Tito Puente Jr. with Edwin Pabon
Tito Puente Jr. with Edwin Pabon
Image courtesy of the artist
Edwin Pabon has been a mainstay in Latin music in the Boston and New England areas for many years. Born into a family of Puerto Rican musicians, he began his musical career in the mid-seventies as a percussionist with El Sexteto Pabon, a family band. El Sexteto Pabon was one of the first bands in Boston to feature Latin music. In many ways, Pabon and his brothers Roberto and Israel, along with his sister Janet, were pioneers in promoting Latin music in the New England area.
Pabon began his solo career in 1990 when he formed his own orchestra. He assumed all responsibilities for the orchestra, including booking, promoting, and acting as the musical director. Throughout his career, he has performed with some of the best artists in Latin music, including Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Tito Nieves, Eddie Palmieri, Lalo Rodríguez, Mongo Santamaría, Ismael Rivera, Giovanni Hidalgo, Tito Gómez, and Ray Barreto. He is the lead singer of his band, Edwin Pabon & Orchestra, and also plays several instruments, mainly percussion, such as timbales, bongos, and congas. Pabon is also preparing to release his third CD, Rumbero de Corazón, which features "salsa romántica de hoy y de ayer" (hot salsa and romantic salsa) with Afro-Cuban rhythms. He is a passionate performer whose commitment to spreading the vivacity of Latin music and dance continues to inspire him.