Often hailed as the “King of Latin Jazz,” Tito Puente was a pioneering bandleader, percussionist, and composer whose rhythmic genius transformed Afro-Cuban and Latin music. Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Puente became renowned for blending mambo, salsa, and jazz with dazzling energy and precision on the timbales. Over a six-decade career, he released more than 100 albums, earned multiple Grammy Awards, and brought Latin sounds to global audiences, leaving an enduring legacy as a cultural ambassador and musical innovator.