Past Performances

Saturday, May 24, 2025
10:00 PM
Captain’s Cove
1 Bostwick Ave.
Bridgeport, CT
performing with Orlando Ortiz
Download Flyer

Friday June, 6, 2025
8:00 PM
Infinity Theatre
Hartford, CT
Performing with Luis Figueroa
Download Flyer

Saturday, June 21, 2025
6:30 PM
City of Waterbury — event open to the public
Waterbury, CT
performing with Orlando Ortiz
Download Flyer

Saturday, June 28, 2025
10:00 PM
Captain’s Cove
1 Bostwick Ave.
Bridgeport, CT
performing with Angel Rios
Download Flyer

Wednesday, July 2, 2025
7:30 PM
Hubbard Park
Meriden, CT

Saturday, July 12, 2025
6:00 PM
Latino Fest
Dunkin’ Donuts Park
Hartford, CT
performing with Los Adolescentes
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Saturday, July 26, 2025
6:30 PM
Boston PR Festival
Franklin Park
Boston, MA
performing with Angel Rios

Saturday, July 26, 2025
7:30 PM
Boston PR Festival
Franklin Park
Boston, MA
performing with Luis Figueroa

Saturday, August 2, 2025
7:30 PM
PR Festival
JFK Civic Center
Lowell, MA
performing with Orlando Ortiz

Sunday, September 14, 2025
2:00 PM
MGM Springfield
1 MGM Way
Springfield MA
Performing with Osvaldo Roman
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Sunday, August 6, 2023
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lowell Puerto Rican Festival
Lowell, MA

Saturday, August 5, 2023
Private Event

Friday, July 7, 2023
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The Meriden Green
FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT
77 State Street
Meriden, CT 06450

Saturday, February 4, 2023
Valentine’s Day Dance
19 S Main St. D
Branford, CT 06405

Saturday, December 3, 2022
Wedding (Private)
Delamar West Hartford
1 Memorial Rd
West Hartford, CT 06107

Saturday, November 26, 2022
Casona
(Grand Re-Opening)
681 Wethersfield Ave.
Hartford, CT 06114

Friday, October 14, 2022
Springfield College
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109

Saturday, September 24, 2022

10:00 PM
Captain’s Cove
1 Bostwick Ave.
Bridgeport, CT 06605

Sunday, September 18, 2022
3:00 PM
Free Outdoor Performance
Rockwell Park
Bristol, CT

Saturday, June 29, 2019
9:30 PM
Wedding
New Britain, CT

Saturday, August 17, 2019
9:30 PM
Private Event
Holyoke, MA

Sunday, September 29, 2019
6:00 PM
Casona
Hartford, CT

Luis Torres

Percussion

Andrew Plourd — trumpeter with Orquesta la Yunqueña

Meet the driving force behind Orquesta la Yunqueña – Luis Torres! As the band leader, cofounder, and percussionist of this premier salsa band, Luis, alongside Nate Rodriguez, has been instrumental in shaping their electrifying performances. Named after the majestic El Yunque Peak, Orquesta la Yunqueña has been captivating audiences across New England for nearly a decade, serving as the backing band for many of the top soneros traveling through the region. Specializing in Salsa Gorda, this vibrant band pays homage to legendary artists like Bobby Valentine, Héctor Lavoe, and El Gran Combo, keeping the spirit of salsa music alive and thriving.

Nate Rodriguez

Percussion

Nate Rodriguez, the founder of Orquestra la Yunqueña (OLY), has always loved music and believes his love for music comes from being born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico to a musically spirited family that loves to worship and serve the Lord.

Nate picked up his first instrument at around the age of 6 years old and started playing in the church choir in his current hometown of Meriden, Connecticut.

In 2005, Nate was given an opportunity he would never forget. Jay Borges, founder of the band Kultura- Borikua, gave Nate his first gig outside of the church.

From then on, Nate has been fully accepted and welcomed into the Salsa and Latin jazz Community. Nate is considered one of the most fun-loving and spirited musicians you will ever meet. He has a gift to reach people’s hearts through music, always giving a voice to the percussion instruments he plays. Nate’s 20+ years of experience and dedication to providing the highest quality live salsa experience make him a one-of-a-kind performer.

Always remembering a family quote, “Music speaks when words cannot.”

Nate picked up his first instrument at around the age of 6 years old and started playing in the church choir in his current hometown of Meriden, Connecticut.

In 2005, Nate was given an opportunity he would never forget. Jay Borges, founder of the band Kultura- Borikua, gave Nate his first gig outside of the church.

Always remembering a family quote, “Music speaks when words cannot.”

Damian Curtis

Piano

Damian Curtis has been studying the piano since the age of four. He went to the Academy of Performing Arts, Artist Collectives and Guakia, in high school and was able to get a full scholarship to the University of Hartford (Hartt School of Music).

