Happy Birthday to Tito Puente! Nikki Giron
Tito Puente is known as the “King of Latin Jazz.”
Tito grew up in New York City’s Spanish Harlem and became a professional musician at age 13. He learned to play a number of instruments as a child, beginning with the piano and then moving to percussion, saxophone, vibraphone and timbales (paired high-pitched drums).
Tito was growing up during what is known as the “Jazz Age” in the middle of NYC and as many young kids, absorbing all the culture and the music like a sponge. He took music lessons as many musicians start, his start was on piano. “One of my most vivid memories is playing the Puerto Rican danza, ‘Mis Amores’ for my mother.” Says Puente.