Mario Rivera (musician)

When Rivera was 22, he moved to New York City from the Dominican Republic and accompanied singer Joe Valle.^[1] He spent two years with bandleader Tito Rodríguez.^[1] During his career he worked with Mongo Santamaria, Eddie Palmieri, and Machito.^[1] In 1988 he became a member of the United Nations Orchestra led by Dizzy Gillespie.^[1] He was also a member of the Afro-Cuban Jazz Band led by Chico O'Farrill.^[1] From the 1970s to the 1990s he worked with Tito Puente.^[1] Both appeared in the films Calle 54 and The Mambo Kings.^[1] His only solo album, El Commandante, was released in 1996.^[1] Rivera died of cancer on August 10, 2007.^[1]

• El Comandante ...The Merengue (Groovin' High, 1994)

With Willie Colon

• The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (Fania, 1975)
• Solo (Fania, 1979)

With Cheo Feliciano

• The Singer (Vaya 1976)
• Mi Tierra y Yo (Vaya 1977)

With Dizzy Gillespie

• Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods with Machito (Pablo, 1976)
• Live at the Royal Festival Hall (Enja, 1990)
• The Winter in Lisbon (Milan, 1991)

With Kip Hanrahan

• Desire Develops an Edge (American Clave, 1983)
• Vertical's Currency (American Clave, 1985)
• Days and Nights of Blue Luck Inverted (American Clave, 1987)
• Exotica (American Clave, 1992)
• Original Music from the Soundtrack of Pinero (American Clave, 2002)
• Beautiful Scars (American Clave, 2008)

With Conrad Herwig

• Que Viva Coltrane (Criss Cross, 2004)
• Sketches of Spain y Mas (Half Note 2006)
• The Latin Side of Miles Davis (Half Note 2004)

With Giovanni Hidalgo

• Worldwide (RMM, 1993)
• The Conga Kings with Candido, Carlos Patato Valdes (Chesky, 2001)

With Chico O'Farrill

• Heart of a Legend (Milestone, 1999)
• Carambola (Milestone, 2000)

With Eddie Palmieri

• Sentido (Coco, 1973)
• The Sun of Latin Music (Coco, 1974)
• Unfinished Masterpiece (Coco, 1975)
• Exploration (Coco, 1978)
• La Perfecta II (Concord, 2001)
• Ritmo Caliente (Concord, 2003)
• Simpático with Brian Lynch (ArtistShare, 2006)

With Tito Puente

• On Broadway (Concord Jazz Picante, 1983)
• El Rey (Concord Jazz Picante, 1984)
• Mambo Diablo with George Shearing (Concord Jazz Picante, 1985)
• Sensacion (Concord Jazz Picante, 1986)
• Un Poco Loco (Concord Jazz Picante, 1987)
• Salsa Meets Jazz Concord Jazz with Phil Woods (Concord Picante, 1988)
• Out of This World (Concord Picante, 1991)
• Mambo of the Times (Concord Jazz Picante, 1992)
• Royal T (Concord Picante, 1993)
• Live at the Village Gate (Bellaphon, 1993)
• Master Timbalero (Concord Jazz Picante, 1994)
• In Session (RMM, 1994)
• Special Delivery with Maynard Ferguson (Concord Jazz Picante, 1996)
• Live at Birdland Dancemania '99 (RMM, 1998)
• Mambo Birdland (RMM, 1999)
• Masterpiece/Obra Maestra (RMM, 2000)
• Live at the Playboy Jazz Festival (Concord, 2002)

With Tito Rodriguez

• Carnival of the Americas (Musicor, 1964)
• Big Band Latino (Musicor, 1968)
• Palladium Memories (1971)

With Típica 73

• En Cuba Intercambio Cultural (Fania, 1979)
• Charangueando Con La Típica 73 (Fania, 1980)
• Típica 73...Into the 80's (Fania, 1981)

With others

• Africando, Vol. 1 Trovador (Stern's Africa 1993)
• Africando, Vol. 2 Tierra Tradicional (Stern's Africa 1994)
• Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Chocolate En Sexteto (Caiman, 1983)
• Soledad Bravo, Mambembe (1983)
• George Coleman, Big George (Affinity 1980)
• Junior Cook, Good Cookin (Muse, 1980)
• Rafael Cortijo, Y Su Maquina Del Tiempo (Coco, 1973)
• Tito Gomez, Todo Queremos Mas (Aurora, 1986)
• Jerry Gonzalez, Ya Yo Me Cure (American Clave, 1980)
• Juan Luis Guerra, Fogarate! (BMG 1994)
• La Lupe, En Algo Nuevo (Tico, 1980)
• Machito, Fireworks (Coco, 1977)
• Arturo O'Farrill, Song for Chico (Zoho, 2008)
• Pat Patrick, Sound Advice (1977)
• Bobby Paunetto, Paunetto's Point (Pathfinder, 1975)
• Daniel Ponce, Chango Te Llama (Mango, 1991)
• Louie Ramirez, A Tribute To Cal Tjader (Caiman, 1986)
• Paquito D'Rivera, A Night in Englewood (Messidor, 1994)
• Alfredo Rodriguez, Monsieur Oh La La (Caiman, 1985)
• Mongo Santamaria, Afro American Latin (2000)
• Laba Sosseh, Salsa Africana Vol. 1 (Sacodis, 1980)
• Juan Pablo Torres, Together Again (Pimenta, 2002)
• Stanley Turrentine, New Time Shuffle (Blue Note, 1979)
• Dave Valentin, Tropic Heat (GRP, 1994)
• Fernando Villalona, Asi Soy Yo (Evesol 1984)
• Pete Yellin, It's the Right Thing (Mainstream 1973)