El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico

Led by pianist and musical director Rafael Ithier, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico is one of Puerto Rico’s greatest dance bands.

Decades after its inception, the 13-piece salsa group continues to inspire dancers with its horn-punctuated Latin rhythms and lush vocal harmonies. Officially named “Ambassadors of Our Music” by the Puerto Rican Senate, El Gran Combo’s many hits include such classics as “El Menu” and “Timablero.” Their 1978 album, En Las Vegas, sold more than one million copies, while its follow-up, In Alaska: Breaking the Ice, was nominated for a Grammy Award.^®

A longtime member of popular Latin band Cortijo y Su Combo, Ithier formed El Gran Combo in 1962 with eight of his bandmates, including percussionist, dancer, chorus singer, and salsa bandleader Roberto Roena. This legendary Puerto Rican salsa orchestra is now over six decades old, and they are showing no signs of slowing down yet! These revered salsa gods will be pumping out their unrivaled and florid arrangements of colorful, horn-driven music all night long.