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I respect this man alot.
Oga pata pata...
Alex Acuna was born and raised in Lima, Peru. A self-educated musician, he was inspired by his father and older brothers (all of whom were musicians) by the age of four. By the time Alex turned ten, he was already playing in local bands. As a teenager, he was one of Peru's most accomplished session drummers, performing on many recording projects for artists as well as film and television productions. Alex also earned a glowing reputation for his skills as a live performer.
At age eighteen Alex was chosen by the great Latin band leader Perez Prado to join his big band. It was with the Prado band that Alex first traveled to the United States. Several years later he began studying at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, playing for three years as classical percussionist with the Symphony Orchestra for the Pablo Casals Summer Festivals.
In 1974, Alex moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and there, he played with such greats as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross. Following this chapter of his career, Alex became both drummer and percussionist for one of the most innovative jazz groups of our time - Weather Report - recording " Black Market" and the famous " Heavy Weather" album.
Alex next moved to Los Angeles, California in 1978. Here, Alex quickly earned the position of valued session drummer and percussionist for recordings, television and motion pictures. He became the recipient of many awards and honors including the Emeritus MVP award from the L.A. chapter of NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) and of the "Latin/Brazilian Percussionist" category of Modern Drummer's "Readers Poll" for five years running. His countless album credits and live performances are comprised of such diverse artist as U2, Paul McCartney, Al Jarreau, Joni Mitchell, Yellow Jackets, Ella Fitzgerald, Andre Crouch, Chic Corea, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Chucho Valdez, Joe Zawinul, Placido Domingo, Julio Iglesias, Whitney Houston, Seal, Sergio Mendes, Luis Miguel, Koinonia, and Integrity Music productions around the world with artist such as Ron Kenoly. Alex has recorded film scores under the direction of Dave Grusin, Alan Silvestry, Michele Legrand, Bill Conti, Michel Colombier, Marvin Hamlish, Maurice Jarre, Mark Isham, John Williams, etc., etc., etc.
Alex is widely known as a gifted teacher and clinician of drums and percusion. He has recorded four of his own instructional videos and travels internationally teaching and giving seminars for the companies by which he is sponsored: Yamaha, Zildjian, Vic Firth, Remo, Toca Percussion, Gilbraltar Hardware and Audix Speakers and microphones. Alex has also contributed creative new designs of instruments to the music world, including various lines of sticks, mallets and the caddy stick bag with Vic Firth, the "Azuka" line of cymbals with Zildjian, the Yamaha Alex Acuna signature model timbales and his own "King Cajon".
Alex's South American and Caribbean roots and understanding of contemporary and classical music make him a complete and skilled master musician. This is evidenced in Alex's solo albums, "Alex Acuna and the Unknown," Tolu's "Rumberos Poetry" and a soon to be released percussion album with master percussionists of this generation. This year will also see the release of two CD roms for Spectrasonics, his productions of several South American projects and a new Christian jazz album by "Staff". His playing is characterized by innovation, energy and pure heart. It is easy to see why Alex Acuna is one of the most sought-after musicians of our time. Alex recognizes his music as a gift from the Lord and gives all the glory to God!
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Herbie Hancock
Wayne Shorter
Al Jarreau
Clark Terry
Lester Bowie
Pharao Sanders
Pat Metheny
The Yellow Jackets
Lalah Hathaway
Joe Sample
Nils Petter Molvaer
Randy Brecker
Mike Stern
Lars Daniellson
Michael Brecker
Gerald Albright
Grover Washington Jr.
Keith Jones
Nguyen Le
Don Alias
John Scofield
Arsenio Hall Show
John Beasley
David Benoit
Paul Bollenback
Sekou Bunch
Niels Lan Doky
Chris Minh Doky
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Ruth Floyd
Gabrielle Goodman
Cornelius Claudio Kreusch
Mulgrew Miller
James Moody
Danilo Perez
John Patitucci
Patsy Moore
Greg Osby
Dianne Reeves
Nino Tempo
Gary Thomas
Cassandra Wilson
Rachel Z.
Luis Conte
Munyungo Jackson
Ira Coleman
Nino Tempo
Cassandra Wilson
James Moody
Bob Hurst
Wallace Roney
Kevin Eubanks
Greg Kirsten
Munyungo Jackson
Jeff Richmond
Phil Upchurch
Russell Ferrante
Ernie Watts
Master Henry.
.....and many more
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| Terri Lyne Carrington... |
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Born in Medford, Massachusetts in 1965, Terri developed a reputation as a child prodigy, jamming with jazz veterans Dizzy Gillespie, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Oscar Peterson, Joe Williams, and many more. At 7, she was given her first set of drums, which had belonged to her grandfather, Matt Carrington, who had played with Fats Waller and Chu Berry. After studying privately for three years, she played her first major performance at the Wichita Jazz Festival with Clark Terry. Shortly afterward she received a full scholarship at age 11 to Berklee College of Music where she started playing with such people as Kevin Eubanks, Mike Stern, Branford Marsalis, Greg Osby and others. She also studied under master drum instructor Alan Dawson and made a private recording entitled, TLC and Friends, with Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, George Coleman and her dad, Sonny Carrington, before turning 17. Throughout high school Terri traveled across the country doing clinics at schools and colleges and in 1983, encouraged by her mentor, Jack DeJohnette, moved to New York and started working with Stan Getz, James Moody, Lester Bowie, Pharoah Sanders, Cassandra Wilson, and David Sanborn.
In 1989, Terri moved to Los Angeles where she became the drummer for the "Arsenio Hall Show". She has also toured the globe with Mike Stern, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock and spiritual mentor, Wayne Shorter. Her debut release on Polygram, Real Life Story, was nominated for a Grammy Award and featured Carlos Santana, Patrice Rushen, John Scofield, Grover Washington, Jr., and Gerald Albright.
Recently, she has concentrated her efforts on writing and producing with various artists including Gino Vannelli, Dianne Reeves, Siedah Garrett, Marilyn Scott and Danish pop singers Stig Rossen and Monique. Her production of Dianne Reeves' Grammy-nominated CD, That Day, hovered at the top of the charts for many months. Terri was also the drummer on the late night TV show, "VIBE", hosted by Sinbad.
In 1998, she recorded along with Joni Mitchell and Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock's CD, Gershwin's World and is currently touring with both his electric and acoustic bands. Her latest solo CD, Jazz Is A Spirit, (released in March 2002 on the ACT Music label) has enjoyed considerable media attention and critical acclaim in the European and Japanese markets.
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