El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico is a prominent salsa orchestra based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Founded on May 26, 1962, by pianist, composer, and arranger Rafael Ithier, the group emerged following the breakup of Rafael Cortijo y su Combo. Under Ithier's direction, the orchestra became one of the most successful musical groups from Puerto Rico, earning the moniker "La Universidad de la Salsa" (The University of Salsa) in Colombia due to the high volume of major salsa artists who began or developed their careers within its ranks.
The group's discography spans several decades, with recorded active history in the catalog dating from 1963 to 2023. The orchestra has explored several Caribbean genres, primarily focused on salsa but also incorporating elements of merengue and timba. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2012, releasing albums such as "Fiesta", "El Caballo Pelotero", and "¿Tu Querias Boogaloo? ¡Toma Boogaloo!" around that period.
In the subsequent decade, El Gran Combo continued to release new material and compile legacy works. This includes the albums "Alunizando" in 2016 and "En Cuarentena" in 2021. Their 2021 output also featured the live recording "En Vivo Desde el Bronx Ny" and the holiday album "De Trulla Con el Combo", followed by the 2023 album "El Swing del Gran Combo". Founder Rafael Ithier directed the ensemble for over half a century until his death at the age of 99.
