Biography
Born in Ciales, Puerto Rico, Adalberto Santiago has delivered some of salsa’s most assured and effortless lead vocals across more than twenty years of session work as a coro singer on numerous New York dates. Early on he absorbed the styles of the towering Cuban singers Beny Moré and Miguelito Cuní, the latter born 8 May 1920 in Pinar del Río, Cuba, and deceased 5 March 1984 in Havana, Cuba. He began professionally performing with vocal trios while doubling on bass and guitar, then passed through the ensembles of Chuíto Vélez, Willie Rodríguez and Willie Rosario before his fortunes shifted decisively upon entering Ray Barretto’s group. From 1966 through 1972 he appeared on seven Barretto albums, not counting compilations. Late in 1972 he and four fellow Barretto sidemen left to establish Típica 73; Santiago featured on three of their releases until creative differences prompted him and three others to depart in the mid-1970s and launch Los Kimbos. During the same period he supplied lead vocals to flautist, composer and producer Lou Pérez on the well-received charanga sets Fantasia Africana/African Fantasy and Our Heritage - Nuestra Herencia.
Los Kimbos earned a reputation as a hard-working unit whose sound echoed both the pre-split Barretto ensemble and Típica 73. With them Santiago cut Los Kimbos in 1976 and The Big Kimbos With Adalberto Santiago in 1977, the same year he issued his first solo album, Adalberto, produced by Barretto and containing two original compositions. Under timbales player Orestes Vilató the band continued, issuing Hoy Y Mañana in 1978 and Aquacero Ne Me Moja in 1979. Santiago contributed lead vocals to a single track on Louie Ramírez Y Sus Amigos by Louie Ramírez. In 1979 he and Ramírez jointly produced the follow-up solo effort Adalberto Featuring Popeye El Marino. That year he also rejoined Barretto for Rican/Struction; Ray in turn produced Santiago’s next solo outing, Feliz Me Siento, the following year. Sonora Matancera alumnus Javier Vázquez produced, arranged, directed and played piano on the roots-oriented Adalberto Santiago, Santiago’s entry in the early-1980s típico salsa revival. In 1982 he collaborated with bandleader and bongo player Roberto Roena on Super Apollo 47:50. He co-produced Calidad alongside Papo Lucca, who contributed piano, arranged one selection and supervised musical direction. The lush bolero collection Cosas Del Alma contained his third recorded reading of the standard “Alma Con Alma,” earlier versions having appeared on Barretto’s The Message and Gracias. He reverted to a tougher urban salsa style with 1985’s Mas Sabroso.
On the polished Sex Symbol Santiago offered his seasoned take on salsa romántica, with production, arrangements, musical direction and piano supplied by the ever-present Isidro Infante. In 1990 he revisited “Alma Con Alma,” now arranged by Infante in a salsa romántica vein, for Louie Ramírez’s second album also titled Louie Ramírez Y Sus Amigos. Santiago has composed material for many of his own band and solo projects and has supplied songs to fellow artists including Joe Cuba. Remaining anchored in his Latin heritage, he voiced a sentiment in 1977 that retained its force into the 1990s: “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).
Los Kimbos earned a reputation as a hard-working unit whose sound echoed both the pre-split Barretto ensemble and Típica 73. With them Santiago cut Los Kimbos in 1976 and The Big Kimbos With Adalberto Santiago in 1977, the same year he issued his first solo album, Adalberto, produced by Barretto and containing two original compositions. Under timbales player Orestes Vilató the band continued, issuing Hoy Y Mañana in 1978 and Aquacero Ne Me Moja in 1979. Santiago contributed lead vocals to a single track on Louie Ramírez Y Sus Amigos by Louie Ramírez. In 1979 he and Ramírez jointly produced the follow-up solo effort Adalberto Featuring Popeye El Marino. That year he also rejoined Barretto for Rican/Struction; Ray in turn produced Santiago’s next solo outing, Feliz Me Siento, the following year. Sonora Matancera alumnus Javier Vázquez produced, arranged, directed and played piano on the roots-oriented Adalberto Santiago, Santiago’s entry in the early-1980s típico salsa revival. In 1982 he collaborated with bandleader and bongo player Roberto Roena on Super Apollo 47:50. He co-produced Calidad alongside Papo Lucca, who contributed piano, arranged one selection and supervised musical direction. The lush bolero collection Cosas Del Alma contained his third recorded reading of the standard “Alma Con Alma,” earlier versions having appeared on Barretto’s The Message and Gracias. He reverted to a tougher urban salsa style with 1985’s Mas Sabroso.
On the polished Sex Symbol Santiago offered his seasoned take on salsa romántica, with production, arrangements, musical direction and piano supplied by the ever-present Isidro Infante. In 1990 he revisited “Alma Con Alma,” now arranged by Infante in a salsa romántica vein, for Louie Ramírez’s second album also titled Louie Ramírez Y Sus Amigos. Santiago has composed material for many of his own band and solo projects and has supplied songs to fellow artists including Joe Cuba. Remaining anchored in his Latin heritage, he voiced a sentiment in 1977 that retained its force into the 1990s: “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).
Albums
