Friday, June 2, 2017

Albert Torres of LA Salsa Fest obituary, June 14, 1956 - May 25, 2017 - Mary Cummins, Los Angeles, California

Albert Torres, LA Salsa Fest, obituary, 1956, 2017, died, death, funeral, grave, burial, mary cummins, los angeles, california, salsa, debbie torres, michael torres-velez, maya torres, wife, brother, sister, daughters, children, luis velez

Torres grew up between New York and Puerto Rico. Torres got his first break working on the set of the Mambo Kings, 1991, teaching Antonio Banderos how to Salsa. As a Hollywood choreographer, he would instruct actors such as Vanessa Williams, Jack Lemmon, and Walter Mathau in two of America’s most romantic films, Dance With Me (1993) and Out to Sea (1998). Everywhere there was Salsa, Torres seemed to be there. Albert Torres began producing dance and competition events in 1999.Torres was the creator of the Los Angeles Salsa Congress. He who brought to Los Angeles some of the most important names in Latin music such as Fania All-Stars, El Gran Combo, Oscar D'Leon, El Canario and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, among others. He became the most influential salsa promoter in the United States. His untimely death came days before his 19th Annual LA Salsa Fest. The Festival celebrated the diversity of Afro/Latino rhythms and the unmistakable legacy it had brought to the world. The freedom of the dance and its unifying powers is what drove Torres to do what he did. And he did it well traveling to as many as 48 countries a year throwing conferences, contests, revolving around Salsa performances around the world. He had been sick for the last year. He became very ill May 22 and passed away on May 25, 2017 at the age of 60 in the hospital. He is survived by his mother Luisa Velez, sister Debbie, brother Michael Torres-Velez, ex-wife Maya, daughters, relatives and many friends.

Albert's mother, sister and brother came to LA for Salsa Fest. They were by his side in the end. Torres had been struggling with his health during the World Latin Dance Cup in 2016 in Miami. He was bed-ridden taking a break because of pain. He had a kidney infection. His doctor told him it's a matter of eating healthy and reducing stress. He was a workaholic.

By some accounts Albert was born in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, USA. By others he was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Lino Padron Rivera high school in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. He also attended UCLA. He was the founder and CEO of Albert Torres Productions.

Per November 22, 1998 LA Times articles he grew up in Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. He never met his father who vanished into a heroin addiction. His mother remarried and they moved to North Carolina. The marriage lasted a year then Albert's mother moved back to Puerto Rico. He ultimately left Puerto Rico and moved to San Francisco in the '80's. He ended up selling drugs and boozing. Finally in 1985 he stopped drinking after joining AA. In 1994 he was working as the intake coordinator at the Exodus Drug and Rehabilitation Center at the Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital in Marina del Rey, California. He rekindled his love of Salsa and ended up on the set of 1992 "Mambo Kings." Then he blew it because of a gambling habit. He embezzled $32,000 from the center and was caught in 1994. He pled guilty in exchange for probation and community service. He ended up cleaning Venice beaches and promoting Salsa.

Below are some good articles about Albert and his life. There are some great articles in 1998, 2002 but I can't link them unless I use newspapers.com then only subscribers can read them. I added links. You can at least get a free preview.

Finding Salvation in Salsa; Albert Torres has been moved by the rhythms of the music since childhood. After hitting bottom as an adult, he has rebuilt his life with dance. 
Mitchell, John L; Los Angeles Times; Nov 22, 1998; p. 1

Clubs; The Southland's King of Salsa; Seemingly ubiquitous promoter Albert Torres won't rest until everybody's up and dancing. 
Lechner, Ernesto; Los Angeles Times; May 17, 2001; p. F.44

CULTURE MIX; Salsa's rhythm won't be stopped; The genre's popularity might have declined, but the Salsa Congress is dancing once again. 
Gurza, Agustin; Los Angeles Times; May 31, 2008; p. E.1

Feeding an Appetite for Salsa; Promoter relishes bringing to the Valley the hot Latin dance music that turned his life around. 
Lechner, Ernesto; Los Angeles Times; Nov 5, 1998; p. 40

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-culture31-2008may31-story.html

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-salsa-congress-20130522-story.html

Here is a 2001 interview with Albert and his wife Maya. Maya is also a dancer and multilingual.


Birth: Jun. 14, 1956
Brooklyn
Kings County (Brooklyn)
New York, USA
Death: May 25, 2017
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
California, USA

Albert Torres, LA Salsa Fest, obituary, 1956, 2017, died, death, funeral, grave, burial, mary cummins, los angeles, california, salsa, debbie torres, michael torres-velez, maya torres, wife, brother, sister, daughters, children, luis velez

Albert Torres, LA Salsa Fest, obituary, 1956, 2017, died, death, funeral, grave, burial, mary cummins, los angeles, california, salsa, debbie torres, michael torres-velez, maya torres, wife, brother, sister, daughters, children, luis velez



Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,
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