El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico: the greatest salsa show on earth! Celebrating 40 years as a group with a new 2-CD live recording on BMG, El Gran Combo continues on its mission of performing world-class dance music

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 2002 by Jesse Varela

QUE LE PONGAN SALSA

"After our contract was not renewed by Gema Records in 1968, the group practically disappeared," reflects Don Rafael. "We had some internal problems and some great orchestras surfaced in P.R. They always existed but these were bands that garnered mass popularity and gave us a lot of competition. We were on a daily television show--El Show Del Medio Dia--and after being there many years they let us go. We also had a daily radio show and they too let us go. So we had to start our own record label `pa' salir del hoyo' (to crawl out of our hole). We spent two to three years in that situation and mortgaged Andy's house to get the money to record an album."

In the early 1970s, El Gran Combo restructured itself and took destiny into its own hands in the business arena. They became the EGC Corporation and hired impresario Rafael Cartagena to distribute their music. Little by little they began to get their swing back. With this newfound freedom, the group went into the Ochoa Recording Studios in San Juan. Ithier decided to refine the sound further. With lead singers Andy Montañez and Pellin Rodríguez, he knew they had a strong foundation that he could improve upon.

"When we started El Gran Combo, the original combination was two saxes and two trumpets. I wanted to add a trombone but the owner of Gema Records discouraged us because he said it would change the sound of the band. When we went through our slump and mortgaged Andy's house to record an album, I decided to bring in a trombone. That album--De Punta y Punta--which included the song Don Goyo, created a new era for us."

Throughout the 1970s, the group continued to get recognized for its superb dancehall virtuosity. In 1973, Pellin Rodríguez left the band to pursue a solo career. A true pro who worked with Noro Morales, Tito Puente, Gilberto Monroig and many others in New York City prior to joining El Gran Combo, he was an admired performer who passed away in 1984. Andy's brother Marcos joined the band briefly but when he left, other members of the group suggested Charlie Aponte.

It was during those years that they were baptized "Los Mulatos Del Sabor." Hits continued to pour out with Montañez still its front-line star. Un Verano En Nueva York, Julia, and many others added that important Puerto Rican perspective to the salsa boom of that era, fueled by Jerry Masucci and Johnny Pacheco with Fania Records in New York City. As salsa began to orbit around the world, Andy Montañez headed for greener pastures and the star sonero left in 1977 for a solo career. Then, a talented youngster named Jerry Rivas entered the group.

From there, El Gran Combo entered a new phase when they signed with Combo Records, the label owned and run by Ralph Cartagena. The group was previously associated with him through EGC Records as their record distributor. In 1981, Cartagena created Combo Records and signed the group. "He was the one that helped sell this group," acknowledges Ithier. "From there, we authorized him to do business on our behalf outside of P.R. and he has done his work well and we are appreciative, but remember that the talent belongs to El Gran Combo."