Raphy Leavitt
| Raphy Leavitt | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 17, 1948 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Died | August 5, 2015 (aged 66) Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Salsa |
| Occupation(s) | Composer and founder of the salsa orchestra "La Selecta". |
 You may listen to Raphy Leavitt and La Selecta interpret Siempre Alegre on YouTube. |
Raphy Leavitt (September 17, 1948 – August 5, 2015) was a Puerto Rican composer and founder of the salsa orchestra "La Selecta".
Rafael Angel Leavitt Rey, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the second of four siblings in his family, and was born to a Jewish father and a Catholic mother. He and his brothers became orphans at an early age and were raised by their aunt in the Puerta de Tierra section of San Juan. Leavitt was able to attend a private school, Colegio San Agustín, where he received his primary and secondary .
During his childhood, he was also able to take classes at The Academy of Accordions. He participated in an accordion orchestra and was named "premier" accordionist. Leavitt enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico to study Business Administration. It was during this period of his life that he debuted as a professional musician when he joined two cousins who shared Rey as last name to form the "Combo Los Rey". After four years in the university, Leavitt earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and graduated with high honors.
In 1966, Leavitt organized an orchestra which he named "Los Señoriales". This was the first time that he assumed the role of orchestra director. Later on, he renamed the orchestra "La Banda Latina" (Latin Band).
In 1970, Leavitt organized an orchestra which was to have a different sound and style. He wanted to select the band's repertoire from songs with a particular, positive social message and philosophy, and arranged his new band's sound as to sound as raw and powerful as the typical all-trombone salsa sound in vogue at the time (made popular by Willie Colón), but with the addition of trumpets to lighten up the sound melodically. He composed some of the songs of this new group, which he named "La Selecta". Ever since its beginning, La Selecta has featured Coamo-born Sammy Marrero, considered by many as a gentlemanly character in salsa, as one of its singers. Marrero, who has always been strongly influenced by jibaro music, had a chance to show his dramatic singing style in early hits such as the anthemic Jíbaro Soy, a patriotic Puerto Rican song unusual for the times, Payaso, and El Buen Pastor. However, it is the band's signature song, La Cuna Blanca, that Marrero's voice is mostly associated with.
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