Prayers for Tito Garcia of Orquesta Internacional, Ritmo 74, Rene Del Mar fame

I’m sending prayers and good wishes to my old friend, timbalero Ernesto “Tito” Garcia who led his big mambo band “Tito Garcia Y Orquesta Internacional” for many years in the SF Bay. He is hospitalized fighting for his life after a bout with Cancer. Tito relapsed due to complications during his recovery.

Tito has performed Salsa and Charanga in the 1970’s with the seminal SF based bands Ritmo 74 and Orquesta Rene Del Mar. He later formed his first band “Orquesta Salsa Dulce” in the late 1980’s which morphed into the first edition of La International featuring a young Julio Bravo on coro.

Tito gained popularity and was a staple at the late, famed salsa palace Cafe Cocomo with his monthly “Mambo Saturdays” during the early 2000’s. I often was the DJ during those hot nights. His band featured fine musicians and vocalists such as former Batachanga vocalist Ricky Rangel, congueros Eddie Borrero and Sandy Perez of Los Muñequitos De Matanzas and keyboardist Coto Pinchera who later relocated to New York.

Tito resurfaced after his bout with Cancer in 2020 to relaunch La Internacional but the comeback was short lived due to health issues. He later hosted some outdoor rumba sessions near his new home of Vallejo but those dates were limited due to the COVID pandemic. He relapsed after his recent trip to Costa Rica and is now in failing health due to complications in his recovery. I am sending good vibes and hopes for a recovery for this esteemed SF Salsa veteran.