Search Results for: Music Awards

Víctor Gabriel Rosario Durán

Latin America / San Juan / Puerto Rico

Many singers have passed through time in the world of music, this time we have the privilege of making our followers known to “Víctor Gabriel Rosario Durán“

Victor Gabriel "Mi Problema" — Victor Gabriel “Mi Problema”

Victor Gabriel Rosario Duran is a great singer and percussionist who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 27, who showed from a very young age a great interest in tropical genre music since he played drums with his father, who in turn was a percussionist, even with the passing of the years Víctor Gabriel with his sister imitated the Duet “Pimpinela”, making a waste of talents at family parties and at school, so his parents, seeing their son’s talent, decide to enroll him in the Ernesto Ramos Antonini free music school, entering through the percussion department.

During his studies at the music school, he took advantage of his free time to practice “singing” in the square and one day he caught the attention of one of the members of the Latin Revolution orchestra, being at that time of the school salsa orchestra, he was called to audition and was chosen as a singer.

By joining the orchestra they managed to win first places in the “Talent Shows” that they participated in and out of school; and over the years he creates his own orchestra where he manages to win first place as “Best Talent” in the school talent contest, as well as in many other “Talent Shows”. Then he went from percussionist to the singing curriculum to perfect his technique as a singer and from 1994 he joined the group “Caribe Tropical” of Mr. Jorge

At 21, he is part of the orchestra led by maestro Elías Lopés, where he recorded as the duo Gaby and Nelson. From the mid-1990s to the present day, Víctor Gabriel has been a singer, chorus girl and percussionist for local groups in Puerto Rico that make their presentations at the main hotels on the island, such as the Marriot Hotel, the now-defunct Hotel Cerro Mar de Dorado and Hotel San Juan, among others. He also continued his collaborations as a singer, backing vocalist and minor percussionist in Plena Libre, Tres Son Salsa, Zacandela, Atabal, the Orquesta La Offer. Don Perignon, and others.

Víctor Gabriel Rosario Duran participated for nine years as one of the main singers of the VSP Orchestra (Villariny Salsa Project), who performed in 2012 on the “National Salsa Day”, where he has had a great musical exposure enriching his extensive race; which has prepared him for what has been the dream of his life, his solo career. For the month of June 2019, Víctor Gabriel launches as a soloist with his first single “Mi Problema”, Salsa Version, which has been a resounding success on different stations worldwide.

Home Media Tour in Mexico and Colombia in its Caribbean Region visiting cities such as Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta, in the first one he appeared before a large audience LIVE in an activity called “HEROES IN COLOMBIA”, organized by the Military Police in the Battalion paradise, alternating with Chelito de Castro and Poncho Zuleta and which was covered by “EMISORA TROPICANA”.

He was also invited to participate in the “RANCHO CURRAMBERO INTERNACIONAL” in an event called “LA SALSA CONTINUES”, alongside great Colombian musicians such as Ray Palacio, Charlie Gómez, Nelson Fontalvo and Su Tribu Band among others. In less than four months, Víctor Gabriel was the winner with his song “Mi Problema” at the “Paoli Awards”, in the category “Salsa Revelation Artist 2019.”

On November 16, 2019, Víctor Gabriel Rosario Duran won the “Paoli Award”, “Salsa Revelation” in Orlando Florida.

Victor Gabriel Rosario Duran photo in concert

On February 14, he released his song “ASI ES EL AMOR” authored by master John Dávila, on all digital platforms and is taking possession of the different hit parades of stations in the world. Right now he is recording what will be his complete record work alongside prominent artists and musicians from Puerto Rico, such as Jay Lugo, the most important arranger on the island at the moment and who recently won “Grammy” awards with different artists, Omar Lugo and Luis Omar salseros of the new blood of salsa, John Pito Dávila, trombonist and director of different orchestras such as Puerto Rico Power, The John Dávila Orchestra and his Koketones de la Salsa, Viti Ruiz among others.

“What we are sure of is that Víctor Gabriel Rosario Duran, singer and percussionist, is a Boricua who makes his way safely into the Salsa of the new generation.”

