Adalberto Santiago (born April 23, 1937) is an internationally known salsa singer.
Contents
Career
Born April 23, 1937, in Pozas barrio, Ciales, Puerto Rico, Adalberto's relaxed and flawless lead vocals are among the best in the salsa genre of Latin music. His early influences included the great Cuban vocalists Beny Moré and Miguelito Cuní. Santiago started his professional career singing with trios and playing guitar and bass. After stints with the bands of Chuíto Vélez, where he was called "The Puerto Rican Elvis Presley", Willie Rosario and Willie Rodriguez, his career reached new heights when he joined Ray Barretto's band. Between 1966 and 1972, Adalberto made eight studio albums with Ray Barretto, that contained hit songs like "Quitate La Mascara" and "Alma Con Alma". During this time period he also became an original founding member of the salsa "super-group" The Fania All-Stars. 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-1970s to form Los Kimbos. Santiago sang lead vocals on charanga albums, Fantasía Africana/African Fantasy and Our Heritage - Nuestra Herencia, by flautist, composer and producer Lou Pérez.
Los Kimbos had a similar sound to both the pre-split Ray Barretto and Típica 73 outfits. With Los Kimbos, Adalberto recorded Los Kimbos (1976) and The Big Kimbos With Adalberto Santiago (1977). That year he also made his solo debut on Adalberto, which was produced by Barretto. Los Kimbos continued under the leadership of Orestes Vilató. 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. Barretto produced Adalberto's next solo album, Feliz Me Siento (1980). Sonora Matancera member, Javier Vázquez, produced, arranged, directed and played piano on Adalberto Santiago, which was Adalberto's contribution to the early 1980s típico salsa revival. In 1982, Santiago joined with Roberto Roena for Super Apollo 47:50. Santiago then co-produced Calidad with Papo Lucca, who also played piano, and oversaw musical direction. His Cosas Del Alma was an album of boleros which included his third recorded version of "Alma Con Alma" (which was previously contained on Barretto's The Message and Gracias ), and featured arrangements made by Steve Sacks, Ray Santos and Alberto Naranjo, among others. He returned to Salsa Dura in 1985 on Más Sabroso.
Adalberto did his own version of salsa romántica on Sex Symbol, with production, arrangements, musical direction and piano by Isidro Infante. This album produced one of Santiago's biggest solo hit songs "La Noche Mas Linda Del Mundo". 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 lead singer and solo artist, and provided compositions for other artists to record, such as Joe Cuba. He has appeared in Robin Williams's movie Moscow on the Hudson, and provided music for Al Pacino's Carlito's Way as well as appearing as himself in the film Our Latin Thing and the Academy Award winning documentary Summer Of Soul.
Adalberto, now in his 80s, continues to record and perform in the US, Europe, and South America. In 2022 he recorded a Trap / Reggaeton style song "Quitate" with noted rappers Jon Z and Ñengo Flow. His discography is at over 100 and counting. He is celebrating more than 70 years as a professional musician. He resides in his native Puerto Rico and in New York City. His nephews Johnny Rivera and Tony Vega are also notable salsa singers.
