Andy Vásquez MAMBO ACE 1924-1999

Andy Vásquez, a widely known dancer who gained fame asa member of the Mambo Aces dance team during the early '50s, died in New York City at age 75 on June 30, 1999. Born Luis Angel Vásquez-Plaza on October 30, 1924, in Santurce, Puerto Rico, he relocated to New York City in 1960 on a flight which included vocalist Santitos Colón. In 1951, while the mambo rhythm was soaring in popularity, he and Puerto Rican Joe Centeno formed the Mambo Aces at the Palladium Ballroom. The team danced at every New York State resort that included mambo music. They performed at numerous New York City ballrooms, theatres and concerts. The Aces hit their peak in 1954 during an 11-city Mambo USA tour in which they fronted the orchestras of Machito, Tito Puente and the Joe Loco Quintet. During the '70s and '80s, Vásquez was master of ceremonies for the Fania All Star concerts staged in Puerto Rico. At times he and nephew, percussionist-bandleader Roberto Roena, danced mambo in unison to kick off the evening.

On Tuesday, June 29, 1999, Vásquez was in New York City to attend the Gilberto Santa Rosa concert "His Way" at Carnegie Hall which included Roberto Roena as a special guest artist. Hours later, Roena's orchestra, the Apollo Sound, was the featured orchestra at the popular West 57th Street dance hall The Copa.

"It was 12:45 a.m.," said Roena, "my band was playing a tune titled R and R, when all of a sudden he collapsed on the dance floor while he was dancing." An ambulance rushed him to Roosevelt St. Lukes hospital two blocks away. He was placed in the intensive care unit where he died at 5 a.m. On Thursday, July 1, there was a one day wake at the Ortíz Funeral Home, 72nd Street, between Broadway and West End Avenue. Two days later his body was viewed at the Buxeda Funeral Parlor in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. After the funeral services, Roena's orchestra gave Vásquez a musical farewell with Coro Mi Yare, a Fania All Star recording hit recorded in 1978. Andy Vásquez was buried at Buxeda Cemetery in Cupey, Puerto Rico.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Latin Beat Magazine
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group