Rolando Sanchez

USA / Hawaii / Honolulu

Rolando Sanchez: Percussionist, Singer, Composer, Producer and leader is the best selling Latin American artist in Hawaii

Rolando Sanchez Percussionist – Singer – Songwriter – Producer, leader of Hawaii’s Premiere, longest running, bestselling Latin recording artist from Hawaii.

In this Site you will experience the history and achievements of this musical Family called “SALSA HAWAII” for over 20-years, performing, recording, touring and just sharing the love and ALOHA of our Latin Music Wolrdwide.

With CDs sold Worldwide and the number of awards and accolades from press, government, musical organizations, community organizations, locally, nationally and Internationally.

HONOLULU TROPICAL

Celebrating 20 years of Latin Music in Hawaii Rolando Sanchez Salsa Hawaii Singer, Songwriter, Percussionist (timbales-congas-bongos-drums) Recording Artist, and Producer. Born in Masaya, Nicaragua, to a musical, artistic family; his father, an accomplished songwriter, pianist, and singer.

His mother also played piano and sang as with most of his immediate family. His musical influence began at a very young age playing drums with neighbourhood kids emanating the music of the time (i.e.: Beatles, Trini Lopez, Paul Anka, etc.).

In his early teens he began listening to more Latin music styles, which formed the basis for his music today. The bands that influenced him at the time were Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Billo’s Caracas Boys, Sonora Matanzera, Sonora Santanera, Daniel Santos, and a Nicaraguan band Los Satelites del Ritmo.

Rolando Sanchez playing drums in concert

In the late 60s, the family relocated to San Francisco, California where he grew up and truly realized that music was to be his life. The music scene in the Bay Area at this time was very diverse. He delved in all the different styles.

During that time, Latin music was beginning to blossom and all kinds of Latin-style bands such as The Aliens, Latin Bloods, Los Beamers, Bandido, Unidad 77, and Limbo began to play in and around the Bay Area.

Cesar’s Club was THE place to be to experience the best Latin musicians (Pete and Coke Escovedo, Roger Glenn, Luis Gazca, Pablo Telles, Victor Pantoja, performing live.

That’s when Rolando Sanchez realized his passion for Latin music and particularly Timbales. Then it happened! Santana Band came out and proved to be the biggest inspiration for all Latin musicians in the Bay Area (the world) including Rolando. It seemed that Latin bands were coming out of the woodwork: Azteca, Malo, Sapo, Dakila, and Salsa De Berkeley to name a few. He played with different bands in San Francisco’s Latin music scene and shortly thereafter, decided it was time to start his own band called SOLAR; they played a mixture of Latin rock and Latin jazz fusion

Rolando Sanchez and his brother Mario (still playing congas with Bay Area bands) were also some of the guys hanging out at Dolores Park in the Mission District playing congas and timbales along with such notables as Raul Rekow, Karl Perazzo, Chepito Areas, Carlos Badia, John Santos, and many other well-known Bay Area Latin percussion artists of today.

His band gained popularity and started playing the circuit where he met and befriended such artists as Pete and Sheila E. and Master Armando Peraza who helped develop his affinity for percussions.

While playing in the Bay Area, SOLAR was billed with bands like Azteca, Azuquita, Sapo, Cal Tjader, Cesar’s All-Star Band, Willie Bobo, and others.

After their break-up, he formed the band SUNSMOKE together with his uncle, Freddie Velasquez, who had just returned to the Bay Area from touring the country with the Phil Driscoll Band. SUNSMOKE quickly became well-known in the Bay Area and they toured the west coast and Canada where they opened for blues master B.B. King and performed at the Canadian Rock Festival with bands from all over the world.

