Herminio de Jesus

An acclaimed Puerto Rican singer and composer, Herminio de Jesús is known for his many holiday-themed songs connected to the Puerto Rican and Caribbean Parranda tradition. He first emerged as a member of La Tuna Estudiantina de Cayey in the '60s, and Vicente Carattini's group in the 1970s, before embarking on his own in the 2000s. Born in 1947 in Cayey, Puerto Rico, de Jesús was introduced to music by his grandfather, musician Vicente "Tito" Cotto, who brought him along to rehearsals with his band El Cuarteto Puerto Rico. It was during one of these rehearsals that de Jesús met composer and Mayari Quartet bandleader Plácido Acevedo, who also became an influence. Around age 13, he started playing guitar and gained early experience playing in school and as a member of the group La Tuna Estudiantina de Cayey. He later enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, where he joined a fraternity and began partaking in the months-long Puerto Rican Parranda holiday festivities. As part of these festivities, de Jesús developed an affinity for Christmas songs, performing them often with La Tuna Estudiantina de Cayey. In 1970, he graduated university with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Social Sciences and accepted a teaching position at the Luis Palés Matos school in Puerto Nuevo; he later earned a master's degree in Marketing. Along with teaching, de Jesús continued to perform. In 1972, he joined Vicente Carattini's group, remaining with him for 30 years. During this period, de Jesús composed and recorded many of his own songs. Among his best-known songs are compositions like "El Ña," "Asómate al Balcon," "Levántate," "La Gallinita," "El Coquí," "Con el Jiñi Jiñi," and many more. Following his time with Carattini, de Jesús spent a decade as a member of Raul Marrero's Los Cantores de Bayamón ensemble. He also worked for two years with the Puerto Rico String Orchestra. Along with performing, de Jesús spent over 20 years as the general manager of the Caribbean branch of the McGraw-Hill Publishing House. In 2007, he formed his own group, La Trulla del Milenio, with which he has recorded a number of Parranda-oriented albums. The following year, de Jesús was inducted into the Museum of Puerto Rican Composers in Caguas. In 2015, he published the book History of the Christmas Celebration in Puerto Rico. ~ Matt Collar