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Live Music (Confirmed)

Tito Puente

Tito Puente, Jr. The comparison is inevitable. How could it be otherwise? Tito Puente Jr. carries his father with him – imprinted on his physical being and locked in his soul. It’s in his looks, his joy, and his music.

Tito, Jr. is on a passionate mission. The younger Puente is determined to nurture the musical legacy left by his father. He refuses to let his father become a distant memory. “He was just too vibrant, too exciting. There was magic in the music my father made. It made people happy all over the world.”

He has found captive audiences who echo his passion. Crowds lured to a venue by the father are returning to see the son -- and to once again participate in the high voltage celebration that takes place on stage.

Tito Puente, Jr. has become an audience favorite in casinos, performing arts centers, symphony halls and jazz festivals worldwide, performing more than 300 shows over the past 5 years.

His 2004 album, “In My Father’s Shoes” featured the classic Puente titles and was spun into a BET Jazz television special of the same name.

He was seen in a tribute to his father’s music on NBC’s two hour special--“The Apollo at 70: A Hot Night in Harlem.” He has also appeared on the ABC soap opera hit “One Life to Live” in performance with his big band.

Symphony appearances include Dallas, San Antonio, Colorado, South Bend, and upcoming performances with the Palm Desert Symphony and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marvin Hamlisch.

Tito, Jr.’s new CD release, “Got Mambo?” is a mixture of the old and the new as he takes a musical departure into some powerful new music he can truly call his own. Guest artists Bobby Cruz and Hansel & Raul help make this a coming of age project for Puente, Jr. and the album is receiving heavy praise from Tropical and Latin Jazz critics alike.

Tito Jr. reveres the magnificent, lasting impact his father had on our musical lives. “People who don’t know anything about Latin music know my father and people always, always smile when they say my father’s name,” he confides. “That is a very special gift I have been given.”

Tito, Jr. lives in South Florida and has two children, Miranda and Antonio.

Tito Puente

Sammy De León, former musical director of the legendary and unduplicated Impacto Nuevo, has put together a combination of traditional salsa rhythms with a more aggressive and progressive style that lends an appeal to a multi-cultural audience. This style enables De Leon’s music to delight not only fans of Salsa, Merengue, and Latin Jazz, but of all music genres.

Being called “the hottest and most innovative young timbalero in America” by Latin Jazz’ greatest percussionist, Tito Puente, was certainly an honor for DeLeon who had the pleasure of not only playing with Puente, but also salsa greats such as El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Tito Rojas, and Tony Vega.

Sammy DeLeón, manager, musical director, and timbalero, whose solos are so full of energy and passion they command everyone’s attention, drives his orchestra like a souped-up sports car. The whole band stops on a dime, changes directions in a heart-stopping second, speeds up or slows down with the sound of his stick, shifts grooves with a look.

TROPICOSO ORCHESTRA

Cincinnati's premier latin ensemble, Tropicoso, has been together for over eight years. They specialize in performing high-energy hits from some of today's most popular latin ensembles along with their own compositions.

Recipients of the 2002 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards' "Best World/Ethnic/Reggae" award and the 2003 Cammy award for "Best World Beat Band," Tropicoso's long running Monday night gig at the Mad Frog was listed at number 22 in Cincinnati Magazine's "Best of the City" article of December 2004. They most recently took home their second Cincinnati Entertainment Award in 2006.

Tropicoso released their first CD "Un Cuento" in 2005, and are currently writing and recording for their next project.

Cincinnati's own 9 piece Latin band Tropicoso has been burning up dance floors across the area for over 9 years. Playing traditional and contemporary Salsa and Merengue, Tropicoso quickly became one of the areas most poular Latin groups. In 2005, Tropicoso released their first full lengh recording entitled, "Un Cuento" featuring 10 of the groups original compositions with hot percussion, horns and smooth vocals from Cincinnait's own "Latin Diva", Carmen Vélez. Like clockwork, dance enthusiasts have been coming to the groups "home" at the legendary Mad Frog (Mt. Auburn) for Latin Night with Tropicoso every Monday since the bands inception. The weekly Monday night mainstay attracts large and diverse crowd's every week by featuring free dance lessons, a great dance floor, and the hot sounds of Tropicoso.

Noel Quintana's Latin Crew

Noel Quintana's Latin Crew, one of Cleveland's leading salsa and Latin Jazz bands. We specialize in salsa with a bit of New York and Cubano flavor, as well as Latin jazz, merengue, and occasionally a cumbia or two. Founded October 16th, 1999, The Latin Crew has progressed to being one of Cleveland's premiere salsa bands. We have performed at the Touch Supper Club, Belinda's Nightclub, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Columbus Latino Festival, the Cleveland Puerto Rican Parade, and many other places. Many of the members of the Latin Crew also perform with other local bands. Grupo K-Non, a local merengue band, shares many of the same musicians and is lead by Ivan "Papo" Ruiz, our own lead singer.