Ismael Rivera

About Ismael Rivera

Ismael Rivera, known as El Sonero Mayor, was the greatest improvising vocalist Puerto Rico ever produced, a singer whose rhythmic phrasing rewrote the rules of the sonero's art. He rose to fame fronting Cortijo y su Combo and later built a celebrated solo career with Los Cachimbos. His devotional anthem El Nazareno and the Afro-affirming Las Caras Lindas remain cornerstones of Puerto Rican music, and Rubén Blades and countless others cite him as the master.