After a couple of very busy years, including recording some demos for major record labels, they broke up and Rolando spent some time in Los Angeles checking out the music scene there. Upon returning to the Bay Area, he joined MESSIAH, one of the hottest Funk/Gospel/Rock/Disco bands. Their single, “Get up on Your Feet and Dance”, became a hit in the International disco scene. MESSIAH then went on to Japan where they enjoyed instant success and toured for 4 months. Shortly after their return, the band broke up and the Rolando Sanchez Band was born. Composing and writing his own material, Rolando released his first single cassette with two original songs, “She’s the Lady” and “Cold Hearted Woman”.

She’s the Lady” was made into a music video shown on local stations on both east and west coasts at the very beginning of the MTV movement. It featured some of the Bay Area’s nest musicians including vocalist Jo Baker (Elvin Bishop Band). After being in the Bay Area for nearly 20 years, Rolando felt the need for a change of pace in his life. In 1984, he visited his sister in Hawaii and the rest, as they say, is history.

Not long after arriving in Honolulu, Rolando decided to make it his home and the place where he would throw his musical fate to the wind.

His very first musical engagement in Honolulu was at the Waikiki

Shell with one of Hawaii’s hottest singer/songwriters of that year, Mr. Audy Kimura, in celebration of 25 Years of Statehood. This made it all the more clear to him that he was in the right place.

“Tito Puente: When the drums are dreaming” A biography of the King of Latin Percussion by Josephine Powell

North America – USA –CaliTifornia

This month we are sure that you will have time to enjoy an excellent reading at home. So we recommend this book by Josephine Powell. An interesting biography about the legendary Tito Puente, that takes us on a journey through the more than 60 years in which he performed.

Further the life of Tito Puente, you can know his insight into the Latin music industry. With many anecdotes of his encounters, racial discrimination while touring and how that impacted his relationship with other band members. There are also numerous insights into his personality, his temperament, and the many obstacles he had to overcome to achieve legendary status.

Josephine Powell’s book on Tito Puente and his contributions to Latin music and dance is a treasure trove of people, places, facts and history. Because of the author’s place in the history of Latin dance, she takes the reader with her through that fascinating maze of how artists like Puente changed the exposure and tastes of the American public and the world.

The Latin Ballroom world today reflects how we adore – and then neglect and forgets – the people who made us who we are. She mentioned many fascinating dance-related characters in this story that takes place in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, the Catskills and Havana.

It is also a much-needed history of great nightclubs and ballrooms, which are only dim memories for the young – but in their time, were the breeding grounds of Latin music and dance. Tito Puente’s percussion and passion are finally brought to life in a fascinating book.

To remember Tito Puente’s career as accurately as Josephine Powell has done makes this biography a worthwhile read. Tito Puente the man and Tito Puente the musician are blended into the tempo of the times during which the musical man lived. For young musicians seeking success Josephine Powell’s well-written commentary provides a glimpse of what can lie ahead in one’s career; so do read Powell’s take on Tito Puente’s life and perhaps capture a taste of how you too can climb the charts with a dash of spice in your style.

With over 100 albums, several Grammy nominations, 7 Grammys and posthumously awarded The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, his footprint in the world of music will forever be the standard of excellence that others will look to emulate.

Josephine Powell took on the monumental task of writing about his life, the forward was written by Tito Puente 2 months before he died.

Because of their lifelong friendship of many decades, Josephine was the one person who could create this book. Her talent and passion will pulled this off to perfection. He was a man who brought his music to the world, and put the Mambo on the map.

This book never could have been written without her dedication and perseverance and the personal moments she shares. From the very first chapter, the quality of her writing can be seen as she starts with the moments leading up to his death and continues for 16 more, giving you the history of Latin music from its inception to the music of today. Throughout her many archives of pictures from her private collection, your eyes will wide with wonder.

Josie Powell traces the evolution of Afro-Cuban, Puerto Rican and jazz forms from their generally recognized origins through the end of the twentieth century, focusing on Puente’s interactions with professional allies and constant rivals.

Powell documents musical events as an aficionado of the Latin genres, almost religiously avoiding disclosure of Puente’s family life. Those not yet born during the Big Band decades or Mambo mania can imagine the atmosphere from descriptive passages of Manhattan ballrooms, Havana dance halls, LA nightclubs.

