As Chicago schools honored veterans ahead of the holiday weekend, Tito Puente Jr. took center stage at Charles A. Prosser Career Academy’s auditorium, celebrating his father’s dual legacy as a respected musician and Navy serviceman. The event, coined Heroes & Heritage and organized through a tie-up between Ald. Gilbert Villegas’ office and American Legion Staff Sgt. Jason Vazquez Post #939, bestowed the first Heroes & Heritage award posthumously to the mambo king, Tito Puente, as part of its mission to honor Latino veterans and first responders.
During the assembly, where Puente Jr. received the accolade for his father, he reflected the goal of connecting past and present, bridging the cultural and generational divide with beats from his dad’s era. “My name means “bridge” in Spanish. That’s what I’m doing right now, bridging the generations together,” he
told the Chicago Sun-Times
. Despite growing up with a passion for rock and house music, munitions of a different cultural fabric, Puente Jr. has stepped into his father’s shoes, wielding timbales to honor and revitalize the rich legacy of Latin jazz and mambo music.
But the echoes of Puente’s legacy aren’t limited to the reverence of Veterans Day events. Tito Puente Jr. has taken to Twitter to announce an auditory blast from the past with a new release set to drop on November 23rd – a date that marks the 75th anniversary of his father’s hit, “Ran Kan Kan”. The album, “Tito Puente 100,” features a host of musicians and is directed by Angel Velez, with the younger Puente at the helm as conductor. The anticipation is set high for the album to hit digital platforms and vinyl, stoking the fires of mambo for old fans and newcomers alike. Fans can mark their calendars for a revival of sounds that shaped an era, as
announced on Puente Jr.’s Twitter
.
Brand new music is coming November 23rd, 2024, the 75th anniversary of “Ran Kan Kan” Tito Puente 100. The Studio Intensive Orchestra/Symphony featuring Tito Puente,Jr. Conducted by Angel Velez.
Available on all digital music platforms and on vinyl coming soon on November 23rd!
pic.twitter.com/McVDuo1j1V
In the wake of new endeavors and tributes, it is poignant that Tito Puente Jr. brings his father’s story full circle – from the throes of WWII battlefields to the main stage of cultural impact. As a young student named Denise Hernández expressed her newfound curiosity towards Puente’s music, the forthcoming documentary and musical project may well serve as the timbales strike that resonates with new generations. It is in the spirit of
Tito Puente’s encouragement
, to “Anything that inspires you, do it with Hispanic pride,” that his son carries on the beat, literally and figuratively, ensuring the Puente name remains synonymous with a vibrant, enduring heritage in music and beyond.
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