Rafael Ithier, founder and longtime director of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, a flagship orchestra of salsa and Caribbean sounds, has died. The passing of this veteran music icon occurred last night, at the age of 99 and after several decades of artistic dedication.
Ithier, a symbol of a glorious era of Caribbean music, died after suffering complications from pneumonia. The news, confirmed by his family and official sources, shook the salsa world: with his death, a fundamental chapter in the history of salsa comes to a close, but it also cements a legend whose legacy transcends generations.
From his native Puerta de Tierra, in San Juan, to the world’s biggest stages, Ithier traveled a musical path that began in childhood. Orphaned of his father at a very young age, he first learned guitar and later piano; in the 1940s and 1950s, he was part of several groups that shaped him as a musician, until he joined Cortijo y su Combo.
When that orchestra dissolved in 1962, he knew he had to forge his own path. That was how El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico was born, on May 26 of that year, with Ithier at the piano and at the helm, foreshadowing what would become one of the most influential musical projects in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Rafael Ithier, founder of ‘El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico’, dies at 99
The death of Rafael Ithier has sparked expressions of sorrow and gratitude in Puerto Rico and throughout the Latin world. Through social media, colleagues, admirers, and leading figures of salsa and merengue expressed their grief and highlighted his musical greatness. The orchestra, for its part, released a statement to formally bid farewell to the “architect of a sound that marked generations,” committing to keeping his legacy alive.
Although details regarding the funeral services have yet to be publicly confirmed, his passing—despite Ithier’s advanced age—has had a major impact on Caribbean music. His followers now emphasize the magnitude of his work, which they describe as “an anthem of cultural identity and an indelible influence.” Nevertheless, the followers of his iconic ensemble hope that, even without him, it will continue to resonate as a reflection of his vision.
Music critics say that Rafael Ithier did not merely found an orchestra, but built a cultural, musical, and identity-based legacy. Under his leadership, El Gran Combo developed a unique style that combined Caribbean tradition with innovation, performing boleros, guarachas, merengues, pasodobles, and other rhythms beyond pure salsa. That versatility allowed the orchestra not to be confined to passing eras, but to span decades and generations.
BREAKING- Fallece el maestro Rafael Ithier, fundador y director de "El Gran Combo de #PuertoRico". Una de las figuras puertorriqueñas más legendarias de la música popular de todos los tiempos. Tenía 99 años.
🇵🇷Puerto Rico y los salseros alrededor del mundo están de luto.🎹😔#QDEP pic.twitter.com/OvscNmqzZ2— Robby Cortés🇵🇷 (@RobbyCortes) December 7, 2025
The legacy of a salsa legend
Rafael Ithier leaves behind a story with a name of its own in the world of Caribbean and Latin American music. His life is a testament to perseverance, humility, wisdom, and love for Puerto Rican roots and for salsa. Through his keys, his direction, his artistic vision, and his firm leadership, he made El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico a cultural treasure of Latin America and the world.
His recordings, his concerts, and the songs that, to the rhythm of timbales, trumpets, and percussion, were danced to in halls, plazas, and on stages remain. His example of discipline and passion remains as well. His passing marks a painful ending, but his music remains alive, vibrant, eternal.
Ithier’s discipline as a director, his commitment to authenticity, his eye for discovering talent, and his passion for music were essential for El Gran Combo to record more than 70 albums and bring Puerto Rican salsa to the five continents. With him at the helm, the group became a global emblem, known as “The University of Salsa,” a title earned through constant work, talent, and dedication.
In addition to being a musician, pianist, arranger, and director, Ithier was a visionary salsa entrepreneur. His ability to adapt to the times, refresh repertoires, and keep the orchestra relevant allowed it to remain onstage even in 2025, when he was nearly a century old. His consistency was evident in March of this very year, when El Gran Combo performed before some 50,000 people in Peru, a sign that their music continued to resonate powerfully.
Ithier, who remained active despite his advanced age, won two Latin Grammys. His concert repertoire never lacked major hits from his music: “Me Liberé,” “Trampolín,” “Un verano en New York,” or “Azuquita pa’l café.”