About Tito Puente

Ernesto “Tito” Puente was born in 1923 in Spanish Harlem and grew up with the advent of radio and American swing bands. At 10 years old he aspired to be a dancer, like Fred Astaire. An ankle injury gave him the opportunity to explore his talent as a musician. At fourteen he won the coveted Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa drum contest. Tito became a master percussionist. His instrument was the timbales, a pair of cylindrical drums beat upon with sticks. When he joined the dynamic Machito Orchestra at seventeen he saw a promising future, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 took him off to war.

He led a makeshift orchestra delivering lovable American wartime tunes when he was not fighting. He returned home wounded, weary and jobless. Puente’s tale should have been the story of every returning American GI, who went off to war, came home to his sweetheart, attended college, raised a family and settled down in an adorable house. Things were not that way.

After the war his obsession for Cuban music drove him to Havana. He attended secret meetings of Santería, an Afro-Cuban religious cult with its roots steeped in mysticism often referred to as black magic. With the lure of the sacred batá drum he discovered a world of rhythms never heard by a white man’s ear. He found himself inside the beat, and thoroughly possessed. Soon Tito became a devotee of Santería and used those drum patterns and calls, which were the mainstay and backbone of his music. Today this hot hypnotic music is known worldwide as Salsa.

About Josephine Powell

Author Josephine Powell – a music historian, lecturer, and consultant on ballroom music and dancing and Latin American music – was a consultant (music, history, and dance) on the motion pictures Salsa, Havana, and The Mambo Kings, and their soundtracks; The Mambo Kings track received a Grammy Nomination. She also consulted on two Golden Eagle television shows; two television documentaries, one Presidential Inaugural Ball, and two Grammy-winning record albums by her mentor Tito Puente.

In 1990, she obtained a star for her mentor on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, orchestrated his associated live concert on the Boulevard, and organized a gala event at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with music industry executives, film producers, and celebrities.

Powell’s dance career took her to the South Pacific, the Philippines, Guam, Hong Kong, Thailand – where she performed for the Royal Family – and Vietnam, where she introduced mambo to the troops in a revue she wrote herself. A Gold Medal ballroom dancer, Powell was Tito Puente’s West coast mambo dance partner, and a cast member of the Broadway show Sketchbook in Las Vegas.

Through touring the country for over a decade with stage and lounge shows, along with work in the recording, television, and movie industries, Powell learned wardrobe design, writing, comedy, and choreography. Appeared at the Tropicana, El Rancho Vegas, Flamingo, and Nevada Club in Las Vegas; The Golden Hotel and Mapes Hotel in Reno; The Wagon Wheel in Lake Tahoe, and The President Hotel in Atlantic City, among others.

After an injury forced her to retire from dance, Powell became a real estate agent in Beverly Hills, where she became actively involved in political work with celebrities and later joined Connie Stevens’s organization Les Girls. Powell’s work and charitable activities afforded many opportunities to work with Hollywood producers, directors, writers, and luminaries.

Powell studied the history of ballroom music and dance, ethnomusicology, journalism, and Spanish at UCLA. A regularly featured musicologist on radio stations KXLU and KPFK, Powell receives many requests for lectures and consultations. She has been a presenter and judge at numerous dance competitions, including the Feather Awards and the U.S. Open National Swing Dance Competition. The Mormon Temple Genealogical Library in Los Angeles has made her its expert lecturer on French Colonial Maritime records. Since 1986, she has conducted ten research and study trips to Havana, where she is a curatorial consultant for El Museo Nacional de la Música Cubana.

With information from: https://josephinepowell.com
You can buy this wonderful book in Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tito-Puente-When-Drums-Dreaming/dp/1425981585

Carlos David Suarez

North America - USA - Texas - Houston

Carlos David Suarez, Professional dancer, choreographer, instructor and musician

Art has been in his veins since he was born, and Carlos David Suarez has cultivated his artistic gift, going far and traveling the world teaching and learning

He was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and grew up in the west of the city in the 23 de Enero, a well-known area to give birth and raise artists, athletes and talented people.

