Ричи Рэй: Сальсаның елшісі және музыкалық жолы

American musician

Ricardo "Richie" Ray (born February 15, 1945) is a Nuyorican (a New York born Puerto Rican) virtuoso pianist, singer, music arranger, composer and religious minister known for his success beginning in 1965 as part of the duo Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz. He is known as "El Embajador del Piano" (The Ambassador of the Piano).

Ray (birth name: Richard Maldonado Morales ) was born in Brooklyn, New York City of Puerto Rican parents. They lived on Hoyt Street. Ray's father, Pacifico Maldonado, was an accomplished guitarist in his native Bayamón, and as such was the Maldonado family's early musical influence. Ray's parents had him take piano lessons when he was seven years old. His life long partnership with Robert "Bobby" Cruz Feliciano started five years later in 1957 when Ray played bass in a group led by Cruz. This combination was the beginning of one of the greatest salsa duos in the salsa music industry. He attended the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, the famed High School of Performing Arts, and the Juilliard School of Music. These experiences served to further develop and refine his musical training. In addition, he became well versed in various Latin music genres which were popular at that time – the Guajira, the Cha cha cha, the Bolero and others. In 1991, Ray and Cruz reunited for successful concert appearances in San Juan, and again in New York. They reunited again in 1999 for the "Sonido Bestial VIP" concert in the Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez located in Bayamón. The duo sang some of their early hits together along with some of their religious songs, and the concert was recorded live. The outcome was so impressive that they were offered a contract by Universal Records. The recording was selected as one of the best recordings of 1999, and helped bring the pair back into the limelight of the Puerto Rican music scene. The pair has continued to be active in the music scene since. Prior to the presentation, the duo noted that the concert would last at least three hours. The duo also expressed that it might be their last "big scale concert".