Roper Records

Roper Records, Inc. was established in 1960 by Mr. Franc Peri with the goal of producing high quality dance records for national and international distribution. As the company's catalogue of music grew, the popularity of Roper Records became widespread. Dance studios, ballroom competitions, instructors, professional dance associations, and dancers themselves came to recognize the familiar sounds of Roper Records music. Big band sounds, great production, and sound engineering made every Roper Record a popular choice for dance music. Tito Puente also worked as a consultant, arranger and musician for Roper Records during the 60’s and 70’s. This is the first time this information has ever been revealed to the public. Under this label, Tito’s name was not mentioned on many of the albums...probably because he had other contractual relationships, mainly with Tico Records. According to Franc Peri, Tito did between 40 and 50 tunes in approximately twelve albums and nine 45’s. He recorded under the name of Tito Puente and “The Latin All Stars” or under “The Roper Dance Orchestra”. Many of Puente’s musicians, like Jimmy Frisaura worked on these recordings. Others like Charlie Palmieri and Al "Alfredito" Levy participated in these recordings with Puente. The Roper Dance Orchestra was the music sold to all dancing schools at the time, like the Arthur Murray Dance Studios. Anglo’s learned how to mambo and cha-cha to these arrangements “courtesy” of Tito Puente! Only a very serious student of Puente’s style could have detected “El Maestro” in these recordings. One of the LP’s is titled “South of the Border”. On this album Tito Puente and his “Latin All Stars” play strictly Sambas and Paso Dobles. In another album titled “A Latin Happening” Tito and “The Latin All Stars” are featured with "The Dancing Strings” of the “Munich Symphony Orchestra”, performing such classics as “Santa Isabel”, “Compadre Pedro Juan” and “Siboney” among others. Under the Roper label Tito also recorded some real gems in 45’s. Tunes like “Piano Serenade Merengue” and “With a Little Bit of Luck” with Charlie Palmieri on piano. Other 45’s were “Complication”, “La Cuesta”, “Barqhino”, “Agua”, “Malagon”, “Presente” and “Canarsie Mambo”. All the recordings for the Roper label were instrumental. Many of these tunes are still being used in some of the top “Ballroom Competitions” around the world. Thousands of Jewish gatherings around the world have and continue to play Tito Puente’s version of “Hava Nagila” or dance schools play “Hokey Pokey” without realizing that it is Tito Puente disguised as the “Roper Dance Orchestra”.