Ernesto Antonio Puente Jr., more commonly known as Tito Puente (April 20, 1923 – May 31, 2000) was an influential Latin jazz and mambo musician. The Puerto Rican native of Spanish Harlem in New York City is often credited as "El Rey" (the King) of the timbales, "The Mambo King," and "The King of Latin Music". He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and latin jazz compositions that helped keep his career going for 50 years.