El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico

El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, formed in San Juan in 1962 by pianist and bandleader Rafael Ithier, carries the Puerto Rican big-band dance tradition into salsa. Their sound draws on son cubano, guaracha, plena, bolero and orchestral salsa: tight horn voicings, a supple rhythm section, and vocals that move between soloists and coro in call-and-response. Through the eras of Andy Montañez, then Charlie Aponte and Jerry Rivas, the lineup has shifted while keeping a clear ensemble identity shaped for dancers.

On June 29, 2026 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier in Montreal, the orchestra brings a set built on clave, tumbaos and brass lines that strike in unison. The repertoire spans decades, from early staples to extended montunos, with coro hooks and pregones at the center. Under Ithier’s musical direction, precision in the arrangements meets an easy swing in the percussion, letting congas, timbales and bass lock the groove while the horns cut across. A concert rooted in Puerto Rican salsa, open to the wider Caribbean pulse, and played by an ensemble that treats collective timing as its lead voice.