Representative Albums: "Gold", "Roena: The Fania Legends of Salsa Collection, Vol. 4", "En Vivo Desde Bellas Artes
Representative Songs: "Mi Mambo Pide Campana", "El Escapulario", "Tu Loco Loco, Y Yo Tranquilo
Biography
A member of the Fania All Stars since 1973, Roberto Roena is a master of Latin percussion. In addition to performing with his own band, Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound, Roena has played bongos and congas for such top-notch Latin performers as Ruben Blades, Tito Cruz, Papo Sanchez, Adalberto Santiago, Elias Lopes, and Julio "Gunda" Merced. Roena initially attracted attention when he accompanied Ismael Rivera on the popular television show El Show de Cortijo Y Su Combo. Broadcast daily from 1954 until 1955, the show established Roena as one of Puerto Rico's best percussionists. He remained with the group until 1962 when he joined Gran Combode Puerto Rico. He formed his own band in 1969. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide
Roberto Roena (born on January 16, 1938 in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico) was one of the original members of a Puerto Ricansalsa music orchestra called El Gran Combo. The group's name had been derived from the name of an existing band named "El Combo" in which many of the original band members had been involved.
Roberto Roena (left) and puertorrican Salsa DJ Yun Yun Echevarria at Radio Voz, Carolina, Puerto Rico (1980s)
(1980s)
Roena, aside from being a percussionist, was a dancer and baseball player. In 1969, he went on to form one of the best Latinsalsa bands in Puerto Rico called Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound that recorded such hits, as Y Tu Loco Loco, Traicion, Que Se Sepa and Herencia Rumbero. Also, Roena has been a long-time member of the Fania All Stars, a salsa group that has enjoyed worldwide success since the 1970s. He recorded his signature song, "Coro Miyare", with the group; live performances of the song featured Roena playing the bongos and dancing with his uncle, legendary salsa dancer Aníbal Vázquez, in a choreographed section that almost always received standing ovations from the audience.
Mr. Roena took a giant step in the fusion of salsa in the 1970s by joining forces with African superstar Manu Dibango of "Soul Makossa" fame.
