El Gran Combo

El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, founded in May 1962 by Rafael Ithier, emerged from the dissolution of Rafael Cortijo’s “Cortijo y su Combo.” Initially formed to back Dominican merengue singer Joseíto Mateo for a Gema recording label album, the group quickly established its own identity. Ithier, along with former Cortijo y su Combo musicians, recorded their first album, “Menéame Los Mangos, El Gran Combo con Joseito Mateo,” which achieved success in New York City, Panama, and Puerto Rico. This early period saw the recruitment of singers Daniel Vázquez, Pellín Rodríguez, and Chiquitín García, followed by Andy Montañez. The group gained early exposure as in-studio musicians for the Puerto Rican television show “La Taberna India.”

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, El Gran Combo solidified its status in the salsa world. After their contract with Gema Records was not renewed in 1970, they established their independent label, Combo Records (also known as EGC Records), releasing “Estamos Primeros” the same year. Key musical developments included the addition of the trombone in 1971 and significant lineup changes, such as Charlie Aponte replacing Pellín Rodríguez in 1972 and Jerry Rivas joining in 1977 after Andy Montañez’s departure. A notable milestone was their 1973 performance at Yankee Stadium, opening for the Fania All-Stars. The orchestra’s albums, including “International” (1977) and “En Las Vegas” (1978), achieved gold record status, demonstrating their continued commercial and critical success.

Continuing into the new millennium, El Gran Combo received significant accolades, including induction into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. They celebrated their 40th anniversary with two sold-out concerts in 2002 and their 50th anniversary in 2012 with a grand world tour. Recent years have seen further lineup changes and honors, such as the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and the ASCAP Latin Heritage Award two years later. Despite evolving personnel, including the retirement of founding member Eddie “La Bala” Perez in 2013, Charlie Aponte in 2014, and Luis “Papo” Rosario in 2019, El Gran Combo continues to perform and tour, maintaining their legacy as “The University of Salsa” and influencing generations of musicians and fans.