More Than A Hundred Albums Later, Tito Puente Is Still Going Strong. By Dave McElfresh LUCKY FOR THE music world, a torn ankle tendon meant that the young Tito Puente had to give up an anticipated dancing career. Had he not, the stateside influence of Latin music would've been greatly diminished. (For starters, Carlos Santana would've gone without his career-boosting hit, "Oye Como Va," a Puente composition.) So whaddya do when you can no longer trip the light fantastic? In Puente's case, he learned to play timbales, congas, bongos, saxophone, piano and vibes. He also studied music at Julliard under the G.I. Bill, following his WWII service. Big band music