Jazz Musician. He was born in Brooklyn (New York), the son of Puerto Rican immigrants, and died in Hackensack (New Jersey). He was one of the most profilic and influental Latin percussionists in the history of modern jazz and a pioneer of the salsa movement. He released nearly two dozen albums with the Fania label from the late-'60s until salsa's popularity peaked in the mid-1980's. His album Ricanstruction is considered a salsa classic.In 1989, he obtained a Grammy Award for his work Ritmo en el Corazón, with Celia Cruz. The last month, he was named Jazz Master in the National Endowment for the Arts. He was known as El Rey de las Manos Duras (the King of Hard Hands) for his style of playing the drums, very influenced for drummer Chano Pozo.
Jazz Musician. He was born in Brooklyn (New York), the son of Puerto Rican immigrants, and died in Hackensack (New Jersey). He was one of the most profilic and influental Latin percussionists in the history of modern jazz and a pioneer of the salsa movement. He released nearly two dozen albums with the Fania label from the late-'60s until salsa's popularity peaked in the mid-1980's. His album Ricanstruction is considered a salsa classic.In 1989, he obtained a Grammy Award for his work Ritmo en el Corazón, with Celia Cruz. The last month, he was named Jazz Master in the National Endowment for the Arts. He was known as El Rey de las Manos Duras (the King of Hard Hands) for his style of playing the drums, very influenced for drummer Chano Pozo.
Bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni
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