The only orchestra leader from New Yorks golden era of mambo who still performs regularly, Orlando Marin is truly The Last Mambo King.
A contemporary of Tito Puente, Machito, Tito Rodríguez, and other New York mambo-era icons, Bronx-born Orlando acquired a love of music at a very early age. Mambo was exploding in the early 50s when Orlando, captivated by its rhythms, developed a keen interest in Latin percussion. At age 16, while preparing for a career as a cartoon illustrator at New Yorks prestigious High School of Industrial Arts, he formed a small band. The band quickly evolved into a ten-piece orchestra, and was the first of the Bronx-born Latin dance ensembles to achieve solid commercial success, appearing in such renowned venues as New Yorks fabled Palladium Ballroom. Palladium Ballroom promoter Federico Pagani dubbed Orlandos group La Orquesta de la Juventud (the Orquestra of Youth). The youthful ensemble included 14-year-old Eddie Palmieri on piano and 15-year-old Joe Quijano on vocals, both of whom were destined to become Latin music greats in their own right. Orlando was an emerging musical sensation when he met record producer Richard Marin, for whom he recorded Mi Mambo, on the Plus label. Securing a contract with Fiesta records, Orlando recorded his first two LPs, Arriba Cha-Cha-Cha, and Lets Go Latin.
Uncle Sam interrupted Orlandos meteoric rise in 1958, sending him off in an Army uniform to patrol Koreas DMZ as part of the U.N. occupation forces. While in Korea, Orlando entered the All-Army Talent Competition, winning First Prize in the Pacific Command. A musical tour of Korea and Japan followed, with a trip to Washington, DC, for the finals, capped by a performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. While still in uniform and stationed in California, Orlando sat in for Tito Puente on timbales at the Hollywood Palladium and, at Puentes behest, accompanied Cuban singer-star Benny Moré. Several years later, Orlando would appear with Tito again at the Hollywood Palladium, this time each leading his own orchestra, and dueling on timbales.
Following military service, Orlando returned to New York. He continued to appear at the Palladium Ballroom, and was featured at many other popular New York dance venues, including the Limbo Lounge, the Bayside Manor, the Hotel Taft, and the Bronxs renowned Hunts Point Palace, among others. After recording two highly successful albums for Alegre Records, Se Te Quemó La Casa, and Que Chévere, he was invited to record with the Alegre All-Stars, performing his famous timbal solo on the tune Manteca. Orlando returned to Fiesta Records, for whom he recorded Está en Algo (Hes Up To Something), which included the smash hit Aprende a Querer. Orlandos peers hailed this recording as his best ever. Shortly thereafter Orlando cut the first bugaloo album ever recorded, Out of My Mind, for the Brunswick label.
Orlando continued to break new musical ground with the release of his LP Saxophobia. The album contains arrangements for five saxophones, but uses no trumpets, the brass instrument traditionally associated with the Latin genre. The recording was hailed as a Latin jazz success. Meanwhile, Orlando continued to appear in live performances with his own orchestra, as well as alongside such greats as Miguelito Valdez, and singer-entertainer Bobby Capó, whom The Orlando Marin Orchestra accompanied on a five-borough New York tour.
In 1976, Orlando was invited to represent Hispanic America at the U.S. Bicentennial Celebration on Ellis Island. In 1999, New Yorks governor George E. Pataki presented Orlando with the Bobby Capó Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of nearly a half century of Orlandos dedication to Latin music and to his fans.
Orlandos music is appreciated not only by the denizens of New Yorks traditional Latin dance venues, but also by non-Latin fans throughout the five boroughs and beyond, and by mambo and salsa lovers everywhere in the Americas. During a concert tour to Colombia in 1993, Orlando was honored with a lifetime musical achievement award before a throng of 15,000 that had come to Calis Plaza de Toros to hear his music. In 1997, on behalf of Orlandos friends and fellow musicians, renowned Latin music historiographer Max Salazar presented Orlando a plaque at New Yorks prestigious club La Maganette in recognition of nearly five decades of uninterrupted contribution to Latin music.
Throughout his performing career Orlando has maintained his roots in New York City, where he has given back to the community as an employment counselor for community-based organizations, including the National Puerto Rican Forum. His extensive employment counseling experience has helped countless job seekers of all ages prepare for the world of work.
Orlando continues to perform the music that he loves and which has given his fans so much enjoyment. In January 2003, he was invited by Washington, DCs, Latin Jazz station, WPFW; by the Arlington County (Virginia) Cultural Arts Division; and by the Latin American Folk Institute to do a live concert in Washington. The enthusiastic crowd that filled Rosslyns Spectrum Theater for the performance was dancing in the aisles.
Today the Orlando Marin ensemble remains one of the most active Latin bands on the East Coast. It appears regularly at the Tito Puente Restaurant, at many popular New York dance venues, including Club Ilusiones; Planeta Millennium; Natives Restaurant; and many others. It appears also at open-air venues throughout the city, such as the South Street Seaport; Roberto Clemente State Park; Orchard Beach; the Ramon Velez Hunts Point Multi-Service Center; Riverbank Park; and the Battery Park Concerts. Believing that music belongs to everyone, Orlando has been spending an increasing proportion of his time bringing his music to those unable to come see him: hospital patients, inmates of correctional facilities, and nursing home residents throughout the New York area. They are among his most avid fans.
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Saludos y abrazo fraternal Maestro. I stopped by to say hello. It was an honor to be on stage with you (at Iguana's with Sergio y Grupo Caribe) espero que se repita pronto.
Hello Orlando.. its been awhile. hope all is well... Passing thru to wish u a blessed day.. feel free to come by my page and check out my music and videos.. I will be performing on 7/31 in queens.. hit me up if u can make it so I can give u the details.. God bless.
BENDICIONES Y SALUDOS DESDE CHICAGO QUERIDO HERMANO, QUEREMOS AGRADECERLE POR AVERNOS ACEPTADO EN SU LISTA DE AMIGO BENDICIONES Y APROVECHO LA OCASION PARA FELICITARLO POR SU GRAN LABOR EN EL EVANGELIO A TRAVEZ DE LA MUSICA BENDICIONES....
