Ray Barretto
b. 29 April 1929, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA, d. 17 February 2006, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA. Born to Puerto Rican parents, Barretto was raised in East Harlem and the Bronx and was a prominent Latin band leader for many decades. However, he started his professional career as a jazz recording session conga player. To escape the ghetto he joined the army at 17. Influenced by a record of Dizzy Gillespie with conguero Chano Pozo, Barretto started to sit in on jam sessions held at the Orlando, a GI jazz club in Munich, Germany. After military service he returned to Harlem and attended more jam sessions, studied percussion and rediscovered his Latin roots. From then on he retained a foot in both the jazz and Latin camps. Barretto jammed with Charlie Parker, Max Roach, Art Blakey and other jazz giants and recorded with Gillespie, Lou Donaldson, Gene Ammons, Red Garland, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Cannonball Adderley, Freddie Hubbard, Cal Tjader, Sonny Stitt and others. He also sessioned with the Rolling Stones, Average White Band, the Bee Gees and Bette Midler.
Listen to Ray Barretto
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Albums
- (2006) Carnaval
- (2006) Tomorrow: Barretto Live
- (2006) Can You Feel It
- (2006) Eye Of The Beholder
- (1981) La Cuna
Top Tracks
- Pastime Paradise
- El Negro Y Ray
- Cocinando (Live At The Beacon Theatre)
- Guarare (Live At The Beacon Theatre)
- Summertime
Related Artists
- Perez Prado
- Lalo Rodriguez
- Jerry Rivera
- Eddie Santiago
- Charlie Palmieri
- Celia Cruz
- Eddie Palmieri
- La Playa Sextet
- Ilegales
- Laito Jr
- Kako & His Orchestra
- Marcos Valle
- Enrique Alvarez/Alfredo De La Fe
- Laito
- Laito Jr.
- Orlando "Maraca" Valle
- bamboleo
- Roberto Puente & His Orchestra
- Roberto Menescal
- La Crema De New York
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