Alfredo de La Fé

Cuban-born violinist Alfredo de la Fe, now based in Colombia, elevated the instrument to a defining element within salsa and broader Latin genres. As the inaugural solo violinist featured in any salsa orchestra, he has circled the globe on more than thirty tours while contributing to over one hundred recordings and live appearances alongside leading figures such as Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Jose "El Canario" Alberto, Cheo Feliciano, the Fania All-Stars, and Santana. His 1979 sophomore release, Alfredo, earned a Grammy nomination in the Best Latin album category.

A recognized prodigy, de la Fe commenced formal violin training in 1962 at Havana’s Amadio Roldan Conservatory. He secured a scholarship two years later to study at Poland’s Warsaw Conservatory, then appeared in 1965 performing works by Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky alongside the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; additional studies followed via a Julliard Arts scholarship. At twelve he pivoted from classical repertoire to salsa, launching his professional path with an invitation to join charanga legend José Fajardo’s Orchestra.

In 1972 he entered Eddie Palmieri’s ensemble, though the association proved brief; he relocated temporarily to San Francisco and performed with Santana before returning to New York and entering la Topica ’73 in 1977. His first solo project, Alfredo, appeared in 1979. The following year he affiliated with Sars All Stars and oversaw thirty-two albums for the imprint, simultaneously issuing the solo set Charanga ’80. He assumed the role of musical director for Tito Puente’s Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble in 1981, then revived his solo trajectory the next year by signing with Taboga and recording Triunfo.

De la Fe moved to Colombia in 1983, contracted with Phillips, and delivered three albums before the decade closed: Made in Colombia, Bailando en el Tropico, and Alfredo de la Fe Vallenato. He transferred to the Fuentes label in 1989. Although he entered the Fania All-Stars in 1995, he maintained an independent solo trajectory, signing with Sony Music in 1997. Two years afterward he headlined his own ensemble across festivals in Denmark, Holland, France, Turkey, and Belgium while rejoining Eddie Palmieri’s Orchestra for a European run; Latitudes reached stores in fall 2000.