He has had the chance to share the stage with great musicians as Giovanni Hilgaldo (Latin Jazz), Patato Valdes (Latin Jazz), Andy Gonzales (Latin Jazz), David And Abraham (Salsa), Jose Papo Rivera (Salsa), Lalo Rodriguez (Salsa), Johnny Rivera (Salsa), Luisito Carrion (Salsa), Nino Segarra (Salsa) Luis Figueroa (Salsa), Rubin Felix (Salsa), Jackie Mclean (Jazz), Nat Revees (Jazz), and Steve Davis (Jazz), to name just a few.

Alvaro Maldonado

Trombone

Bio coming soon!!

Hector Rodriguez

Bass

Bio Coming Soon!!

Marcos Torres

Guitar / Vocals

Bio Coming Soon!!

Crhistian Cano

Trumpet

Trumpeter Crhistian Cano was born in Medellin Colombia and now resides in Rhode Island. He is affectionately nicknamed “El más que sube”, which in Spanish loosely translates to “the one that goes higher”. Known for his ability to play those exciting high notes everyone wants to hear, Cano has earned a reputation as one of the go-to lead trumpet players throughout New England and New York City.

Crhistian is a completely self-taught musician. And while he did not attend a traditional music school, his professional experience is vast and impressive. He has worked his way onto the stage and performed as lead trumpet with artists such as: Dominican female artist, EhShawnee; Giro; Eugie Castillo’s Berklee College Salsa Big Band; and Charlie Aponte from El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico to name just a few.

Fernando “Memo” Garcia

Percussion

Fernando Garcia, better known to his friends as “Memo” was born in Colombia and now calls Bridgeport Ct his home. Known for his incredible “pocket style” playing, he has become the solid sound of Orq. La Yunqueña and he has earned the respect and recognition of other musicians in the New England and New York areas.

In his short time in the salsa scene he has been able to perform with such names as Tito Allen, Manolo Mairena, Orlando Ortiz, Adalberto Santiago, Charlie Cruz, Guillo Rivera and Luis Figueroa to name a few.

Luis Rene Robles

Vocals / Saxophone

Luis Rene Robles born August 17 1962 in the town of Ciales Puerto Rico, child number 6 of 12 brothers and sisters. At an early age he realized that the rhythm and beat of the salsa sound brought him so much happiness. As soon as he could stand he learned how to express himself through dancing and became a huge fan of the most popular group salsa has—El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico (which was the first band he saw perform on the TV his parents had just bought on Telemundo). From that day Rene knew what he wanted to do: he wanted to dance, but most importantly— he wanted to be a musician and a singer. Rene continued to learn his craft. He went to the music school in Caguas Puerto Rico named after Jose Paoli where he learned to read music and play the saxophone. He went to school with a lot of the artists you know and love today. He was a part of the Middle School Performance Band as well as the Dance Orchestra where he was active until he moved to the Unites States in 1979. He continued his education in high school in Massachusetts where he was contracted to play with his first gigging band, Juventud 77. The founder of that band was none other than the great Maximo Rodriguez, the widely recognized NY based bass player.

Fast forward to today and you can find Rene still gracing audiences with his voice as well as his saxophone if you’re lucky. He has been a part of Orquesta la Yunqueña (OLY) since its inception. His onstage charisma and humor is unmatched which is why he is called “El Sonero Feliz”.

Bobby Torres

Percussion

Bio coming soon!!

Andrew Plourd

Trumpet

Andrew (Drew) Plourd, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, was born and raised in Newington, CT, and is currently a working freelance musician and artist in the Greater Hartford area. His path as a musician began when he decided to try out the trumpet in the 4th grade band, which ultimately led him to the discovery of an innate love for playing music that would shape the direction of the rest of his life.

In high school Drew attended the Hartford Academy of The Performing Arts, where he primarily focused on playing the musical styles of straight ahead jazz, latin jazz, and funk. While at the Academy of the Arts, Drew had the privilege of studying under renowned musical mentors such as Jimmy Greene, Paul Brown, and Dave Santoro. During his junior and senior years of high school, Drew had the honor of playing a series of performances in Puerto Rico with the group “Guakibom Jazz” under the direction of the venerable, Ray Gonzalez.

After graduating high school, Drew attended the Berklee College of Music where he received a bachelors degree in professional music with an emphasis in brass performance. During his years at Berklee, Drew completed national tours with various bands. One such band, “Re-Up”, had the privilege of opening for well known groups such as Snarky Puppy, Outkast, The Roots, and Gym Class Heroes, and received notoriety as one of Berklee’s premier bands through their signing with the college’s in-house record label, Heavy Rotations Records. Drew has studied with and/or played with other musicians such as Nicholas Payton, Darren Barrett, Joe Magnarelli, Stanton Moore, Linda Rhonstadt, Jon Hendricks and more.

About

For over fifteen years now Orquesta la Yunqueña remains one of Connecticut’s Premier salsa bands.

In 2010 Orquesta la Yunqueña (OLY) was founded in the Connecticut town of Meriden—the Silver City. While sitting down trying to think of a band name for a music group he was putting together for a birthday party, OLY cofounder and percussionist, Nate Rodriguez, decided to give the band a bold name that represented the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and its heritage. He chose to name the band Orquesta la Yunqueña in recognition of El Yunque Peak, a mountain in the El Yunque National Rain Forest that boasts one of Puerto Rico’s largest peaks.

