Rafael Ithier 91, continues to lead El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico

Charlie Billups
Aug 28, 2017 · 2 min read
Rafael Ithier leads El Gran Combo at the Concord Music Hall in Chicago August 26, 2017

Last night at the Concord Music Hall you would have never known that El Gran Combo’s Rafael Ithier is 91. He does not play the piano any longer, however he continues to lead with force, he stood in front of the band for the complete 2 hour performance. The Gran Combo is celebrating 55 years of making music, so that means that they have probably outlasted most of their competitors throughout their storied path. I felt last night that I was part of that history as a photographer and as a fan.

I grew up in Puerto Rico and as kid I listened to the El Gran Combo and never saw them perform but hit after hit they were for sure a presence in my life. When I left Puerto Rico for the U.S. Navy I took only one cassette with me to boot camp and that was “El Gran Combo in Las Vegas” with my favorite songs “Irimo” and “Esta bueno ya” the latter sang by Jerry Rivas who performed last night and has almost 40 years with the group.

So I could talk about the virtues of last nights performance, but to me that is a given, I want to celebrate 91 of years of Rafael Ithier’s life, one that he has lived and continues to live by his passion which is Salsa. To many more.

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