Voting Station

Ray Barretto

Please vote to return to collections.

Musician

The Resume

    (April 29, 1929-February 17, 2006)
    Born in Brooklyn, New York
    Percussionist and bandleader
    Played with Tito Puente and Herbie Mann
    Member of the Fania All-Stars and New World Spirit
    Recorded over 50 solo albums
    Notable songs included 'El Watusi,' 'Que Vida La Musica,' 'Cocinando,' 'A Deeper Shade of Soul,' and 'Indestructible'
    Inducted into the Latin Music Hall of Fame (1999)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was dubbed 'the white Mongo' when he replaced Mongo Santamaria in Tito Puente's band.
    He got his only pop hit by cashing in on the watusi dance craze.
    He disliked being called a 'Latin jazz' musician instead of a jazz artist.
    He said, 'I got into the Latin thing more out of economics. In jazz, the conga is not an essential part of the rhythm section.... In Latin music, the conga is essential, so Latin became a way of earning money.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    When he was four, his father left the family to return to Puerto Rico.
    He was considered a master at improvised jam sessions.
    He twice was named 'Best Percussionist' in Down Beat magazine's readers poll (2003, 2005).
    He was named a NEA Jazz Master (2006).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying