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 Percussionist John Santos has been called "a spark plug of musical invention." His extensive exploration of Afro-Latin music has earned him performance and recording credits with Eddie
Palmieri, Cal
Tjader, Lalo Schifrin, Irakere West, Danilo Perez,
Dizzy
Gillespie, Tito Puente,
Max Roach, Los Papines, and Ignacio Berroa.
Santos, a lifelong resident of the California Bay Area, is also the founder and director of the Machete Ensemble, renown for integrating traditional Afro-Latin forms with contemporary instrumentation and vibrant arrangements. The band performed its all-original repertoire at the Havana Jazz Festival last year, and has shared stage and studio with many stellar figures of Afro-Latin jazz, including Cachao, Armado Peraza, Chocolate Armenteros, Francisco Aguabella, Carlos Santana, Orestes Vilato, and Steve Turre. Machete has released several albums, including the acclaimed "Africa," and anticipates another this year. In addition, Santos has completed an album with pianist Omar Sosa, with whom he released "Nfumbe" in 1997. The two are currently touring the Eastern U.S. and the Caribbean.
Santos' passion for Afro-Latin music and its place in history make him a sought-after author, teacher, and speaker (popular lecture topics include "Salsa for Social Change" and "What Is This Thing Called Clave?"). He serves on the faculty of the Stanford Jazz Workshop, contributes frequently to the international music press, and conducts clinics worldwide on polyrhythms from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Brazil.
"My family's house was always filled with music and celebration," says Santos, whose father, grandparents, uncles, and cousins were all musicians. Though he played clarinet first, by age 12 Santos was more interested in congas, and his first gig was with his grandfather's Cuban- and Puerto Rican-style dance band. He was also influenced by the family record collection, which included "all the great interpreters of Cuban and Puerto Rican music"-- Armando
Peraza, Patato Valdez, Mongo
Santamaria, The Munequitos,
Los Papines, Francisco Aguabella, Tito Puente, and Orestes Vilato.
Santos' kinship with LP started with three white congas. One of his favorite instruments today is the LP Bata ("but I don't play it the usual way ... I strap three
batas onto an LP Percussion Rack and play them all at once!"). Santos says he values LP's craftsmanship, reliability, and customer service. "When you travel with instruments as much as I do, you occasionally need some minor repair or a replacement part. I can always count on LP for help there. Also -- LP has a special interest in education, which is important to me. Education just widens the family of people interested in this music."
Equipment list: LP Galaxy Giovanni Congas, LP Patato Model Congas, LP Bongos, LP Tito Puente Timbales,Thunder Timbs & Timbalitos, LP Bata Drums, LP Clave, LP Wood Blocks, LP Chimes, LP Vibra Slap II and various LP cowbells
Equipment list: LP
Galaxy Giovanni Congas, LP
Patato Model Congas, LP
Bongos, LP
Tito Puente Timbales,Thunder
Timbs & Timbalitos, LP
Bata Drums, LP
Clave, LP
Wood Blocks, LP
Chimes, LP
Vibra Slap II and various LP cowbells
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