Yomo Toro

This Puerto Rican from Ensenada, son of an amateur guitarist, is one of the most highly respected musicians in the New York scene after over 5 decades of musical career. His instrument is the cuatro, a boricua guitar with 10 strings, descendant of the Spanish vihuela.

Accompanying the Trío Los Panchos in the early 60’s and after recording four records with them, he began working with the Fania label, eventually joining Fania All-Stars. Between the late 60’s and early 70’s, he hosted a television show "The Yomo Toro Show" New York channel 41, which was on the air for 7 years.

These years were especially fruitful for Yomo Toro, as he recorded the influential "Tributo a Arsenio Rodríguez" Larry Harlow’s band in 1969 and in 1970 he recorded the classic "Asalto Navideño" with Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe, where they mixed New York salsa with traditional Puerto Rican Christmas music.

Toro continued working throughout the following decades, playing in over 150 albums and recording around 20 solo records, including collaborations with musicians such as Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon, Linda Rondstadt and David Byrne. In 1994 he went back to the basics when he began playing in the Latin Legends with Larry Harlow and Aldaberto Santiago.

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