Ray Santos

Ray Santos studied at Juilliard School and Haaren High School. The recorded working language is English. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are salsa and mambo. Distinctions recorded are Latin Grammy Trustees Award and International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

• Name — Ray Santos • Birth Name — Raymond Santos • Born — 28 December 1928 • Birthplace — East Harlem, New York, US • Died — 17 October 2019 • Place of death — The Bronx, New York, US • Genre — * Latin jazz • Salsa • Mambo • big band • Occupation — musician, composer, and educator • Instrument — saxophone • Years Active — 1950s–2019

Ray Santos was born in East Harlem in New York on December 28, 1928. His mother was a doll maker and his father was a doorman. They were born in Puerto Rico. When Santos was thirteen, the family moved to The Bronx. As a child, Santos heard Machito and his Afro-Cuban boys and Charlie Parker's music, which inspired him to pursue a career in music. He played tenor sax while in high school at Haaren High School. Santos attended Juilliard School and graduated in 1952.

Santos started his career in music playing Latin-inspired big band music in the 1950s. He played with bands in the Catskills and at the Palladium in New York City. Santos served as music consultant and arranger for the soundtrack of the motion picture The Mambo Kings. He arranged the Oscar-nominated song Beautiful Maria of My Soul. He arranged and directed the orchestra for Linda Ronstadt's Frenesí album, for which he won a Grammy. He was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2003 and received the Latin Grammy Trustees Award in 2011. Santos taught at the City College of New York for over 20 years, directing the Latin Band. He retired from City College in December 2013 at the age of 84. In 2016, Santos received an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music. Santos arranged Jon Secada's album To Beny Moré With Love. In 2018, Santos contributed arrangements to Eddie Palmieri's Mi Luz Mayor album. He died on October 17, 2019, at age 90.