Ismael Rivera

Also known as "El Sonero Mayor", Ismael Rivera was born in Puerto Rico on October 5, 1931. He learned the bomba and the plena, the sounds of Puerto Rico at an early age. In 1954 he recorded his first hit with his long time friend, Rafael Cortijo. He became very popular in the 1950s in the Carribean.  In 1960 the two traveled to New York and took Manhattan by storm.

Rivera's music is a mix of traditional folk Puerto Rico bomba and plena and the Cuban son vocal singing style. He is one of the legends of Puerto Rican music and has helped many young musicians get their start in the New York salsa scene. His died on 13 May 1987 but his music still lives in the hearts of all those who remember him.

LINKS:

http://www.musicofpuertorico.com/en/ismael_rivera.html

http://www.prpop.org/Biografias/Biografias%20IJ/ismael_rivera.html

mp3.lolatino.com

http://www.radiorabel.com/salseros/ismael_rivera.htm

salsa2u.freeservers.com

http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/2493/text/maelo.htm

http://orbita.starmedia.com/~ghettolatino/maelo.htm

http://www.americasalsa.com/biografias/ismael_rivera.html

http://www.analitica.com/va/hispanica/8795865.asp

http://www.latinjam.netfirms.com/ecua_jei%20by%20Aurora%20Flores.htm

                                       last updated:Monday August 29, 2005

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