Took me a while to understand the difference between Pete “Boogaloo” Rodriguez and Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, and between pianists René Hernández (who arranged for Machito) and René “El Látigo” Hernández.
Here are short biographical descriptions to help distinguish among Latin musicians and bands with similar first names, surnames and nicknames.
Outstanding among books consulted were Frank M. Figueroa’s “Encyclopedia of Latin American Music in New York” (Pillar Pubs. 1994, St. Petersburg, Florida)
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Don Marino Barreto – Cuban (Matanzas) singer and bassist who moved to Italy in 1949 and had a number of pop hits there in the ’60s and ’70s.
Confusingly had a half brother of the same name who was also an emigre musician in Europe, they must have toured and recorded in France in the ’50s or ’60s as there is a 10 inch and LP from them on French labels.
Guillermo Barreto – Masterful Cuban trap drummer and timbalero, played in Antonio Romeu’s house band at the Tropicana in the 1940s. Recorded on Cachao’s Cuban Jam Sessions Descargas in 1957. Recorded advanced Jazz explorations with pianist Frank Emilio Flynn and Los Amigos in the 1960s and ‘70s in Cuba.
Ray Barretto – Famous Nuyorican percussionist (tumbadora) and bandleader. Began with Tito Puente in the late 1950s, led his own band beginning in the early 1960s. One of the icons of Latin music, his recordings are a key part of the Latin music canon. Central member of the Fania All Stars during the Salsa Era (early to mid 1970s). Sessioned on a number of Jazz recordings in the late 1950s and ‘60s, explored Jazz throughout his career.
Candido Camero – When you hear “Candido” it usually refers to Candido Camero, shaved-headed Cuban percussionist, generally known for his work on bongo. Played on a number of Jazz LPs through the late 1950s and 60s and made a handful of solo LPs.
Jose Candido Rodriguez – Puerto Rican Timbalero who played on Richie Ray’s early LPs (mid to late 1960s) and made two solo LPs (Palos de Fuego is one)
Conjunto Casino – Important and popular Cuban conjunto whose heyday was roughly the decade of the 1950s. Featured idol/singer Roberto Faz and percussionist Carlos ‘Patato’ Valdés.
Orquesta Casino de la Playa – Seminal Cuban jazz-style big band fronted by star singer Miguelito Valdés, exploded on the Antillean musical scene in 1937. Remained important through the mid to late 1940s after Valdés and pianist Anselmo Sacasas left for the United States – especially around 1943-44 when fronted by guarachero Orlando ‘Cascarita’ Guerra.
Chamaco Ramirez – Star singer for Tommy Olivencia’s Orquesta (Puerto Rico) beginning in the mid ‘60s through late ‘70s. Well-loved for his barrio style (and lifestyle) and improvisation as a sonero.
Chamaco Rivera – Puerto Rican singer, sang with Willie Rosario, Mike Hernandez and Cortijo in the ‘70s
Charanga – Cuban musical agrupation which generally uses violins and flute as opposed to the guitar/tres and trumpets combination of Son based groups. The late 19th century charangas played ballroom type genres such as waltzes and the Cuban danzón. Antonio Arcaño’s charanga of the late 1930s and 1940s added piano. Often confused with Pachanga, which was given its name by Cuban composer Eduardo Davidson, and its form and tempo (a pachanga is generally an uptempo Son Montuno) by Johnny Pacheco, Charlie Palmieri, Joe Quijano and Joe Cuba in New York Circa 1960-63. Batanga was a short-lived genre created by Bebo Valdés in the 1950s which used Batá drums in Mambo.
Luciano Chano Pozo – Iconic Cuban rumbero/ percussionist and composer sometimes credited with being co-founder, with Dizzy Gillespie, of Latin Jazz. Famously killed in over a marijuana deal as his hit “Manteca” was playing on a jukebox in New York City in 1948.