Carlos knew from a very young age that he wanted to be a musician (timbalero) … At 7 or 8 years old, his parents took him to the house of one of the best percussionists in Venezuela and from that moment he began his career in the art world.

Later, his mother could not take him to music classes anymore and unfortunately had to leave them aside, and continue with his primary studies. Although in one way or another, he was always connected with the stage and the dance. At school, he was part of plays, acts, traditional dances and everything related to the arts.

Years later, he started playing soccer, and soon realized that he was in love with the sport, and began training hard to thrive within teams.

One of his main strengths is discipline, so he applied it to both: art and sport. He came to play on good teams and was seen himself playing professionally outside of his native country.

“Yes, I always saw myself outside Venezuela, not because of any specific situation, but because as a child I saw myself traveling the world with music, art, or sports.”

Years later, when he was 14, his older brother took him to Imagenes Latinas, an incredible artistic dance school where he trained, and the only one he attended for at least 8 years. There he studied ballet, contemporary dance, jazz, hip hop, funky, Latin genres and above all; Salsa.

“I had great teachers who gave me the opportunity, seeing that desire to be a better artist every day, especially Arelis Guevara, owner and choreographer of the company”

After many efforts, sacrifices, study and, above all, hours after hours of rehearsals, Carlos become the first dancer of the professional company for three consecutive years. He traveled with the company to many national and international events, conferences and TV shows … South America, USA, Europe and Asia.

After his stay in the company, he decided to take other roads, take his own path and do new things. It was part of a ballet where he made musicals and all kinds of varied shows. He learned a lot about other disciplines such as tap, flamenco, nationalist dance, tango; and even a little acting.

He was in the ranks of this ballet for two years and then took his path as a soloist. For the first time, he had the opportunity to travel outside his country; to Miami.

“I was working on famous nightclub shows; then I went to Los Angeles to work with another dance company that I was in for a short time and then I went to Panama. ”

He worked for a short time in Panama; he returned for a short time to Venezuela, and moved to Casablanca, Morocco, where he worked in Salsa and Bachata shows. After two years, and to continue evolving in his artistic career, he decided to go to Europe. He arrived to the city of Amsterdam, Holland, where he was doing shows and workshops at congresses as a soloist.

Soon, he moved to Germany to pursue his dance training … He lived in Germany for two years, worked at various dance schools, and began to expand his horizons, making himself known at Salsa conferences throughout Germany, Europe and Africa. Then after another job offer, and pursuing more dreams and learning, he moved to Milano, Italy, where he lived for a couple of years and the opportunities to go to conferences and festivals were multiplying, giving classes and workshops in Europe, Africa and the United States.

At the time of this interview, Carlos is based in the United States completing art projects with other companies.

“I have had the joy of playing as a musician, and working with excellent companies, dancers, famous awards and great artists such as Juan Luis Guerra, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pitbull, Chino & Nacho, El Gran Combo de PR, Los Adolescentes, among others. .. ”

Carlos Suárez continues to study, train and learn more and more from this career, which in his opinion is infinite to learn. He continues to work as an instructor, choreographer and dancer, doing shows at many festivals, giving his best at every step, respecting his work, image, integrity and ethics.

Get to know Carlos David Suarez more closely

International Salsa Magazine (ISM): Define in 5 lines, who is Carlos Suarez?

Carlos Suarez (CS):

A person who respects everyone, considering that we are equal, and each one has a different knowledge, talent and strength. A person who aspired, fought and achieved his dream of being an artist, despite all the experiences. Lover to be able to help and teach everyone. Someone who always gives all the support and love to his family and friends. Very disciplined with himself and with his students.

ISM: What do you enjoy most about your profession?

CS: Being able to get to know many countries, cultures, new people, and above all, being able to inspire others to believe in a discipline such as art.

ISM On what platforms and upcoming events (face-to-face and virtual we will see you)?

