Roberto Roena is a Puerto Rican percussionist and band leader acclaimed as one of the leading figures in salsa music in America and around the world. He played drums and was a dancer in local venues and appeared on regional television show 'La Taberna India'. Leading percussionist Rafael Corijo added him to the line-up of his group El Gran Combo until 1969 when he left to form another salsa band, Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound. He added jazz elements to his music when he collaborated with Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango in the early 1970s.
His albums include several volumes of 'Apollo Sound' in the 1970s, 'Super Apollo 47-50' (1982) with Adalberto Santiago, 'Afuera y Contendo' (1986), 'New Decade' (1990) and 'The Fania Legends of Salsa Collection' (1994). His 1995 track 'Los Caminos De Mi Gente' reached number 15 on Billboard's Tropical Airplay Chart. He featured with Bobbie Valentin and Richie Ray on Ismael Miranda's 2015 track 'Bajo, Piano & Bongo', which topped Billboard's Tropical Airplay Chart. He released album 'Los Rostros de la Salsa' in 2017 with tracks including 'Como Te Hago Endenter', 'Mi Mambo Pide Campara' and 'Los Caminos de Mi Gente'.
