Rafael Ithier

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.”