Chino Pozo – Cuban bongocero whose name appears on a number of recordings in New york City in the late 1940s and 1950s, played with Tito Puente’s first band at the Palladium in 1949. May or may not have been a cousin of Chano Pozo’s.
Chano Scotty – Argentine bandleader who made a couple of LPs in the boogaloo era (late 1960s)
Johnny Chano Martinez – Mexican- born, LA-based bandleader who released a couple of LPs in the late 1960s – early 1970s, including the well-received “A Bailar Señores” with singer Rudy Calzado.
Felix Chocolate Alfonso – Arsenio’s main tumbadora player throughout the 1940s, stayed on to play with Chappottin’s Conjunto through the early 1950s when Arsenio left for New York. Co-founded Conjunto Modelo, also in the early 1950s, and then formed Las Estrellas de Chocolate in the late 1950s. All of those being the most important Son Montuno Conjuntos in history, seminal to all the Latin dance music that would follow.
Rolando Alphonso – Haitian conguero who played in the Tropicana Big Band in the ‘50s, and on Bebo Valdés’ Andre’s All Stars record, one of the first recordings of modern Cuban Jazz, and on later seminal descarga recordings. Can’t tell if he is related to Roland Alphonso, the great Jamaican Sax player and bandleader? I do note that the Jamaican Alphonso was born in Cuba…
Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros – Cuban trumpet player who started with Arsenio’s Conjunto in the late 1940s (where he played with Chocolate Alfonso). Absolute icon of the Conjunto trumpet sound, as descended from the Son tradition. Moved to New York in the 1950s and made a number of recording appearances through the late 1960s. Recorded on Eddie Palmieri’s important recordings in the late 1960s, had a successful studio and solo career through the 1970s and early 1980s. Habla Choco!
Antonio Chocolate Diaz Mena – Cuban tumbadora player who appeared on a number of latin-jazz oriented recordings in New York in the early 1960s, especially “Eso es Latin Jazz, Man”, which he led, on the Audio Latino Label.
Johnny Colón – Nuyorican Boogaloo-era (late 1960s) bandleader and trombone player, composer of the hit Boogaloo Blues. Recorded a number of LPs through the early 1970s. Important figure in the boogaloo era.
Willie Colón – Nuyorican Trombone player. International Star and Salsa Icon. Began in his teens during the boogaloo era, recorded a number of canonical LPs with Héctor Lavoe through the mid 1970s, then had perhaps even greater success with singer/composer Ruben Blades in the late 1970s.
Gus Colón – Puerto Rican bandleader (Orchestra Colon)
Louie Colón – Nuyorican bandleader (Louie Colon y su Combo)
Santos Colón – “Santitos” singer with Tito Puente’s big band
Gilberto “El Pulpo” Colón – Nuyorican pianist who played early on with Rafi Val y La Diferente, later with Louie Ramirez, Justo Betancourt, Marty Galagarza y La Conquistadora, Joe Cuba, and Andy Harlow. In 1975 joins Héctor Lavoe as pianist and Musical Director until Lavoe’s untimely death in the early ‘80s.
Walfredo De Los Reyes, II. – Cuban trumpet player and singer with Orquesta Casino de la Playa in the late 1930s.
Walfredo De Los Reyes, III (Sr.). – Cuban drum and timbales player who led a number of important Cuban Jam Sessions recordings in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
René Hernández – “The Duke Ellington of Latin music”. Cuban pianist and arranger, played with Arsenio in the early 1940s. Critical to the development of the Mambo, which he and fellow arrangers Bebo Valdés and Damaso Pérez Prado had been tinkering with in the early to mid-1940s. Moved to New York in the mid ‘40s and played/arranged for Machito, then did the same for Tito Rodriguez in the early 1960s. By the early 1970s was living in Puerto Rico, arranged Eddie Palmieri’s grammy winning Sun of Latin Music LP in 1973.
René “El Látigo” Hernández – Well regarded Cuban pianist who played with Fajardo’s charanga in Cuba, moved to New York City in the early 1960s and played with Orquesta Broadway, among others.
