Biography
Isidro Infante stands out as a prizewinning figure in multiple capacities that include arranging, composing, leading bands, playing piano, and producing records. His command spans a wide array of styles, ranging from classical music and mainstream pop through salsa to Latin jazz. Between the 1970s and the 1990s he contributed to countless sessions throughout the Latin music industry while serving as pianist and arranger for Azuquita y Su Orquesta Melao, Orquesta Palenque, and Willie Colón. In the 1980s Infante joined Louie Ramirez to originate the salsa romantico style via the 1985 release Alegres y Romanticos on Caiman Records. A 1994 contract with RMM Records established him both as a solo artist and as the label’s head of A&R. Early singles from his La Elite orchestra quickly gained traction, and the 1998 track “Licencia para Enganar” (“License to Deceive”) became a club favorite stretching from Miami to New York City. Over many years Infante handled arrangements and productions for Celia Cruz, Oscar D’Leon, and additional artists. After a long hiatus from fronting his own projects he resurfaced with Dancemania in 2006, yet further commitments kept him from issuing another album until 2017’s Isidro Infante Presenta Cuba y Puerto Rico. During 2020 and 2021 he appeared on Papo Rosario’s charting singles “Gracias” and “Salsa de La Buena.”
Born in 1952 in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Infante grew up in St. Agustin. His physician father doubled as a violinist while his mother performed on piano. Formal training began in childhood, and during adolescence he launched the rock group Carpe Diem. Despite these early pursuits he initially aimed to emulate his father by entering the pre-med program at the University of Puerto Rico in 1969. Upon completing that curriculum he planned to finish medical studies in Mexico and Spain, yet his mother’s guidance prompted a change of direction that led to a bachelor’s degree in music. His earliest professional engagement came as pianist for a radio broadcast on WKBM TV Channel 11, and he kept up private piano instruction with Professor Carmen Socorro Duclerc throughout this period.
At age 24 Infante relocated from Puerto Rico to Temple University in Philadelphia. Following completion of his master’s degree in composition he settled in New York City in 1980, where his first industry position involved arranging and staff piano duties at Fania Records. While there he performed on, composed for, and arranged dozens of releases featuring Larry Harlow, Louie Ramirez, Héctor Lavoe, and many additional artists. In 1985 Infante and the acclaimed bandleader, percussionist, producer, and arranger Ramirez released Alegres y Romanticos on Caiman Records; the album fused salsa, bolero, and balladic pop, thereby founding the lasting salsa romantica subgenre.
Subsequent to arranging material for Colón’s Top Secrets in 1989, Infante joined Orquesta Palenque as pianist the next year for the album Estoy Curado. That same year he appeared on recordings by Juan Carlos Oliva y La Progresiva and by Ray De La Paz, the latter issued on what would become his future label home, RMM Records. In 1994 he secured his own recording contract with RMM as both artist and head of A&R, formed La Elite, and delivered its self-titled debut album. The project yielded four hit singles, among them “Que Tengo Ti” and “Nave de Papel,” and earned gold certification. The 1995 follow-up La Elite 2 introduced lead vocalists Maggie Isidro Ramos alongside Ricky Soto and Marco Bermudez; driven by the singles “Quitame a Ese Hombre del Corazon” and “Otra Como Tu,” it too attained gold status. Also in 1995 Infante arranged Tras la Tormenta for Colón and Rubén Blades.
He produced and arranged La India’s now-classic second album Sobre el Fuego in 1997. The recording reached the top of the Tropical and salsa charts, climbed to number four on the Top Latin Albums chart, and received Grammy and Lo Nuestro nominations. In 1998 Infante issued Dancemania con Isidro Infante, a collection of ten original compositions performed by various artists that became a club hit extending from Miami to New York; he simultaneously arranged and conducted for Oscar D’Leon. The following year he arranged and produced Celia Cruz’s Mi Vida Es Cantar.
Nearly two decades passed before Infante released another album under his own name. Instead he accumulated five Grammy wins and 47 nominations through collaborations with other performers. He continued arranging for Cruz until her passing and also worked with Patti LaBelle. As a producer he oversaw the 2005 hit album Huracán by Juicy & Eric and Piro y Eddy’s Salsa de Puerto Rico the next year. Throughout the first decade of the new century he collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Herb Alpert, Gloria Estéfan, Will Smith, Wyclef Jean, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Little Louie Vega, and dozens more artists while appearing in documentaries focused on Johnny Pacheco and Cruz.
