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Artist
Rafael Cortijo
12+ albums
latinsalsaboleropuerto rico
about
Rafael Cortijo DATE OF BIRTH: December 11, 1928 PLACE OF BIRTH: Parada 21, Santurce, Puerto Rico DEATH: October 3, 1982 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Rafael Cortijo was a Puerto Rican Percusionist, Composer, Director musician and orchestra leader. In the dictionary of the Afroantillana music, the name of Rafael Cortijo is synonymous of legend. One of its figures summits and more venerated. Leader of one of the most admired rhythmic organizations during the second half of the 20th Century: Cortijo and Su Combo. Master of the Caribbean drum. Inspired by two generations of rumba and Puerto Rican cultists. This unrepeatable character, of very humble origin, was the son of Juan Cortijo Clemente and Juan Verdejo, who also procreated Francisco, Cecilia, Rosa and Gilberto. It counted 11 years when the trumpeter Paulino Flores introduced it to the fascinating universe of the Caribbean music teaching him elementary in the execution of the bongo. From now on, without a master, he learned to play the timbal, the tumbadoras - or congas - and some guitar chords. At 14 he undertook its musical race joining, like bongosero, to the Joint Soustache Sisters (1943-1944). Later (1944-1947) it appeared in the Set Monterrey, of Monchito Muley and Juan Palm "Mentoquín". During the period 1947-1953 he worked alternately with the orchestras of Frank Wood, Armando Castro, Augusto Coen and Miguelito Miranda, as well as Sonora Boricua by Daniel Santos and the accompanying ensembles of Bobby Capó, Myrta S
