Ralph Irizarry

Ralph Irizarry (18 July 1954 – 5 September 2021) was an American percussionist, bandleader, and studio musician who has played on jingles, film and television scores, and whose distinctive playing style has made an indelible mark on those artists with whom he has performed. In addition, he has performed, recorded, and toured with the likes of Harry Belafonte, David Byrne, Celia Cruz, Paquito D'Rivera, Juan Luis Guerra, Earl Klugh, Israel Lopez "Cachao", Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon and many others. Irizarry has also appeared on the Johnny Carson Show and the David Letterman Show, as well as Don Francisco's Sabado Gigante and Raul Velasco's Siempre en Domingo. Irizarry was featured in the film The Mambo Kings and in documentaries such as Belafonte's Routes of Rhythm, Cachao's Como Mi Ritmo No Hay Dos and The Life of Rubén Blades.