Ismael Quintana, the Puerto Rican composer and singer who became a pioneer of salsa music, has died in the United States, people close to the artist said. He was 78.
Known for hits such as "Puerto Rico," "Adoracion," "No se compara" and "Maestro rumbero," he died in Colorado on Saturday after respiratory failure, the source said.
Born in Ponce, Quintana played in quartets and sextets in his early career. In 1960 he joined forces with the beloved Eddie Palmieri, also from Puerto Rico, in the "Orquesta La Perfecta."
Yet he hit it big with fans with the Fania All-Stars in the late 1960s. Many experts credit him with a major role in getting salsa's Afro-Caribbean beat to stick.
Salsa, a mix of Latin rhythms but mostly Cuban and Puerto Rican, started emerging in New York City in the late 1960s and 1970s.
