Rafael Ithier Rafael Ithier ( born 1926 in San Juan , Puerto Rico ) is a Salsa musician and the founder of the highly successful orchestra `` El Gran Combo . '' Ithier was born in Rio Piedras , now a part of greater San Juan . Ithier showed a passion for music when he was very young . His father , Nicolas Ithier , played music together with Rafael Hernandez , another of Puerto Rico 's music legends . Rafael Ithier became an expert guitarist in the bolero genre , and he was a member of the Tito Henriquez group , Taone . His sister Esperanza later inspired him to learn how to play the piano . Ithier and his namesake , Rafael Cortijo , knew each other and formed a friendship at an early age ; rumors of animosity would later surface but they both denied it , saying they considered themselves to be `` like brothers. '' Ithier , who is a prominent Black Puerto Rican , joined Cortijo 's orchestra , `` El Combo , `` during the 1950s . Before that , he was in a New York group named the `` Borinqueneers Mambo Boys . `` In 1962 , Ithier formed `` El Gran Combo , `` becoming the orchestra 's leader . He has held that position for over forty years , and he continues to tour with the group , as of 2004 . In 1970 , Ithier and the members of `` El Gran Combo '' shared a near death experience . They were stranded at Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo when they failed to board the Dominicana Airlines DC-9 that crashed in the Caribbean . One of the members of the group had a bad feeling about boarding the flight . This saved all their lives . See also List of famous Puerto Ricans Categories : 1926 births | Living people | Puerto Rican musicians 