that were clearly the product of a classical education. His piano studies began at seven and he attended the Juilliard School of Music, turning pro at 16. He started... [+] Read More

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Best known for his groundbreaking tenure fronting the new wave group Talking Heads, David Byrne's solo work, while not as successful, was no less adventurous, encroaching upon such diverse media as world music, filmmaking, and performance art. Born May 14, 1952, in Dumbarton, Scotland, Byrne was raised in Baltimore, MD. The son of an electronics... [+] Read More

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A highly emotive approach to Latin music has led to Puerto Rico-born and Bronx, New York-raised India (born Linda Viera Caballero) being dubbed, "The Princess of Salsa." Her 1994 album, Dicen Que Soy, spent months on the Latin charts. According to Jazz Times, "[India] belts, she growls, she croons. She's a huge talent." Although her 1989 debut... [+] Read More

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Many of the top Cuban jazz musicians have played in Irakere during the past several decades, including altoist Paquito D'Rivera and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval (before both individually defected). Pianist Chucho Valdes has been the orchestra's longtime leader, and its music ranges from Latin jazz and bop to Cuban folk melodies, with an emphasis on... [+] Read More

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Relocated to New York during the late '40s, Johnny Pacheco learned to play sax, percussion and flute in high school. In September 1959, he left Charlie Palmieri's flute and strings orchestra to organize his own. With his first recording, Pacheco y su Charanga, released by Alegre Records in 1961, Pacheco changed the sound of music throughout... [+] Read More

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Was infuenced by father Buddy Kahn Harlow, a bassist. Began piano studies at age five. Wanted to be a jazz pianist until he first heard the mambo while attending Music and Art High School during the early 1950s. During the 1964 Flushing Queens World's Fair, Harlow played piano for Johnny Pacheco's conjunto before creating the Larry Harlow... [+] Read More

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Ray organized his octet in 1963. He was considered a virtuoso pianist, music arranger, and composer, whose band enjoyed tremendous drawing power and was among the best sellers in the '60s and '70s. ~ Max Salazar, All Music Guide

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Rubén Blades is one of the most successful vocalists in the history of Panamanian music. A former member of bands led by Ray Baretto and Willie Colón, Blades has continued to influence salsa music with his highly literate, politically tinged lyrics and his modern-minded arrangements, which substitute the usual horn and Latin percussion sections... [+] Read More

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