Rafael Hernandez – Early (1920s-‘30s-‘40s) pillar of Afro-Antillean music in New York and elsewhere. Puerto Rican musician and composer of popular classics Lamento Borincano, Cachita, etc. lived for years in Cuba and Mexico. Often thought to have been Cuban due to his early and important contributions to the canon of Latin music.
Ismael Quintana – Puerto Rican singer, the voice of Eddie Palmieri’s Perfecta from roughly 1962-68. Among the Salsa Pantheon.
Ismael Miranda – Puerto Rican singer, recorded on Joey Pastrana’s early LPs (late 1960s) and then with Larry Harlow (early 1970s) before going on to a successful solo career. Nickname is “El Niño Bonito”.
Ismael Rivera – Puerto Rican singer, absolute idol throughout the Latin world. Came to fame with Cortijo y su Combo in the late 1950s and early 1960s, none less than Beny Moré gave him the mantle of “El Sonero Mayor”. Immediately recognizable voice, a true singer of the people.
Lucho Macedo – Peruvian pianist, recorded prolifically with his Sonora in the 1950s and 60s.
Lucho y sus Megatones – Venezuelan Orquesta that recorded in the early to mid 1960s.
Lucho Argain – singer with Colombia’s La Sonora Dinamita from 1960-63 and then again in the late 1970s.
Jose “Buyu” Mangual Sr. – Puerto Rican percussionist, Machito’s bongocero throughout the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. Key figure in Afro-Antillean percussion.
Jose Mangual Jr. – Buyu’s son, percussionist, composer and singer. Played bongo for Willie Colón’s band in the late 1960s and early 1970s. (also with La Protesta early 1970s). Successful bandleader in the late 1970s.
Bobby Marin – Puerto Rican American composer, producer and bandleader, sang english-language vocals and recorded a number of LPs in the late Boogaloo era (late 1960s). Part of a composing/arranging team with Louie Ramirez in the late 1960s early 1970s.
Richard Marin – Older brother of Bobby Marin. Unsung producer and A&R man dating from the early 1960s.
Orlando Marin – Puerto Rican American timbalero and bandleader. Underappreciated today, recorded a string of excellent and seminal LPs in the 1960s, was also a solid part of the live latin music scene in the same period.
Mongo Santamaria – Cuban tumbadora player, a key figure of Latin music on a global scale. Tended towards Jazzy Pop music, most famous for his R&B/funk oriented recordings of the early 1960s to early 1970s period.
Jose Monguito Santamaria – Mongo’s son, pianist and bandleader. Recorded a couple of highly regarded LPs in the Boogaloo era through the early 1970s.
Ramon Monguito Quian – Cuban singer, voice closely imitative of famed Conjunto-Era sonero Miguelito Cuni. Sang for Johnny Pacheco’s conjunto (early 1960s), recorded many LPs for Fania beginning in the mid to late 1960s. Important in a later wave of (re)popularization of Latin music in Africa beginning in the late 1970s.
Mario Papaito Munoz – bongocero for La Sonora Matancera in Cuba before the revolution and after in Mexico, had a successful solo career in the 1980s on the SAR label.
Enrique Papo Lucca – Puerto Rican pianist and arranger. Child prodigy, among the Salsa pantheon, leader of La Sonora Ponceña since the late 1960s.
Carlos Patato Valdés – Cuban percussionist (tumbadoras) and dancer. Appears on many Jazz and Latin Jazz recordings from the early 1950s on, sometimes listed as “Potato”. Credited (perhaps incorrectly) with developing the key-tuned conga drum, important figure in promulgating Latin Percussion in the US.
Pototo – A character developed by Cuban comedian “Tres Patines”, did a music/comedy LP with Melodias del 40 in Cuba in the 1950s.
