Ismael Rivera

Found him whilst listening to Héctor Lavoe radio on last.fm website. Born in Saturce, PR, 5 October 1931.

In 1952, Rivera joined the U.S. Army but was quickly discharged since he didn't speak English. When he returned to Puerto Rico he went to work as a lead singer with Orquesta Panamericana, thanks to the recommendation of his friend Cortijo.

How did he get in, in the first place?

Cortijo's Combo continued to gain fame and so did Rivera's reputation as a lead singer. Benny Moré visited the island and was so impressd with Rivera's voice and skills that he baptized him as "El sonero mayor". The band went to New York City and played in the famed Palladium Ballroom, where the orchestras of Tito Rodriguez, Tito Puente and Charlie Palmieri also played.

What amazing music that must have been.

Capeman

A patron came over to the Information Desk and asked for the music to the Broadway show that Paul Simon wrote. Had to Google it: The Capeman. The 1997 show featured Marc Anthony as the young Salvador Agron, and Ruben Blades as the older Salvador Agron. Derek Walcott, the Caribbean poet, wrote the book with Simon. The story is of a young Puerto Rican kid who joins a gang, and on his way to a rumble, mistakenly stabs to death two kids who were not members of the other gang.