Overview
- His family confirmed the death Saturday in a statement saying he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
- No cause of death has been disclosed, with reports earlier in the week noting he was hospitalized for respiratory problems.
- Manager Pietro Carlos praised him as “an architect of the New York sound” in a widely shared tribute.
- The Bronx-born trombonist helped define salsa through early Fania recordings with Héctor Lavoe and later work with Rubén Blades and Celia Cruz.
- Across six decades he released more than 40 albums, earned nine gold and five platinum records with eight Grammy nominations, and performed into 2025, including a sold-out concert in San Juan.