In 2017 he delivered Isidro Infante Presenta Cuba y Puerto Rico, serving as producer, arranger, musical director, pianist, and keyboardist. The star-studded set, conceived as a two-part project, showcased Cuban vocalists including Sixto “El Indio” Llorente, Mayito Rivera, and Tiburón Morales performing tributes to Puerto Rican musical heritage, with the remaining portion slated to feature Puerto Rican singers honoring Cuban music.
Infante returned to Puerto Rico at the close of the decade. In 2020 he joined former El Gran Combo vocalist Luis “Papo” Rosario on the charting single “Gracias,” which entered the Top 20 on the Tropical airplay and Latin streaming charts; in 2021 the pair followed with “Salsa de La Buena,” which reached the Top Ten on tropical streaming and peaked at number 19 on the Tropical airplay chart.
Born in 1952 in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Infante grew up in St. Agustin. His physician father doubled as a violinist while his mother performed on piano. Formal training began in childhood, and during adolescence he launched the rock group Carpe Diem. Despite these early pursuits he initially aimed to emulate his father by entering the pre-med program at the University of Puerto Rico in 1969. Upon completing that curriculum he planned to finish medical studies in Mexico and Spain, yet his mother’s guidance prompted a change of direction that led to a bachelor’s degree in music. His earliest professional engagement came as pianist for a radio broadcast on WKBM TV Channel 11, and he kept up private piano instruction with Professor Carmen Socorro Duclerc throughout this period.
At age 24 Infante relocated from Puerto Rico to Temple University in Philadelphia. Following completion of his master’s degree in composition he settled in New York City in 1980, where his first industry position involved arranging and staff piano duties at Fania Records. While there he performed on, composed for, and arranged dozens of releases featuring Larry Harlow, Louie Ramirez, Héctor Lavoe, and many additional artists. In 1985 Infante and the acclaimed bandleader, percussionist, producer, and arranger Ramirez released Alegres y Romanticos on Caiman Records; the album fused salsa, bolero, and balladic pop, thereby founding the lasting salsa romantica subgenre.
Subsequent to arranging material for Colón’s Top Secrets in 1989, Infante joined Orquesta Palenque as pianist the next year for the album Estoy Curado. That same year he appeared on recordings by Juan Carlos Oliva y La Progresiva and by Ray De La Paz, the latter issued on what would become his future label home, RMM Records. In 1994 he secured his own recording contract with RMM as both artist and head of A&R, formed La Elite, and delivered its self-titled debut album. The project yielded four hit singles, among them “Que Tengo Ti” and “Nave de Papel,” and earned gold certification. The 1995 follow-up La Elite 2 introduced lead vocalists Maggie Isidro Ramos alongside Ricky Soto and Marco Bermudez; driven by the singles “Quitame a Ese Hombre del Corazon” and “Otra Como Tu,” it too attained gold status. Also in 1995 Infante arranged Tras la Tormenta for Colón and Rubén Blades.
He produced and arranged La India’s now-classic second album Sobre el Fuego in 1997. The recording reached the top of the Tropical and salsa charts, climbed to number four on the Top Latin Albums chart, and received Grammy and Lo Nuestro nominations. In 1998 Infante issued Dancemania con Isidro Infante, a collection of ten original compositions performed by various artists that became a club hit extending from Miami to New York; he simultaneously arranged and conducted for Oscar D’Leon. The following year he arranged and produced Celia Cruz’s Mi Vida Es Cantar.
Nearly two decades passed before Infante released another album under his own name. Instead he accumulated five Grammy wins and 47 nominations through collaborations with other performers. He continued arranging for Cruz until her passing and also worked with Patti LaBelle. As a producer he oversaw the 2005 hit album Huracán by Juicy & Eric and Piro y Eddy’s Salsa de Puerto Rico the next year. Throughout the first decade of the new century he collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Herb Alpert, Gloria Estéfan, Will Smith, Wyclef Jean, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Little Louie Vega, and dozens more artists while appearing in documentaries focused on Johnny Pacheco and Cruz.
In 2017 he delivered Isidro Infante Presenta Cuba y Puerto Rico, serving as producer, arranger, musical director, pianist, and keyboardist. The star-studded set, conceived as a two-part project, showcased Cuban vocalists including Sixto “El Indio” Llorente, Mayito Rivera, and Tiburón Morales performing tributes to Puerto Rican musical heritage, with the remaining portion slated to feature Puerto Rican singers honoring Cuban music.
Infante returned to Puerto Rico at the close of the decade. In 2020 he joined former El Gran Combo vocalist Luis “Papo” Rosario on the charting single “Gracias,” which entered the Top 20 on the Tropical airplay and Latin streaming charts; in 2021 the pair followed with “Salsa de La Buena,” which reached the Top Ten on tropical streaming and peaked at number 19 on the Tropical airplay chart.
Albums