CS: To see me on platforms or social media, you can go to my Instagram: @casu__ or my Facebook page: CaSu – Dance & Beats. On these two platforms I always leave all my videos of classes, shows, workshops, musicals, etc. Right now due to the pandemic I do not have specific information on where I will be presenting myself, but if you follow me on the social media, you will know just when I know it.

ISM: How do you see yourself in 5 years?

CS: Good question …

I still see myself exercising my career as an artist and dedicating myself much more to music, which is one of the things that I’m most passionate about, and I haven’t had the opportunity to dedicate myself 100%. I see myself as an even more trained person and with much more knowledge, I also see myself dedicating love to a family and above all … I see myself being happy without hurting anyone.

ISM: What is your advice for those young people who, like you, are fighting for their dreams in the dance world?

CS: My advice is to never let anyone make fun of your dreams, nor do you make fun of the dreams of others … I believed, I bet on myself, and I won … I am the artist I wanted to be and I still have a long way to go, but all this does not come alone … It is a process that costs a lot, studying, preparing, always staying mentally and physically fit, learning languages so that they can defend themselves in the world and, above all, be people who love and respect their work … Art.

Luis Conte: A great percussionist respected all around the world

Luis Conte is recognized as one of the most respected and prolific percussionists in contemporary music. Famous and respected around the world, this Cuban artist has backed acts such as James Taylor, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Shakira, Aretha Franklin, Céline Dion, Selena and hundreds more.

The Grammy winning musician Luis Conte known for flawless technique and an unparalleled ability to seamlessly incorporate Latin percussion and world drumming into popular music. He is a master of percussion instruments such as the cajon, congas, timbales, bongos, clave, cowbell, shakers, maracas, pandeiros, and guiro. In addition to Latin and World rhythms, Luis teaches Hip-Hop, Electronica, Jazz, Reggae and many other styles.

Conte is originally from Santiago de Cuba, where he grew up surrounded by the most authentic traditions of traditional popular music and the strong rhythmic presence of the music from Santiago. Living in Santiago he could see and hear the Santiago conga, the carnivals, the street rumbas. His father took him to events. He also remembers the Santiago trova. There was always music in his house and his father’s troubadour friends played. To all this he attributes a lot of his way of playing and interpreting all forms and styles of music.

Very young he emigrated to Spain and then to the United States, there he settled in Los Angeles. In this city he began his musical career as a guitarist in various rock groups. Later he developed his talent on drums and percussion at Los Angeles City College, he quickly became one of the most respected percussionists internationally.

Conte proved himself versatile musically, at the age of 18 he began to move in the musical circle, and by 1973, he was playing regularly in local clubs. He quickly became a busy studio musician, and throughout the 1970s, he played in the Latin Jazz band Caldera. His first tour was in 1974 with The Hues Corporation, they had a hit titled “Rock the Boat”. From there everything continued, always making new contacts and relationships with musicians and, since then, he has worked with countless artists and recorded on more than 2,000 albums.

Some of Luis’ musical influences :

All the drummers that play in Carnival in Santiago
Tata Guines
Mongo Santa Maria
Papin
Patato Valdez
Armando Peraza
Francisco Aguabella
Airto Moreira

His live performance and touring career took off when he joined Madonna’s touring band in the 1980s. To date, Conte has built an extremely successful career including a run composing and playing in ABC TV’s Dancing with the Stars band, among dozens or hundreds of other tv and film projects.

His debut as a bandleader came in 1987, when he released La Cocina Caliente, which included a Latinized version of Chopin’s “Susarasa”. Conte also played percussion on the Pat Metheny Group release ‘We Live Here’, in 1995, on the Pat Metheny ‘From This Place’, in 2020 as well as I Mother Earth’s first two albums Dig (1993) and Scenery and Fish (1996).

Conte has toured as part of James Taylor’s “Band of Legends.” He has also played alongside such famed musicians as Alex Acuña, Jaguares, Larry Klimas, and David Garfield, both as a bandleader and a sideman.