Damaso Pérez Prado – World Famous Cuban Pianist and Arranger, played with Casino de la Playa in Cuba when Anselmo Sacasas and Miguelito Valdés leave for NYC. Moves to Mexico in the ‘40s (where he died) and creates international hits with vocals with AfroCuban colossus Beny Moré. Known somewhat controversially as “King of the Mambo.”
Pantaleon Pérez Prado – Damaso’s brother, who used his brother’s name while touring Europe and forced Damaso to sue him to enjoin him from using his name.
Ismael Rivera – Puerto Rican singer, Absolute idol throughout the Latin world. Came to fame with Cortijo y su Combo in the late 1950s and early 1960s, none less than Beny More gave him the mantle of “El Sonero Mayor”. Immediately recognizable voice. A true singer of the people, well publicized struggles with drugs, served time in prison in the US.
Hector Rivera – Puerto Rican pianist and arranger/composer in New York in the 1960s and 1970s. Underappreciated, arrangements appear on many key LPs, made a number of excellent LPs in his own name throughout the Pachanga, Boogaloo and Salsa periods.
Hector Rivera – Puerto Rican bass player with Pijuan y su Sexteto in Puerto Rico in the 1960s.
Hector Rivera – Nuyorican lead singer for the group Dax Pacem (early 1970s)
Mario Rivera – Dominican saxophone and flute player in New York from the late 1960s through the 1990s. A Latin Jazz monster.
Mon Rivera – Puerto Rican singer and multi-instrumentalist, key interpreter of Bomba and Plena forms in New York beginning in the mid 1950s. Established the trombone Conjunto sound just before Eddie Palmieri’s Perfecta (early 1960s).
Rey Roig – Excellent Cuban pianist and bandleader (composer) who led the Conjunto Sensacion in New York in the early 1960s (with vocalist Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez) and went on to record a number of solo LPs with his Orquesta through the mid 1970s.
Ralph Roig – Bandleader who did an LP on MGM Latino in early 1970s.
Bobby Rodriguez – Cuban bassist, pillar of Tito Puente’s big band since the 1950s. He and Cachao were the two heavyweights of Latin Bass in 1960s New York. Recorded on the Alegre All Stars sessions among many others.
Bobby Rodriguez – Puerto Rican saxophone player. Played with his brother Ray Rodriguez’s orchestra in the late 1960s, then led his own well-regarded band through the Salsa era (mid to late 1970s).
Ray Rodriguez – Puerto Rican bandleader, made a number of excellent LPs in the late boogaloo era (late 1960s).
Pete Rodriguez – Puerto Rican pianist and bandleader whose work with composer Tony Pabon during the Boogaloo era (mid to late 1960s) yielded the hits “I Like it Like That” and “Micaela”, among others. Often confused with singer Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez.
Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez – Puerto Rican singer, member of the Salsa Pantheon. Began singing (and playing bongos) in New York in the early 1960s, recorded with Rey Roig’s Conjunto Sensacion and then with Pacheco’s Conjunto. Key figure in the Fania All Stars beginning in the early 1970s. Often confused with Pete “Boogaloo” Rodriguez, but Pete “El Conde” was, in his own words, “Un Negro Sabroso”.
Willie Rodriguez – Puerto Rican percussionist in New York in the 1950s and ‘60s. Did a lot of jingle work and taught a lot of young percussionists.
Willie Rodriguez – Puerto Rican trumpet player and bandleader who recorded a number of hot LPs for the Fonseca and Mary Lou labels in the Boogaloo era, backed by Richie Ray’s band.
Willie Rodriguez – Puerto Rican pianist with Ernie Agosto’s Conspiracion in the early to mid 1970s.
Willie “El Baby” Rodriguez – Puerto Rican vocalist who sang with La Sonora Matancera and recorded an LP in his own name in the Boogaloo era.
Willie Rosario – Puerto Rican timbalero and bandleader. Important figure in the proto-salsa era (early to mid 1960s) and later in the salsa romantica era (1980s).
Cheo Rosario – Puerto Rican bandleader who recorded a couple of nice LPs for the Patty label in the late 1960s.
