ORQUESTA TABACO Y RON
Orquesta Tabaco Y Ron is the most exciting Salsa band today. Their high-energy, hard-edged brand of salsa music has appealed to devoted salsa dancers and Latin music DJ's worldwide. OTR is a 12 piece "Big-Band" orchestra, composed of musicians from all over Latin America including Puerto Rico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia and Mexico. OTR's stunning rhythms create a contagious energy that revives the almost extinct salsa sound of generations past.
Since 2000, Orquesta Tabaco Y Ron has recorded four studio albums and one remix compilation for Dimelo! Records. These recordings were accepted with positive and gratifying reviews by new and old fans, earning them numerous tours to various cities and countries. Their arsenal of hard salsa tracks has gained OTR recognition and respect by tropical music aficionados worldwide.
HECTOR MANUEL RIVERA
Hector Manuel Rivera has produced and arranged all five Orquesta Tabaco Y Ron productions. He has solely recorded, engineered and mastered the majority of their releases. He is also the piano player, band leader and is known to his fellow musicians as "El Pianista Del Barrio." Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Hector Manuel discovered his passion for music at the age of nine while being inspired by such artists as the Sonora Ponceña and Papo Luca on the piano. These great artists influenced the young aspiring musician to become fascinated by the sound of salsa music, later triggering him to become obsessed with the piano. Hector Manuel would eventually claim the piano as a musical weapon of his own.
MARTIN PADILLA
Martin Padilla, the distinct lead vocalist of Orquesta Tabaco Y Ron, possesses the power to captivate audiences with his authentic tone. Referred to as El Sonero del Barrio, Martin was born in Yaucco, the coffee growing zone of Puerto Rico. His musical style was greatly influenced by the old-school salsa greats such as Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, Sonora Ponceña, and other legendary Fania heavies. Martin is an essential part of the make-up of OTR. His influence can be heard on all the bands songs, through original compositions and amazing improvisations, also known as soneros.