After nearly ten years since its inception, OLY remains one of the premier salsa bands in the New England area. Specializing in Salsa Gorda, the members of this exciting band take tremendous pride in entertaining audiences. OLY performs the repertoire of artists such as Bobby Valentine, Cano Estremera, Héctor Lavoe, Frankie Ruiz, El Gran Combo, Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound, Ray Barretto, Marc Anthony, and many more of the musicians that represent beautiful salsa music at its best. Nuestro Orgullo!!!!

Reviews

“….Hottest Salsa Band Around”

— Jorge A., New Britain, CT

“la Yunqueña played at our parents’ 25th wedding anniversary and had people dancing the entire night long. Would highly recommend this band!!”

— Luisa M., Holyoke, MA

“La Yunqueña is always my first choice for live salsa in Connecticut.”

— William S., Meriden, CT

“la Yunqueña played at our wedding and we couldn’t be happier. They accomodated our requests and our guests raved about them.”

— Maria D., Fall River, MA

“…Smokin’ Salsa Band!!!”

— Ricardo R., Naugatuck, CT

Repertoire

Lluvia (Agua Que Cae Del Cielo)
Descarga Boricua
Como Te Hago Entender
Roberto Roena
Cuantas Veces
Roberto Roena
Solo Vaya
Sonora Ponceña
Boranda
Sonora Ponceña
Las brisas de mi Borinquen
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound
Indestructible
Ray Barretto

Lamento de Concepcion
Roberto Roena
Aléjate de mí
Héctor Lavoe
Dime si Llegué a Tiempo
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Doña Bella
Bobby Valentin
Tus Ojos
Roberto Roena
Yo Tengo un Amor
Luis Rene Robles
Creo en Mi
Roberto Roena

Nunca Serás Mia
Orquesta La Terrifica
Yaré
Luisito Carrión
Timbalero
El Gran Combo
Amor Perfecto
El Gran Combo
No Te Quedes Sin Bailar
Ray Barretto
El Cantante
Héctor Lavoe
Mi Gente
Marc Anthony

Con Los Pobres Estoy
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound
El Jibaro y la Naturaleza
Bobby Valentin
Anacaona
Cheo Feliciano
Ahi Na’ Ma’
Los Soneros del Barrio
El Que se Fue
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound
El Muñeco de la Ciudad
Bobby Valentin
Azuquita Pal’ Cafe
El Gran Combo

Lluvia (Agua Que Cae Del Cielo)
Descarga Boricua
Como Te Hago Entender
Roberto Roena
Cuantas Veces
Roberto Roena
Solo Vaya
Sonora Ponceña
Boranda
Sonora Ponceña
Las brisas de mi Borinquen
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound
Indestructible
Ray Barretto
Lamento de Concepcion
Roberto Roena
Aléjate de mí
Héctor Lavoe
Dime si Llegué a Tiempo
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Doña Bella
Bobby Valentin
Tus Ojos
Roberto Roena
Yo Tengo un Amor
Luis Rene Robles
Creo en Mi
Roberto Roena

Nunca Serás Mia
Orquesta La Terrifica
Yaré
Luisito Carrión
Timbalero
El Gran Combo
Amor Perfecto
El Gran Combo
No Te Quedes Sin Bailar
Ray Barretto
El Cantante
Héctor Lavoe
Mi Gente
Marc Anthony
Con Los Pobres Estoy
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound
El Jibaro y la Naturaleza
Bobby Valentin
Anacaona
Cheo Feliciano
Ahi Na’ Ma’
Los Soneros del Barrio
El Que se Fue
Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound
El Muñeco de la Ciudad
Bobby Valentin
Azuquita Pal’ Cafe
El Gran Combo

Performances

Saturday, May 23, 2026
9:30 PM
Captain’s Cove
1 Bostwick Ave.
Bridgeport, CT
featuring Angel Rios
Download Flyer

Saturday, June 20, 2026
8:00 PM
Infinity Theatre
Hartford, CT
Performing with Luis Figueroa

Saturday, September 19, 2026
4:00 PM
City of Waterbury — event open to the public
Waterbury, CT
Download Flyer

Personnel

Luis Torres

Percussion

BIO

Nate Rodriguez

Percussion

BIO

Andrew Plourd — Trumpeter with Orquesta la Yunqueña (OLY)

Damian Curtis

Piano

BIO

Alvaro Maldonado

Trombone

BIO

Hector Rodriguez

Bass

BIO

Marcos Torres

Guitar / Vocals

BIO

Crhistian Cano

Trumpet

BIO

Fernando Garcia

Percussion

BIO

Media

Contact

For booking or general questions about Orquesta la Yunqueña please call or email us. We look forward to providing you with the very best live salsa music around!!

203.631.7782
contact@olysalsa.com

203.631.7782
contact@olysalsa.com