Ray Barretto
| Ray Barretto | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born |
April 29, 1929 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | February 17, 2006 (aged 76) New York City |
| Genres | Latin jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Congas, drums, percussion |
| Labels | Fania |
| Associated acts | The Blackout All-Stars, Fania All-Stars, Adalberto Santiago |
 You may listen to Ray Barretto's "El Watusi" on YouTube. |
Ray Barretto (April 29, 1929 – February 17, 2006) was an American Grammy Award-winning Latin/Latin jazz musician of Puerto Rican parents.
Barretto (whose surname is really "Barreto"; a mistake at the time Ray's birth certificate was filed gave his last name its formal spelling) was born in New York City. His parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico in the early 1920s, looking for a better life. He was raised in Spanish Harlem and at a very young age was influenced by his mother's love of music and by the jazz music of musicians such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
In 1946, when Barretto was 17 years old, he joined the Army. While stationed in Germany, Barretto met Belgian vibist Fats Sadi, who was working there. However, it was when he heard Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca" with Cuban composer/percussionist Chano Pozo that he realized his true calling in life.
In 1949, when Barretto returned home from military service, he started to visit clubs and participated in jam sessions, where he perfected his conga playing. On one occasion Charlie Parker heard Barretto play and invited him to play in his band. Later, he was asked to play for José Curbelo and Tito Puente, for whom he played for four years. Barretto developed a unique style of playing the conga and soon he was sought by other jazz band leaders. Latin percussionists started to appear in jazz groups with frequency as a consequence of Barretto's musical influence.
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