Why is Google celebrating Tito Puente?
Tito Puente (born 1923) is widely regarded as the godfather of Latin jazz and salsa, having dedicated more than six decades of his life to performing Latin music and establishing himself as a masterful percussionist. Puente’s prolific output includes over 100 albums recorded between 1949 and 1994 and is known for fusing Latin American rhythms…
Tito Puente (born 1923) is widely regarded as the godfather of Latin jazz and salsa, having dedicated more than six decades of his life to performing Latin music and establishing himself as a masterful percussionist. Puente’s prolific output includes over 100 albums recorded between 1949 and 1994 and is known for fusing Latin American rhythms with contemporary jazz and big band music. Tito Puente was born in New York City’s Spanish Harlem in 1923, where the fusion of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puerto Rican music contributed to the development of salsa music (the Spanish word for “spice” and “sauce” is salsa). Puente was ten years old when Tito Puente began performing with local Latin bands at neighbourhood gatherings, society parties, and New York City hotels.
Puente began performing as a young boy with a local band called Los Happy Boys at New York City’s Park Place Hotel, and by the age of 13, his family, neighbours, and fellow band members considered him a child prodigy. Tito Puente joined Noro Morales and the Machito Orchestra as a teenager. Puente was drafted into the Navy at the age of 19 in 1942 to fight in World War II, resulting in a three-year hiatus from music.
Why is Google celebrating Tito Puente?
To commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, Google Doodle honours Tito Puente’s contributions to music by featuring his life and works. Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual event in the United States that takes place from September 15 to October 15.
