El Gran Combo founder Rafael Ithier dies at 99

Rafael Ithier, the pianist, composer, arranger, and founder of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, died at age 99, the orchestra announced on Dec. 7 via social media. A San Juan native and U.S. Army veteran, Ithier led the ensemble for six decades, shaping salsa across Puerto Rico and the U.S.; the Latin Recording Academy praised his “eternal legacy in salsa.”