▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Cub an ▁trom bon ist , ▁band le ader , ▁arr anger ▁and ▁producer . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁Al go ▁Nue vo ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁I rak ere , ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁ex ponents ▁of ▁song o ▁and ▁Af ro - C ub an ▁jazz ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁directed ▁various ▁Cub an ▁super groups ▁such ▁as ▁Est rell as ▁de ▁Are ito ▁and ▁Cub an ▁Masters . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁trom bone ▁players ▁in ▁the ▁Latin - j azz ▁community ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ". ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Born ▁in ▁Puerto ▁P adre ▁( former ▁Ori ente ▁Province ) ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁musical ▁work ▁as ▁eu phon ium ▁player ▁in ▁the ▁municipal ▁band . ▁Before ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁the ▁Esc uela ▁Nacional ▁de ▁Arte , ▁Tor res ▁started ▁his ▁career ▁Oct av io ▁S ánchez ▁Cot án ' s ▁ensemble . ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Or questa ▁Cub ana ▁de ▁M ús ica ▁Mod erna ▁( OC MM ), ▁a ▁large ▁jazz ▁ensemble ▁directed ▁by ▁Arm ando ▁Rome u . ▁So on ▁after ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁he ▁directed ▁his ▁own ▁group ▁with ▁other