El Gran Combo highlights Ithier as the “architect of a sound that marked generations”

San Juan.- The Gran Combo de Puerto Rico recognized this Sunday Rafael Ithier, one of its founders and musical director, who passed away on Saturday night at the age of 99, as the “architect of a sound that marked generations”.

“With deep sorrow we confirm the passing of our founder, maestro and musical patriarch, Don Rafael Ithier Natal,” the group expressed in a press release posted on its official Facebook account.

“Today we say goodbye not only to a great musician, but to the architect of a sound that marked generations, a leader whose discipline, vision and love for salsa forged the history of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Latin music in the world,” highlighted its members in the note.

The orchestra, in turn, thanked “the countless displays of solidarity, affection and respect that we have received” since the news of Ithier’s death on Saturday night due to health complications. “Every message, every memory and every expression of support has been a hug for all of us in this moment of deep pain,” the band stated. In turn, they highlighted that “Ithier’s legacy” will “remain intact”, alive and eternal on every stage, in every note and in every heart that once danced, sang or was moved by his music.” “Your story continues,” the orchestra assured. Ithier first dreamed of becoming a baseball player, but music took over his life and at age 14 he joined the group El Hawaiano, with whom he earned four dollars a night, a lot of money at that time, according to his words. Such was his passion for music that Ithier dismissed the possibility of pursuing university studies in business administration and law, joining Cortijo’s Combo in 1954, directed by Rafael Cortijo. “I used to play the piano. What we played was guaracha and plena. Salsa? Forget about it,” Ithier recalled to EFE on one occasion, who, like Cortijo, learned to play his instrument in a self-taught manner.

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They formed the Rafael Cortijo Combo in the early fifties, in addition to Ithier, the singer Ismael Rivera, better known as ‘El sonero mayor’, Martín Quiñones, Miguel Cruz and Sammy Ayala. After several personal problems with the group, “Ithier decided to separate from it in 1962” and founded, along with the deceased Martín Quiñones and Eddie ‘La Bala’ Pérez, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, also known as ‘Los mulatos del sabor’ or ‘The university of salsa’. Some of the group’s greatest hits are ‘Brujería’, ‘Ojos chinos’, ‘Timbalero’, ‘No hay cama pa’ tanta gente’, ‘Me liberé’, ‘Un verano en Nueva York’, ‘Trampolín’, ‘Y no hago más na’, ‘Arroz con habichuela’, ‘Sin salsa no hay paraíso’, ‘Achilipú’ and ‘Así son’. The Gran Combo has received several tributes on the National Salsa Day of Puerto Rico, including in the years 1985 and 2014, when the attendance record of the show was broken with 40,000 people.