Kako was a well-respected percussionist, dancer and bandleader in the Latin music scene starting in the '50s. A Puerto Rican who moved to NYC, he played timbales, congas, bongos & quinto for Tito Puente, Arsenio Rodriguez, Mon Rivera, Mongo Santamaria, Charlie Palmieri, Patato Valdez and others, as well as working in a multi-capacity role (session musician, composer, talent scout, A&R, executive) for Alegre Records. He recorded as a leader and also helped put together the Alegre All-Stars (the format of which was copied from the old Cuban descarga sessions but became more famous for the Fania All-Stars later on), who released several albums featuring Kako.
In the late '60s he started recording for other labels like Musicor, Salsa, Tico, Cesta, T.R., Gema and others. Collaborations with Totico, Cortijo, Azuquita and others followed before he found himself in Machito's band in the late '70s. Starting in the '80s he was somewhat more low profile, mostly playing in a band with his son Richie Bastar before Kako's passing in '94, shortly after an Alegre All-Stars 4th of July reunion he was too ill to play.