El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico

In San Juan in 1962, pianist Rafael Ithier formed El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, an orchestra that extended Puerto Rico's tradition of large dance ensembles by combining it with the emerging salsa. El Gran Combo built a repertoire rooted in Cuban son, guaracha, plena, bolero and orchestral salsa, featuring tight brass arrangements, a flexible rhythmic section and vocal work based on alternating soloists and choirs. The group's history notably includes the voices of Andy Montañez, present during the early years, followed by Charlie Aponte and Jerry Rivas, while Rafael Ithier remained its long-term musical director. Active since the 1960s, El Gran Combo established itself in dance circuits, performance halls and Latin-Caribbean stages before expanding its international presence. Its trajectory demonstrates the continuity of a collective orchestra that changed personnel over the decades without breaking with a musical identity centered on dance, choral refrains and ensemble precision.