Rafael ithier 2024
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Bandleader, pianist, composer, arranger and music director, Rafael Ithier is a legend in the history of salsa music for more than 40 years. Born on August 29, 1926 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, he is best known as the leader of El Gran Combo; an institution in Puerto Rican music history.
A talented, self-taught pianist, Ithier described himself, saying, "Ever since my childhood, music was my love. I never studied how to play any instrument. I am practically self-learned, an innate musician, because music comes easy to me. It takes me a month to learn what normally it takes someone else to learn in a year. And since I take it to a practical level because I work so often, it's been easy for me to learn."
Ithier's professional career as a musician started when he was 18 years old with s small band called Conjunto Lucerito, then other similar bands. But his career flowered as a member of the Conjunto Taone formed and led by Faustino "Tito" Henriquez. During active duty in the United States Army, he formed a band that remained active until 1955.
Ithier was first noted in music
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Rafael Ithier
Puerto Rican musician
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ithier and the second or maternal family name is Nadal.
Musical artist
Rafael Ithier Natal[1] (born August 29, 1926) is a Puerto Rican salsa musician and the founder of the highly successful orchestra El Gran Combo.[2] Ithier was born in Río Piedras, now a part of the municipality of San Juan.[3]
In 2016, Ithier celebrated his 90th birthday and was interviewed by a news outlet in Puerto Rico about his contributions to Puerto Rican music.[4]
Early years
Raised in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, he showed a passion for music at a very young age. His father was Nicolas Ithier and his mother Mérida Natal. His uncle, Salvador Ithier, played music together with Rafael Hernández, another of Puerto Rico's music legends. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War.[4] While stationed in Korea he formed a music group entitled the Los Borinquena Mambo Boys.[5]
Musical career
Ithier Nadal bec
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Rafael Ithier
Rafael Ithier Nadal (born August 29, 1926) is a Puerto Rican salsa musician and the founder of the highly successful orchestra El Gran Combo. Ithier was born in Río Piedras, now a part of the municipality of San Juan. In 2016, Ithier celebrated his 90th birthday and was interviewed by a news outlet in Puerto Rico about his contributions to Puerto Rican music.
Early years
Raised in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, he showed a passion for music at a very young age. His father, Nicolas Ithier, played music together with Rafael Hernández, another of Puerto Rico's music legends. He served in the U.S. military.
Musical career
Ithier Nadal became an expert guitarist in the bolero genre, and he was a member of the Tito Henriquez group, Taone. His sister Esperanza later inspired him to learn how to play the piano.
Ithier Nadal and his namesake, Rafael Cortijo, knew each other and formed a friendship at an early age; rumors of animosity would later surface but they both denied it, saying they considered themselves to be "like brothers." Ithier Nadal joined Cortijo's
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