Pijuán

Pijuán's love for music began during childhood, entertaining the crowds with a small band while attending Escuela Superior República de Colombia in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After completing studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Pijuán combined tropical rhythms creating his own musical identity called "salsa lounge", throughout festivals playing salsa, son, guaguancó, guaracha, bomba, plena, ballad, mambo, jala jala, calypso, and bugalú.{{Cite web|url=https://prpop.org/biografias/pijuan/|title=Pijuán|publisher=National Foundation for Popular Culture|location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|language=es}}

During his career, he met instrumental individuals such as the director of the orchestra Rafael Muñoz, expanding the opportunity to play in prestigious hotels around Puerto Rico.{{cite book|last=Santiago|first=Javier|title=Nueva Ola Portoricensis|year=1994|publisher=Editorial Del Patio; LSFNUEVAOLA|pages=372|ol=890869M}} Another key individual and composer was Paquito López Vidal, with whom Pijuán worked together at the Fiesta Room in the Hotel Condado Beach.{{Cite web|url=http://www.herencialatina.com/Pijuan/Pijuan.htm#Hotel_Condado_Beach|title=La Importancia de llamarse Pijuan-Herencia Latina|website=www.herencialatina.com}}

In 1964, Pijuán put together a sextet of musicians to work at the Barraca, has worked in several countries throughout the world, such as Aruba, Curazao, Colombia, Venezuela, Panamá, Perú, and the United States (Washington and New York City), thus establishing the sextet at the very same Hotel Condado Beach the following year.

During the next decades, Pijuán showcased his vibrant Sextet to Puerto Rican TV viewers, and/or invited local musicians to shows like Show Coca-Cola, Sábado a las 12 con Pijuán and Fiestas Fijas con Pijuán - Telemundo Canal 2 (1967-1972); produced and directed La Factoría de la Salsa - TeleSiete (1973-1974); El Show del Mediodía - Channel 4 - WAPA-TV (1974-1976); and again, followed same format for the ‘new’ show Pijuán produced/directed La Nueva Factoría de la Salsa - TeleSiete (1980-1981); Encantados con Maggie (1983-1986) was part of the segment called El show de las 12 produced by Paquito Cordero and hosted by Eddie Miro - Telemundo / Canal 2 (until 1Q-2005); and Con La Música X Dentro - CLMXD on WPRV TV / Canal 13 – or Tele-Oro, broadcast directly from Pijuán's home, along with telecancionero—a karaoke format show (2007-2009).

Pijuán recorded with Baby Boomer Boys, a group consisting of Edward Delgado, Harry Fraticelli,{{cite web |last1=Fraticelli |first1=Harry |title=El Mamito |url=http://www.herencialatina.com/Harry_Fraticelli/Harry_Fraticelli.htm |publisher=Carlos Velasquez |accessdate=2 August 2012 |author2=Iris Morales Pizarro |page=10|language=es}} Esteban Rivera, Sammy Aguirre and Tony Guayama.{{Cite web|url=https://prpop.org/2014/11/efusivo-abrazo-a-pijuan/|title=Efusivo abrazo a Pijuan [Effusive hug for Pijuan]|publisher=National Foundation for Popular Culture|location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|language=es}}

Pijuán worked both media circuits, TV and music, for several years, providing a stepping stone for others to follow. Pijuán met famous acclaimed musicians and actors like Rocio Durcal, and Liza Minnelli to mention a couple.

In 2016, Pijuán celebrated his fifty-year career as a professional musician by playing at several venues around Puerto Rico.{{Cite web|url=https://prpop.org/2016/01/el-siempre-productivo-pijuan/|title=El siempre productivo Pijuan [The always productive Pijuan] |publisher=National Foundation for Popular Culture|location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|language=es}}{{Cite web|url=https://prpop.org/2018/03/pijuan-incansable-baluarte-del-arte/|title=Pijuan: Incansable baluarte del arte [Pijuan: Tireless bastion of art]|publisher=National Foundation for Popular Culture|location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|language=es}}

