Adalberto Santiago
Born in barrio Pozas of Ciales, Puerto Rico. Adalberto's relaxed and flawless lead vocals are amongst the best in salsa, and for over two decades he has sessioned as a coro (chorus) singer on countless New York recordings. His early influences included the great Cuban vocalists Beny Moré and Miguelito Cuní (b. 8 May 1920, Pinar del Río, Cuba, d. 5 March 1984, Havana, Cuba). Santiago started his professional career singing with trios and playing bass and guitar. After stints with the bands of Chuíto Vélez, Willie Rodríguez and Willie Rosario, his career really took off when he joined Ray Barretto 's band. Between 1966-72, Adalberto made seven albums (excluding compilations) with Barretto. In late 1972, Adalberto and four other members of Barretto's band departed to found Típica 73. He appeared on three of their albums before disagreement over musical direction led him, and three other band members, to split during the mid-70s to form Los Kimbos. Meanwhile, Santiago sang lead vocals on two critically acclaimed charanga albums, Fantasia
Africana/African Fantasy and Our Heritage - Nuestra Herencia, by flautist, composer and producer Lou Pérez.
Los Kimbos were reputed to be a tough working band and had a sound reminiscent of both the pre-split Barretto band and Típica 73.
With them, Adalberto recorded 1976's Los Kimbos and The Big Kimbos With Adalberto Santiago in 1977. That year he made his solo
debut on Adalberto, which was produced by Barretto and contained two of his own compositions. Los Kimbos continued under the
leadership of timbales player Orestes Vilató and released two further albums- Hoy y Mañana (1978) and Aquacero Ne Me Moja
(1979). Santiago sang lead on one track on Louie Ramírez y sus Amigos by Louie Ramírez. In 1979, Adalberto and Ramírez
co-produced his solo follow-up, Adalberto Featuring Popeye El Marino. The same year, he reunited with Barretto on
Rican/Struction. Ray produced Adalberto's next solo album, Feliz Me Siento, the following year. Sonora Matancera member, Javier
Vázquez, produced, arranged, directed and played piano on the rootsy Adalberto Santiago, which was Adalberto's contribution to the
early 80s tipico (typical) salsa revival. In 1982, he teamed up with bandleader/bongo player Roberto Roena for Super Apollo 47:50.
Santiago co-produced Calidad with Papo Lucca, who also played piano, arranged one track and oversaw musical direction. His
Cosas Del Alma was an album of lush boleros which included his third recorded version of the classic 'Alma Con Alma' (previously
contained on Barretto's The Message and Gracias ). He returned to harder-edged urban salsa in 1985 on Mas Sabroso.
Adalberto did his own mature version of salsa romántica on the classy Sex Symbol, with production, arrangements, musical direction
and piano by the ubiquitous Isidro Infante. In 1990, he again performed 'Alma Con Alma', this time arranged by Infante in a salsa
romántica style for Louie Ramírez's second album entitled Louie Ramírez y sus Amigos. Santiago has written songs for a number of
the albums on which he has appeared, both as bandleader and solo artist, and provided compositions for other artists to record, such
as Joe Cuba. Adalberto has remained true to his Latin roots and a statement he made in 1977 is still relevant in the 90s: 'I want to
bring a truly Latin message to the people; this is what I do best and the structure of Latin music is best suited to my singing style'.
Solo albums and selected albums on which he sang lead vocals: for ratings see the individual artists. With Willie Rodríguez Heat Wave
(mid-60s), with Ray Barretto Latino Con Soul (1966), Acid (1967), with Willie Rosario Boogaloo & Guaguanco (1968), with
Barretto Hard Hands (1968), Together (1969), Power (1970), The Message (1971), Que Viva La Musica (1972), with Típica 73
Típica 73 (1973), Típica 73 (1974), with Típica 73 La Candela (1975), with Lou Pérez Fantasia Africana/African Fantasy (1975),
with Los Kimbos Los Kimbos (1976), with Barretto Barretto Live: Tomorrow (1976), with Lou Pérez Our Heritage - Nuestra
Herencia (1976), with Los Kimbos The Big Kimbos With Adalberto Santiago (1977), Adalberto (1977), with Barretto Gracias
(1979), Adalberto Featuring Popeye El Marino (1979), with Barretto Rican/Struction (1979), Feliz Me Siento (1980), Adalberto
Santiago (1981), with Roberto Roena Super Apollo 47:50 (1982), Calidad (1982), with Celia Cruz and Barretto Tremendo Trio!
(1983), Cosas Del Alma (1984), Mas Sabroso (1985), with Alfredo Rodríguez Monsieur Oh, La, La (1985), Sex Symbol (1989), with
Charanga Ranchera Charanga Ranchera (1989), with Papaíto, Melcochita, Herman Olivera, Yayo El Indio and Isidro Infante Valdesa
Records Presenta Vol.1: Salsa Sudada (1990), Hay Algo En Ella (1991)
