Ismael Rivera, firstborn son of Puerto Rican salsero of the same name dies

San Juan, 19 Mar Puerto Rican singer Ismael Rivera son, firstborn of the legendary salsero of the same name, died this Saturday at the age of 67, allegedly of a heart attack, a source close to the artist confirmed to Efe. According to the source, Rivera Jr. shared with his partner in his vehicle, when he “began to feel bad” and died in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant in the tourist sector of Isla Verde in Carolina, a city near San Juan. “I just lost one of my best brothers,” said the source, who also said that “Ismaelito”, a nickname that Rivera Jr. carried. For his part, Richie Bastar, musician of the legendary salsa orchestra El Gran Combo of Puerto Rico, also mourned the passing of his colleague and compatriot. “La Salsa is in mourning, may Ismael Rivera Jr son of El Sonero Mayor rest in Paz, my condolences to his family and fans (sic),” Bastar said on his social networks. Son of Virginia Fuentes y Rivera, known as “El Sonero Mayor”, Rivera son was born on December 10, 1954 in Santurce, district of San Juan and a well-known musical and artistic area, as detailed on the website saocosalsa.com. Taking advantage of the experience he saw and heard from his father, in 1977 Rivera Jr. joined the Combo de Cortijo, directed by Rafael Cortijo, his father's musical teacher. In this group, Rivera son had the opportunity to be the male voice of the album “El Sueño del Maestro”, while Fe Cortijo was the female performer. Then, Rivera Jr. recorded the production “Human Fruit”, in which the theme “Bronze Wall”, dedicated to his father, stands out. In addition, he participated in the Cortijo and Su Bonche group and worked in the orchestras of Francisco “Kako” Bastar, Los Hijos de la Salsa, El Combo de Siempre and ABC (Arte Boricua Cultura) by Jesús Cepeda, son of the legendary Puerto Rican musician and “father” of the native genres of la bomba and plena, Rafael Cepeda. After participating in these groups, Rivera son released the album “La Leyenda Sigue” and then, together with the children of salseros Andy Montañez and the late Pellín Rodríguez, they presented the album “Los hijos de los celebres”. Among the last musical projects Rivera Hijo participated in was Gilberto Santa Rosa's album “Colegas”, where he collaborated on the song “Bailadores”. He also provided his voice on the songs “El charlatán” and “El sazón de abuela” in the project “100 Years of Lito Peña: A Musical Footprint”, dedicated to the also legendary Puerto Rican musician and director of the Pan American Orchestra, in which Ismael Rivera Sr. participated. CHIEF jm