Annotations for Dates: 1955

My brother Charlie used to play with Tito Puente. That was one of the most important conjuntos that we've ever had here. Wherever my brother would go and play, he would recommend me, and that's how I got into an orchestra called Ray Almore Quintet and first Johnnie Segui in '55, Vincentico Valdez, Pete Terrace at the interim, back to Vincentico Valdez for summer in '58 in the Palladium, and then for '58, '60 with Tito Rodrigez After that I went on my own.

[Background--Afro-Cuban Jazz] My brother Charlie used to play with Tito Puente. That was one of the most important conjuntos that we've ever had here. Wherever my brother would go and play, he would recommend me and that's how I got into an orchestra called Ray Almore Quintet. And first Johnnie Segui in '55, Vincentico Valdez, Pete Terrace in the interim, back to Vincentico Valdez for a summer in '58 in the Palladium, and then the '58 to '60 we took the holiday. After that, I went on my own.