Luis Conte was part of Phil Collins 1997 “Dance into the Light” tour and 2004 “First Farewell Tour”, performing in both of them Afro-Cuban percussion and adding more depth into the concert songs. He also performed during The Phil Collins Big Band tours in 1996 and 1998 and again during the Phil Collins Not Dead Yet tours 2017/2018. In 1999 Conte collaborated in Maná MTV Unplugged project.

The cinema has also had the collaboration of this great artist who has participated in the recording of the soundtracks of well-known titles of contemporary filmography such as Transformers (1 and 2), The Lost City (Andy García), Hankock, Rain Man, Mission: Impossible, The Italian Job, among others.

He transmits his knowledge

Knowledge is nothing if it is not shared so that more people can progress and grow music, and Luis Conte knows it. For this reason he began the following initiatives.

Luis Conte has created an extensive repository of world percussion lessons. Students in the percussion course have unlimited access to a collection of guided, high quality percussion lessons and an extensive library of play-along tracks.

In addition, it has its own line of drumsticks and instruments supported by Meinl Percussion and the company of instruments of Zildjian. Has launched its line of congas, drums and shakers that was unveiled at the NAMM Show (2005).

Conte has the Guide to Latin Percussion Vol. I in its 2nd Edition, with the aim to help you become a well-equipped percussionist capable of performing comfortably in the most common musical situations within the Afro-Caribbean/Brazilian spectrum.

Proud to be Cuban

Luis Conte has always shown a deep love for his country. He carries his name with pride wherever he goes. In 2009 he had the opportunity to return to Cuba and it was a dream come true.

In an interview he stated: “When I returned to Cuba I realized that it had not been complete, my heart was missing something and that was to be back in Cuba, I am already whole.”

Conte listens and always tries to be aware of what is happening musically in Cuba. Cuba is a source of music.

He eagerly awaits the opportunity to travel to Cuba and be able to play with the great interpreters of the island.

For him, the Cuban is in the field with its royal palms, the sea breeze, the beaches, the mountains of the East, cane, tobacco and rum… the rumba, the changüí, the danzón, the mambo, the son, the tres guitar, the tomb, the bongo and the harpsichord… the maracas and the güiro. Always affirms: “Cuba is Cuba!”

Luis Conte’s Discography

In addition to having participated in countless albums for various artists, many of them worldwide success, Luis Conte has his own discography, among which is:

La Cocina Caliente, Denon Records (1988)
Black Forest, Luis Conte, Denon Records (1978, Realización 1989)
The Road, Luis Conte (1995)
Cuban Dreams, Luis Conte, Rounder Records (2000)
Dvd Luis Conte Signature Congas, Meinl
Dvd Live At Pas, Luis Conte
Dvd Studio Percussionist, Luis Conte (2003)
Dvd The Latin Jazz Trio, Luis Conte, David Garfield, David Carpenter.
A Coat Of Many Colors, Wolds Drummers Ensemble, Summerfold (2006)
Marímbula, Luis Conte, (2007)
Dvd The Ultimate Drummers Weekend, 10th Anniversary, Dave Weckl Band (2010)
En Casa De Luis, Luis Conte Bmf Jazz (2011)
Our World in Song, Wu Man, Luis Conte Y Daniel Ho. Wind Music International (2014)

Deserved awards

Luis Conte’s genius stems from his ability to integrate the powerful rhythms of his native Cuba with the American necessities of American pop music. His long and varied career has included numerous awards.

“Percussionist of the Year” – Modern Drummer Reader’s Poll (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)

“Percussionist of the Year” – Drum Magazine (2007, 2008, 2009)

“Studio Percussionist of the Year” – Drum Magazine (2007, 2008, 2009)

Nominated for the 2015 Grammy Awards in the category of “Best Music Album in the World” for Our World in Song, Wind Music International (2014).

From 2018, is the Cultural Ambassador of Instituto Latino de la Música (ILM).

New plans are coming

For this 2020, Conte had a tour scheduled with James Taylor, but the dates have been postponed and are being rescheduled to 2021, so no one will be left wanting to see his magnificent presentation

” I really don’t know how I got started playing. As far back as my memory will go, I owned a drum. It’s like asking someone how long they’ve been breathing.”