The Day "The Legend" Missed The Plane to Venezuela

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 2000 by Max Salazar

It was Monday, February 14, 1977. The offices of Latin Times were quiet except for the faint voices of Orquesta Broadway's chorus singing "Isla Del Encanto" from Polito Vega's radio show. At 1:35 p.m. the phone rang. I picked it up and identified myself. On the other end a sweet voice said "Hello Max, I'm Marisol Hamilton of Viasa Airlines. Jimmy Frisaura, manager of the Tito Puente orchestra asked me to call you to learn if your magazine is interested in covering a story about the Puente orchestra's trip to Venezuela, tomorrow at 2:30 p.m."

At noon the following day, photographer and artist/illustrator Willie Espada and I headed for Kennedy International Airport in the company car. When we reached 138th Street in the Bronx, we noticed the long lines of cars that weren't moving on the Major Deegan Highway or 138th Street. The Bruckner expressway had been tied up also. Every five minutes we moved about ten feet. At Willis Avenue we made a left, drove to 146th Street, turned right and headed toward Cypress Avenue where we entered the road to the Tri-Boro Bridge. We arrived at Viasa, East Wing Building, Area #2, at 12:50 p.m. Espada and I made the five minute walk from the lot to the terminal in 15 F weather. Inside the terminal three people were making inquiries at the counter. Puente's vocalist, Junior Toledo, was part of a small circle which included bassist Nilo Sierra, lead trumpeter Manuel Santos and vocalist Linda Leida, TR records recording artist. Ms. Leida, born in Las Villas, Cuba, was also heading for Venezuela. She and Puente were on the same bill and his orchestra was going to accompany her.

One by one the musicians appeared, checked their luggage and made seating arrangements. At 1:45 p.m. the entire band was accounted for except conga drummer José Madera Jr. and Puente. Ms. Hamilton, noticing that the time for departure was nearing and Puente was not there, became nervous. She gave me a tourist clearance document for booking agent José Curbelo. Shortly after Curbelo arrived, I gave him the paper on which his name was spelled CURVELO.

"They always spell my name wrong" he said in a not too angry tone. Curbelo said he would stay six days in Caracas, then fly to Panama to join the flaming hot "Charanga 76," one of the groups he managed. Junior Toledo joined us to say he looked forward to the warm weather and hot sun. Curbelo mentioned that the entire orchestra would be domiciled at the Hotel Tamanaco and that Toledo would not have to leave the hotel to get to work. "All you have to do" Curbelo said, "is take the elevator to the floor on which the ballroom is." Toledo smiled and remarked that he hoped his stay in Venezuela would be nice as his stay in Panama was.

"The Panamanian people" he said, "Son muy cariñosos" (they are warm and lovable)... they always greet you with endearing words like 'how are you love'... 'I hope you have a pleasant day' ...everyone I met was very warm and friendly."

Jimmy Frisaura joined us. He held a stack of green passports in his hands. Willie Espada, who had been clicking away with his Minolta, spotted Frisaura and began to focus on him. Frisaura, with a look of a very tired man, brushed his hair back and said "please, don't take my picture... I haven't slept in three days." The digital clock suspended from the ceiling read 2:05 p.m. Curbelo and Frisaura stared at the floor, the musicians posed for Espada, and Ms. Hamilton paced back and forth like an expectant father.

At 2:11 p.m. Viasa's phone rang at the reservations counter and Jimmy Frisaura was paged. "Yeah, ... Tito? ... uh huh ... hmmmm ... okay ... I'll see you tomorrow" said Frisaura and hung up. The voice at the other end was Tito Puente who had called him from a store in the South Bronx. Puente said that he and José Madera Jr. were stuck in the middle of a traffic jam at 138th Street in the Bronx.

Immediately Ms. Hamilton made reservations for them to leave the following morning at 9: a.m. on a Pan American flight. Bongocero and arranger Louie Bauzo told me that the absent musicians would make it in time the following day for their first commitment, a television appearance. The orchestra left for South America on Viasa flight # 803 aboard a four engine DC 8 jet. On the flight were: José Curbelo, Manuel Santos, Dave Tucker, Mike Greenberg, Jimmy Frisaura (trumpets), Al Shikaly, Julito Ross, Marty Oberlander (saxes), Nilo Sierra (bass), Louie Bauzo (bongo), Mike Collazo (drums), and Junior Toledo (lead vocalist). Vocalist Jr. González (formerly with Orquesta Harlow) was expected to join the Puente orchestra after fulfilling a Panamanian engagement.

Four hours later, the plane landed at Caracas' International Airport. It was Carnival time and one could sense the festive mood. Salsa could be heard spilling out of the radio, lounges, theaters, television and the resorts. Tito Puente was at the Tamanaco Hotel. Joe Cuba was at the Anauco Hilton, and Johnny Pacheco at the Caracas Hilton. Orquesta Broadway, El Gran Combo, La Dimensión Latina, Oscar D'Leon y La Salsa Mayor, and Justo Betancourt's Orquesta Borincuba were just a few others who contributed to the yearly two-week gala affair. Vocalists Vitín Avilés, Yayo El Indio, Linda Leida and Ismael Miranda made guest appearances. Miranda and the Jackson Five filled every seat at the Polliedro Stadium Concert. Miranda was offered a large sum of money to sign a two-year contract with La Dimensión Latina and he declined the offer. Carnival judges searching for the band of the year to award "El Momo De Oro" (top music prize), visited every spot the salsa bands were appearing. They appeared to have been moved by the swinging versions of Johnny Pacheco's Esa Prieta, Tu No Sabes Na, La Yerba Buena, and Corso y Montuno from the hot selling LP Pacheco The Artist. When the judges walked through the ballroom door of the Tamanaco, the Puente band just happened to strike up to Fiesta A La King. Puente's tenor saxophonist, Al Shikaly, and his arousing solo on the infectious mambo scored one hundred points. So did other Puente tunes Arriba y Abajo and Alma Impura from the LP The Legend. Prizes were awarded for almost anything. Case in point, Charlie Rodriguez, Pacheco's tres guitarist, was awarded a certificate for "Most Pleasant Musician." Conguero Frankie Malabé won the "Conga De Oro" (top percussion prize). Vocalists Jimmy Sabater, Junior Toledo, Jr. González and Mike Guagenti won the hearts of all the lovely young Venezuelan ladies. Pacheco, Miranda, El Gran Combo, and Puente were the most popular attractions. Everyone won something. But the biggest winners were the Venezuelan people.