Discography
Solo
Adalberto. Fania Records; 1977
Adalberto Santiago Featuring Popeye El Marino. Fania Records JM 536; 1979
Feliz Me Siento. Fania Records; 1980
Adalberto Santiago. Fania Records; 1981
Calidad. Fania Records; 1982
Cosas del Alma. WS Latino 4163, 1984
Más Sabroso. Budda Records 011; 1985
Fania Dancing Club Collection #7. Fania Records; 1985
Sex Symbol. Mayor Music 001; 1989
Hay Algo En Ella. JV Music 001; 1991
Romantico Y Salsero, Exitos. La Ola Musical; 2009
Exitos. Edenways Records EDE 1310-1; 2010
With Chuito Velez
Chuito Velez. Chuito Velez Y Sus Estrellas Boricuas. La Flor Records; 1958
Chuito Velez. Hojas Muertas. DECCA Records; 1960
Chuito Velez. Si Pancha Plancha. La Flor Records; 1962
Chuito Velez. A Go-Go. SEECO Records; 1964
With Ray Barretto
Ray Barretto. Latino Con Soul. UA Latino 6593, WS Latino 4053; 1967
Ray Barretto. Acid. Fania Records LP 346; 1968
Ray Barretto. Hard Hands. Fania Records LP 362; 1968
Ray Barretto. Together. Fania Records LP 378; 1969
Ray Barretto. Barretto Power. Fania Records LP 391; 1970
Ray Barretto. The Message. Fania Records LP 403; 1971
Ray Barretto. Qué Viva la Música. Fania Records LP 427; 1972
* Ray Barretto. Tomorrow: Barretto Live. Atlantic SD 2-509, Messidor 15950; 1976 *GRAMMY NOMINATION*
Ray Barreto. Gracias. Fania Records JM 528; 1979
Ray Barretto. Rican/Struction. Fania Records JM 552; 1979
* Ray Barretto, Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago. Tremendo Trío!. Fania Records JM 623; 1983 *GRAMMY NOMINATION*
Ray Barretto. Fuerza Gigante (The Giant of Salsa): Live 50th Anniversary. AJ Records-Sony Discos; 2001
With Típica 73
Típica 73. Típica 73. Inca Records SLP 1031; 1973
Típica 73. Típica 73 (Volume 2 with the "Stock Certificate Cover"). Inca Records SLP 1038; 1974
Típica 73. La Candela. Inca Records SLP 1043; 1975
Típica 73. Típica 73...74...75...76. Inca Records SLP 1063; 1978
Típica 73. Típica 73 Live. AJ Records; 2002
With Los Kimbos
Los Kimbos con Adalberto Santiago. Cotique CS 1083; 1976
The Big Kimbos with Adalberto Santiago. Cotique CS 1091; 1977
With The Fania All Stars
Fania All Stars. Live at the Red Garter, Vol. 1&2 (2-LPs). Fania Records LP 355 + LP 364; 1968
Fania All Stars. Our Latin Thing. Fania Records LP 431; 1972
Fania All Stars. Live At the Cheetah Vol. 1&2 (2-LPs). Fania Records LP 415 + LP 416; 1972
Fania All Stars. Greatest Hits. Fania Records LP 511; 1977
Fania All Stars. Habana Jam. Fania Records FA 116; 1979
Fania All Stars. Commitment. Fania Records JM 564; 1980
Fania All Stars. Latin Connection. Fania Records JM 595; 1981
Fania All Stars. Lo Que Pide La Gente. Fania Records JM 629; 1984
Fania All Stars. "Live" June 11, 1994, Puerto Rico. Fania Records JM 684; 1995
Fania All Stars. Viva Colombia (En Concierto) (2-CD). Latina 225; 1996
Fania All Stars. Bravo 97. Fania Records JM 711; Sony 82351; 1997
Fania All Stars. Hot Sweat: The Best of FAS Live (2-CD). Vampi Soul Records 046; 2005
Fania All Stars. Campeones (Anthology) (2-CD). Fania/Codigo Music; 2010
Fania All Stars. Ponte Duro: The Fania All Stars Story (4-CD). Fania/Codigo Music; 2010
Contributions
Willie Rosario. Boogaloo y Guaguanco. ATCO Records; 1968
Willie Rodriguez. Colorin Colorao. Fonseca Records; 1968
Willie Rodriguez. Heat Wave. Fonseca Records; 1969
Larry Harlow. Hommy, A Latin Opera. Fania Records; 1973
Impacto Crea. Christmas. VAYA Records; 1973
Impacto Crea. Cobarde. VAYA Records; 1974
Various Artists. Franklin Key Presenta Rumba Con Los Mejores. Inca Records; 1975
Lou Perez. Fantasia Africana. WSL Records; 1975
Lou Perez. Nuestra Herencia. TICO Records; 1976
Pancho Cristal. Super Típica De Estrellas. All-Art Records; 1976
Andy Harlow. Pura Salsa! Con Lo Mejor De Andy Harlow. Discos Completo, S.A.; 1977
Louie Ramírez. Louie Ramírez Y Sus Amigos. Cotique Records 1096; 1978
Linda Leida. Electricando Linda. TR Records; 1978
* Tito Puente. Homenaje A Beny More, Vol 1&2 (2 LP's). TICO Records; 1979 *GRAMMY WINNER*
Mario Allison. A Fondo. FTA Records; 1979
Louie Ramírez. Salsero. Cotique Records 1104; 1980
Artistas de La Fania. Aeropuerto 81. Fania Records; 1980