Pijuan died on Tuesday March 14, 2018 at age 76 due to cardiac complications at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital, in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.{{Cite web|url=https://www.primerahora.com/entretenimiento/farandula/nota/falleceelpianistapijuan-1272792/|title=Fallece el pianista Pijuan [Pianist Pijuan dies]|date=14 March 2018|website=Primera Hora|language=es}}

LPs compiled compliments of Herencia Latina:

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-3}}

• 2010 - Pijuán y Los Baby Boomer Boys – Bohemia Bailable – Musigol Records
• 1986 - Bizcocho & Pijuán – El premio 'Gordo' del Sabor – Private Ranch Records
• 1983 - Grandes Hits Navideños de Pijuán – Private Ranch Records
• 1982 - Harry Fraticelli – El Cantante del Pueblo (produced by Pijuán) – Private Ranch Records
• 1982 - Orlando Pabellón – Ahora Sí Que Estamos...Heavy (produced by Pijuán) – Private Ranch Records
• 1982 - Pijuán – Temas de Amor – Introducing Sammy Aguirre – Private Ranch Records
• 1981 - Pijuán – La Supertrulla [La Súper Trulla] # No. 3 – Discos Melón | TH Records
• 1980 - Pijuán – La Supertrulla [La Súper Trulla] # No. 2 – Discos Melón | TH Records
• 1979 - Pijuán – Emociones - vocals Hanibal – Discos Melón | TH Records

{{Col-3}}

• 1978 - Pijuán – Salsa de Salón – Discos Melón
• 1978 - Puerto Rican Power – La Pura Naturaleza de la Salsa (produced by Pijuán) – Discos Melón
• 1977 - Pijuán – Merengues a Lo Pijuán – Discos Melón
• 1975 - Pijuán – La Supertrulla [La Súper Trulla] – Discos Melón All-Stars – Discos Melón
• 1974 - Pijuán – La Factoria de la Salsa - vocals Tony Guayama – Discos Melón
• 1973 - Pijuán – Un Chorrito de Pitorro – Discos Melón
• 1972 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – El Nuevo Album de Pijuán... – Discos Melón
• 1972 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – Mas Producción en Salsa Melódica – Discos REX SA (Discos Melón)
• 1971 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – Arráncame la Vida – Kubaney

{{Col-3}}

• 1970 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – Ahora Es Cuando...É – Kubaney
• 1970 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – Ahora Sí – Kubaney
• 1970 - Pijuán (45rpm) – La Maestranza (A) - La Piragua (B) – Kubaney K-5362 (two cuts from the 'Ahora Sí')
• 1969 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – Sabor a Pueblo – A Soul Full Latin Sound for 69 – Hit Parade
• 1968 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – Estamos en Todas – Groovy – Hit Parade
• 1967 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – Swing-A-Ling y Boogaloo – Phillips Borinquen
• 1966 - Pijuán y su Sexteto – En el Tradewinds ‘El Floron’ | Swing with the Tide at the Tradewinds – Phillips Borinquen

{{Col-end}}

{{Portal|Puerto Rico|Biography|Latin music}}

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Afro-Latin American
• El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, a musical institution that has been around for 5 decades.
• Mongo Santamaría
• Charlie Palmieri
• Oscar D'León's musical career began with La Dimensión Latina in the early 1970s.
• Tata Güines
• Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros
• Ray Barretto
• Machito
• Celia Cruz's career did begin with La Sonora Matancera in the early 1950s.
• Salsa music
• Music of Puerto Rico
• Andy Montañez
• Xavier Serbiá
• Eddie Santiago

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.herencialatina.com/El_Rincon_de_los_Coleccionistas_Carlos/2012/Pijuan/Pijuan_Ago_Sep_2012.htm Coordina Carlos Velásquez El Rincón de los Coleccionistas Exquisitos]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pijuan}}

Category:1942 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:Salsa musicians

Category:Puerto Rican businesspeople

Category:People from Río Piedras, Puerto Rico

Category:Latin pop singers

Category:20th-century Puerto Rican male singers

Category:20th-century Puerto Rican singers

Category:Puerto Rican people of Spanish descent

Category:Puerto Rican male composers