More Than A Hundred Albums Later, Tito Puente Is Still Going Strong.
By Dave McElfresh
LUCKY FOR THE music world, a torn ankle tendon meant that
the young Tito Puente had to give up an anticipated dancing career.
Had he not, the stateside influence of Latin music would've been
greatly diminished. (For starters, Carlos Santana would've gone
without his career-boosting hit, "Oye Como Va," a Puente
composition.)
So whaddya do when you can no longer trip the light fantastic?
In Puente's case, he learned to play timbales, congas, bongos,
saxophone, piano and vibes. He also studied music at Julliard
under the G.I. Bill, following his WWII service. Big band music