Felix del Rosario – underappreciated Dominican saxophone player, arranger and bandleader who released a number of LPs on the Kubaney and Borinquen labels from the early 1960s into the early 1970s.
Tito Puente – Puerto Rican American timbalero and bandleader. Global icon of Latin Music.
Tito Rodriguez – Puerto Rican singer and bandleader, competitor of Tito Puente’s during the Mambo era, later massively popular in Latin America, especially for his boleros recorded during the 1960s.
Johnny Rodriguez – Tito’s older brother, popular bandleader in the NY society scene in the ‘30s and ‘40s.
Tito Jimenez – Puerto Rican singer who appeared on Manny Corchado’s solo LP on Decca in the Boogaloo era.
Tito Contreras – Panamanian bolero and mambo singer with Armando Boza’s Big band in Panama in the 1940s and ‘50s.
Tino Contreras – Mexican Jazz Pianist in the 1950s and ‘60s.
“Professor” Joe Torres – Underrated Nuyorican Piano player who started with Bobby Valentin, and played with Orchestra Flamboyan and others before settling in with Willie Colón on all of the heavy recordings with Héctor Lavoe (and Ruben Blades) in the early to late ‘70s.
Joe Torres – Nuyorican timbalero who recorded a Jazz/Boogaloo solo LP “Latino Con Soul” for World Pacific records in 1967
Willie Torres – Excellent original lead singer for the Joe Cuba Sextet, also recorded with La Playa Sextet, a key part of the early boogaloo era singing in (hip) English and Spanish.
Joe Cuba – Was actually not the bandleader of the Joe Cuba sextet’s real name – he was Gil (Gilberto) Calderon, conguero.
Alfredo Valdés – Cuban singer (sonero), brother of Marcelino and Vicentico, who sang for Ignacio Pineiro’s seminal Septeto Nacional in the 1920s and ‘30s. Recorded sporadically through the 1960s, his name was sometimes written “Valdez”.
Alfredito Valdés Jr – Son of Alfredo Valdes, excellent pianist and arranger. Played with Arsenio in New York in the early 1960s, and continues recording to the present day.
Marcelino Valdés – Cuban timbalero, brother of Alfredo Sr. and Vicentico, appeared on recordings in New York (Tito Rodriguez) in the early 1960s.
Vicentico Valdés – Cuban singer, brother of Alfredo Sr. and Marcelino, who began singing in Cuba and Mexico in the 1940s. Moved to New York and sang with Tito Puente in the early 1950s, then solo in the late 1950s when he recorded with La Sonora Matancera. Well known throughout Latin America for his boleros.
Bebo Valdés – Hugely important Cuban pianist and arranger. Played in Antonio Romeu’s house band at the Tropicana in the 1940s and later became musical director. Co-developer of the Mambo, with other arrangers, in the Cuban music environment of the mid-1940s. Made the first Descarga recording in 1952, led his own big band in Cuba. Moved to Scandinavia during the revolution, won a grammy for his work with Diego Cigala in 2005.
Chucho Valdés – Son of Bebo Valdes, pianist. One of the best on the planet, at this writing.
Gilberto Valdez – Cuban bandleader, led one of the first charangas in the US in the late 1950s.
Miguelito Valdés – Cuban singer and percussionist, one of the first idols of the pan-Latin world. Began with Casino de la Playa in the late 1930s, went on to stardom in the US with Xavier Cugat, and solo, in the early 1940s. Starred in movies in the same period, lived in Mexico. The original Mr. Babalu, his style was almost wholly appropriated by Desi “Ricky Ricardo” Arnaz. Still well loved throughout Latin America. His name was sometimes written “Valdez”.
Carlos Patato Valdés – Cuban percussionist (tumbadoras) and dancer. See above under Patato.
Rolando Valdés – Cuban Timbalero and bandleader, his charanga Orquesta Sensacion in the late 1950s through 1960s was fronted by the great sonero Abelardo Barroso.