Raphy Leavitt was a Puerto Rican composer and founder of the salsa orchestra, La Selecta.
14 Facts About Raphy Leavitt
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Rafael Angel Leavitt Rey, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the second of four siblings in his family, Jose Manuel, Rafael Angel, Lillian Rose and Jorge Luis, and was born to a Jewish father and a Catholic mother.
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Raphy Leavitt was able to attend a private school, Colegio San Agustin, where he received his primary and secondary education.
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Raphy Leavitt participated in an accordion orchestra and was named "premier" accordionist.
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Raphy Leavitt enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico to study Business Administration.
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In 1966, Raphy Leavitt organized an orchestra which he named "Los Senoriales".
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In 1970, Raphy Leavitt organized an orchestra which was to have a different sound and style.
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Raphy Leavitt wanted to select the band's repertoire from songs with a particular, positive social message and philosophy, and arranged his new band's sound as to sound as raw and powerful as the typical all-trombone salsa sound in vogue at the time, but with the addition of trumpets to lighten up the sound melodically.
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Raphy Leavitt composed some of the songs of this new group, which he named "La Selecta".
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Raphy Leavitt was in a coma, he sustained several fractures in his hip, vertebrae and ribs in the accident, and was placed on intensive care.
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Maisonet was reportedly dressed in black, and telling him: "Raphy Leavitt, I'll help you from here".
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In 2003, Leavitt and La Selecta held a concert at the Luis A Ferre Center of Fine Arts in San Juan, where the group was awarded a Tu Musica Award for "Best Salsa Recording of the Year".
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Raphy Leavitt died on August 5,2015, at his home in Miami, Florida, two days after surgery to remove bacteria found around his artificial hip.
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Raphy Leavitt was buried at Porta Coeli Cemetery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.