Olga Tañón & El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico in Tampa

Olga Tañón is a Puerto Rican singer, born in Santurce in 1967, who performs merengue, salsa, Latin pop and ballads. Known as “La Mujer de Fuego,” she built her repertoire around songs including “Es Mentiroso,” “Basta Ya” and “Cómo Olvidar,” and albums such as Mujer de Fuego and Nuevos Senderos. Olga Viva, Viva Olga documented her concert at the House of Blues in Orlando and was presented as an HBO special. In 2009, she performed at the Paz Sin Fronteras concert in Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución.

El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico is a Puerto Rican salsa orchestra formed in San Juan in 1962 by pianist Rafael Ithier. Its best-known recordings include “Brujería,” “Me liberé,” “No hay cama pa’ tanta gente” and “Un verano en Nueva York.” The orchestra has toured Latin America, the United States and Europe for decades, performing at salsa festivals, theatres and arenas. In 2012, it marked its 50th anniversary with a concert at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot. El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico performs as a full salsa orchestra, built around multiple lead singers, piano, bass, brass and Afro-Caribbean percussion. The orchestra’s musical direction has long rested with pianist and founder Rafael Ithier.