Oye Como Va! Tito Puente Centennial and Jazz Appreciation Month!

Thursday, Tito Puente will be celebrated during Lunch Time at the Oasis — and all day long! And wait — on Sunday, April 23 too!

Tito Puente (1923-2000) was a legendary Puerto Rican musician, composer, bandleader, and percussionist. He is widely regarded as the “King of Latin Music” and is known for his contributions to the development of Latin music in the United States and around the world.

Puente was born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents and grew up in a multicultural neighborhood where he was exposed to a variety of musical genres, including jazz, Afro-Cuban music, and Puerto Rican folk music. He began playing music at a young age and eventually became a skilled timbales player and bandleader.

Throughout his career, Puente recorded more than 100 albums and composed hundreds of songs, including “Oye Como Va,” which became a hit for Santana in the 1970s. He collaborated with many of the biggest names in Latin and jazz music, including Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, and Celia Cruz, and his music has been featured in numerous films and television shows.

Puente was also known for his dynamic live performances, and he continued to tour and record well into his seventies. He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to music, including five Grammy Awards and induction into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

Puente’s influence on Latin music and jazz cannot be overstated, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of musicians today.

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