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Tito Rodriguez

Tito Rodriguez - vocalist, percussionist, composer, bandleader (1923 - 1973)

Tito Rodriguez in the 1950’s through ‘60’s was a smooth voiced Latin nightclub crooner, who reigned over the radio and record charts geared toward the Puerto Rican community both in New York and on the island, where his music is still very popular. His popularity then grew broader and reached into all of Latin America. His distinct, resonant voice floated crystal-clear above the dense sound of his large orchestra, which was the best in its day. He is still revered as an uptempo sonero and a romantic singer who influenced the wave of salsa singers that followed.

Pablo “Tito” Rodriguez was born on 4 January 1923, in Santurce, Puerto Rico. His father was from the Dominican Republic and his mother from Cuba. At 13 he was part of El Conjunto Industries Nativas under the direction of Ladi-Ladislao Martinez and making guest appearances on Radio WKAQ, the premier radio station in Puerto Rico at the time.

At the age of 16 he played maracas and sang second voice with Cuarteto Mayari before relocating to New York to live with his older brother Johnny who had moved there in 1935. A popular vocalist and composer, Johnny had formed his own trio in 1940.

Tito’s first job in New York City was with the Cuarteto Caney. After brief stints with Enric Madriguera and Xavier Cugat as a singer and bongo player; a year in the US Army was followed by a job singing with Noro Morales. “El Dinamico Tito Rodriguez,” was a reissue of a Morales collection with Rodriguez.

In 1946 Cuban pianist and composer Curbelo recruited Rodr�-guez and Tito Puente (on timbales) to his band, which became an incubator for the future New York mambo sound. Recordings made by Curbelo’s band during the two years that Rodriguez was with him were later compiled on “Los Reyes Del Mambo.” In 1946, while Curbelo’s band was appearing at the China Doll nightclub, Rodriguez met a Japanese American chorus girl called Tobi Kei, whom he married a few months later.

In February 1947, while he was still with Curbelo, Rodr�-guez participated in a recording session by Chano Pozo for Gabriel Oller’s SMC label, which included the Machito band, Arsenio Rodriguez and Miguelito Valdes.

After leading a short-lived quintet, which he formed in late 1947, Rodr�-guez organized a trumpet conjunto called the Mambo Devils in 1948. He recorded eight tunes for with the band on the SMC label. Four of those were arranged by Tito Puente, who went on to become his musical competitor. Rodriguez later expanded his outfit to a big band, which he led until 1965.

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Tito Rodriguez: Mambo Madness

Tito Rodriguez: Mambo Madness

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

From 1974 to the early 1980s, disco ruled the clubs. But in the late 1940s and 1950s, the dance that was significantly more pervasive and influential was the mambo. From the start, the mambo's popularity was based on the imagery the music stirred up. The mambo was the music of elite Havana vacations and exotic drinks while the dance gave women a certain freedom from being led by male partners, since the mambo was a sensual blend of freestyle and ...

Manny Cepeda
composer / conductor

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