Percussionist, bandleader, dancer and founder of ‘Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound’ joined the ancestors earlier today at the age of 81. From his works with Cortijo Y Su Combo and The Fania All Stars to his incredible ‘Roberto Y Su Apollo Sound’, Roberto’s albums are incredible examples of classic Salsa with unique innovation. Buen Viaje, Maestro.

Roberto Roena was born on January 16, 1940 in Dulces Labios, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. His father was Fransisco José Roena Santiago, an agronomist and his mother was Raquel Maria Vazquez Plazas, a seamstress. He and his brother, Fransisco José, had an incredible sense of rhythm, learned and started perfecting their Mambo and Cha Cha Cha routines. By the time Robert was 9, he started appearing on TV, dancing for a show called ‘La Taberna India’. His uncle, Anibal Vazquez, was also a phenomenal dancer and would performed choreographed routines with Roberto (see below).

When Roberto was just 16, he joined Cortijo Y Su Combo. The band was led by Rafael Cortijo, who mentored Roena and taught him how to play bongos. Roberto said “I owe him everything. It always filled me with wonder why I was chosen. It’s been a dream” (Kent 363–366). He played with the band until they disbanded after the group’s singer, El Sonero Mayor, Ismael Rivera was arrested. Some of the disbanded members formed a group called El Gran Combo, which still exists to this day. After El Gran Combo’s bongosero left, Roberto joined the group and stayed for 7 or 8 years. In 1969, he started ‘Roberto Y Su Apollo Sound’. He decided to call it ‘Apollo Sound’, because their first rehearsal was on the same day as the spaceship Apollo 1 was launched. Roena later said

Everyone said I was crazy. I was even crazier because the people I recruited were stars in their own right. According to all estimates, our group wouldn’t last more than a month or two.

Kent, Mary. Salsa Talks : A Musical Heritage Uncovered. Altamonte Springs, Fl, Digital Domain, 2005.

Roberto also said that he wanted to create something different. Half of his musicians were into Rock n Roll. Even though Cortijo was his idol and he considered himself “one of his most fortunate disciples” ¹ (Kent 363–366), he didn’t want to copy his sound, or for that matter anyone’s sound. His brass consisted of two trumpets, a trombone and a tenor, at the time, no Latino band had that brass lineup.

Roberto had no formal musical studies. He didn’t read music. In his opinion it was a blessing because he didn’t become “too methodical” and it allowed him to add more feeling to his music. Roberto was a big proponent of a band having a “personality”; a signature sound that is instantly recognizable. When we listen to his recordings, we can see exactly what he means. He was not at all close minded, not only knowledgeable in Puerto Rican rhythms such as Bomba and Plena and the Cuban roots, he experimented and studied Venezuelan, Panamanian and Brazilian music, among many others.

Roena was also very fond of adding new influences to his music. He added Brazilian influences on his song ‘Mi Desengaño‘. In 1971, Roberto signed with Fania Records and then participated in The Fania All Stars for more than 20 years while still leading Apollo Sound.

Below you can see him with the Fania All Stars live in Africa in 1973. You also see he was a phenomenal dancer (starting at 4:27). He was breakdancing before it became widely popular. This is something we can trace back to the Palladium days of the 50’s with people like Tito Rodriguez.

Roberto’s career lasted an incredibly over 60 years. His contributions with Cortijo, Fania and Su Apollo Sound, among the many other bands and albums he contributed to, are phenomenal and seminal works. Thank you for all you did, Maestro. May the ancestors receive you in a good way! ¡Buen Viaje!

With that I’ll leave you with what Aurora Flores said about Roberto

You were a true warrior Roberto, a loyal friend and a great patriot of Puerto Rico. RIP and power my brother

Aurora Flores (from an Instagram post, 9/24/21)

1. Kent, Mary. Salsa Talks : A Musical Heritage Uncovered. Altamonte Springs, Fl, Digital Domain, 2005.