Oscarcito Rojas and his unmistakable lump.
In Venezuela, during the years 53-54, there were cold and humid nights in the home of the Rojas Mendoza Family, located in a high area of the Pastora of beautiful Caracas, there the furniture that was outside would wake up damp, particularly a child’s chair with a colonial design, which had the back and seat made of cattle leather, which when heated by the heat of the sun became warm like the leather of a coastal drum.
That is when the restless child Oscar, barely 7 years old, discovered the sounds produced by that cured leather and began that love relationship with percussion without realizing that this would be his life; his livelihood; his passion; his everything.
He also devised a pair of congas with two milk cans of different sizes, and thus achieve different sounds in his new instrument.
By the 70s, being a talented young man and wanting to earn his own living, Oscar bought a motorcycle to work as a messenger. Unfortunately, he had an accident on it, which led to his resignation from the company. With the money he generated from the liquidation, he bought a drum kit that belonged to the illustrious Pavo Frank. This is how his foray into rock began.
Later, due to the fractures he suffered in the motorcycle accident, he could not continue playing drums, but he got involved in percussion without a drumstick, which is to say, by hand, and he started playing congas.
Óscar Eduardo Rojas Mendoza is one of the most beloved and respected conga players in the country. He is the third of five siblings (Jaime; Yolanda; Óscar; Freddy and Leibia), son of Óscar Benito Rojas (musician and cabinetmaker) and Cira de los Santos Mendoza (dressmaker).
Loved by all his family, especially by his sons Gabriel ☦️ Osduare☦️ and Enrique; and his granddaughters Gabriela and Daniela.
Born in Caracas on October 18, 1946, he began his musical career in 1970 with Ramón Hernández, continuing with a trail of figures such as: Pablo Schneider, Vytas Brenner, Victor Cuica, Oscar Maggi, Soledad Bravo, Lilia Vera, Frank Hernández (El pavo Frank), Oscar D’Leon, Chuchito Sanoja, Professor Juan Carlos Núñez, Alfredo Naranjo.
He has participated in the best Jazz festivals in the world and in the country such as the Memphis in May International Festival (Tennessee), Varadero International Festival (Cuba), V International Festival of Montreal (Canada), Festival D’te de Québec (Canada), 10 International Festival of Montreal (Canada), Mar de Plata Jazz Festival (Argentina), Curacao International Festival where he was invited by the great saxophonist Paquito D’ Rivera, in the Venezuela Jazz Festival, in the 4 Caracas Jazz Festivals, in the Jazz Festival in El Hatillo editions IV, V and VII, and in festivals in the interior of the country.
He was an active founder of salsa groups such as Oscar D’Leon, where he participated in the recording of the first 3 albums, the group Caribe Libre, Gerardo Lugo’s Incorregibles, Alfredo Naranjo’s El Guajeo, Nano Grant’s Ensemble ll, Pavo Frank and his Orchestra. He was also part of the jazz groups Oscar Maggi (Macoya), Pedrito López, Otmaro Ruiz and Víctor Cuica.
Among the national and foreign artists he has accompanied are: Trino Mora, Chucho Avellanes, Mirtha Pérez, Estelita del Llano, María Rivas, Nancy Ramos, Nancy Toro, Cheo Feliciano, Ted Cordón, Paquito de Rivera, Eddie Sansson, Aldemaro Romero, Chuchito Sanoja, Jimmy Bosch, the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra, the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Caracas, among others. He was the founder of the La Calle Group and the Ensemble de la Calle, ReNueve (rock group), Negros and Aparte.
He currently works as a percussionist for Maigualida and his Ensemble. He also rehearses every Wednesday at Juan Sebastián Bar “El Templo del Jazz y La Salsa” with the new Ensamble de la Calle.
He has been in a musical career for 54 years, full of passion, rhythm and flavor.
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