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José Juan Piñero González (August 29, 1942 - March 14, 2018), better known as Pijuán, was a Puerto Rican musician who produced and/or has been credited on several albums under the record labels Phillips Borinquen, Hit Parade, Kubaney, Discos Melón, TH Records, Private Ranch Records and Musigol Records.

Early life and career

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.

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. Another key individual and composer was Paquito López Vidal, with whom Pijuán worked together at the Fiesta Room in the Hotel Condado Beach.

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.

TV shows

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).

News

Pijuán recorded with Baby Boomer Boys, a group consisting of Edward Delgado, Harry Fraticelli, Esteban Rivera, Sammy Aguirre and Tony Guayama.

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.

Pijuan died on Tuesday March 14, 2018 at age 76 due to cardiac complications at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital, in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.

Discography

LPs compiled compliments of Herencia Latina:

See also

• 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

References

1. "Pijuán" (in Spanish). San Juan, Puerto Rico: National Foundation for Popular Culture.
2. Santiago, Javier (1994). Nueva Ola Portoricensis. Editorial Del Patio; LSFNUEVAOLA. p. 372. OL 890869M.
3. "La Importancia de llamarse Pijuan-Herencia Latina". www.herencialatina.com.
4. Fraticelli, Harry; Iris Morales Pizarro. "El Mamito" (in Spanish). Carlos Velasquez. p. 10. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
5. "Efusivo abrazo a Pijuan [Effusive hug for Pijuan]" (in Spanish). San Juan, Puerto Rico: National Foundation for Popular Culture.
6. "El siempre productivo Pijuan [The always productive Pijuan]" (in Spanish). San Juan, Puerto Rico: National Foundation for Popular Culture.
7. "Pijuan: Incansable baluarte del arte [Pijuan: Tireless bastion of art]" (in Spanish). San Juan, Puerto Rico: National Foundation for Popular Culture.
8. "Fallece el pianista Pijuan [Pianist Pijuan dies]". Primera Hora (in Spanish). 14 March 2018.

Further reading

• Coordina Carlos Velásquez El Rincón de los Coleccionistas Exquisitos

• 1942 births
• 2018 deaths
• Salsa musicians
• Puerto Rican businesspeople
• People from Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
• Latin pop singers
• 20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
• 20th-century Puerto Rican singers
• Puerto Rican people of Spanish descent
• Puerto Rican male composers