Ignacio Berroa February 5, 2007

The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley presents for one night only Cuban drumming maestro, Ignacio Berroa, touring in support in his latest release (Codes, 2006, Blues Note). Band members are TBA. Set time on Monday is at 7:30PM. Doors will open at 6:00PM.

“Ignacio is one of the greatest drummers of our time. It is a shame that a lot of American drummers don’t know him. American drummers like to go after names, but sometimes the people you don’t know are the ones you should know. What better teacher can you go to for Jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms than Ignacio...” - Dennis Chambers

Over the past 26 years, drummer Ignacio Berroa has boasted an impressive resume of sideman recording and performance duties with such maestros of the jazz world as Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean and Charlie Haden. His latest release, Codes (06’/Blue Note) is a distinctive jazz-meets-Latin project that weaves the intrinsically stylistic codes of both genres of music. Codes is Berroa’s first project recorded as a leader.

Mr. Berroa was born in Havana Cuba on July 8, 1953. Following his father’s footsteps he began his musical education as a classical violinist, but his life changed the day he heard albums by Nat King Cole and Glenn Miller. It was then that he realized he wanted to play that music and pursued that dream with a passion, taking his first drum lesson at age 11. He studied at the National School of Arts and subsequently at Havan’s National Conservatory, beginning his professional career in 1970. After only a year in New York, Dizzy Gillespie officially invited Ignacio to join his quartet. Later he would also become an integral part of the bands Gillespie assembled during that decade, such as “The Dizzy Gillespie’s 70th Anniversary Big Band”, “Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band” and the “Grammy Award” winner “United Nations Orchestra”.

As an educator he first made his mark by becoming an Adjunct Faculty Instructor at Florida International University from 1991 to 1994. Later in 1995, he released his video “Mastering The Art of Afro-Cuban Drumming” under Warner Bros Publications, deemed by Downbeat magazine as the best instructional videos of the year. His books, “Groovin’ In Clave” and “A New Way of Groovin”, distributed by Carl Fischer are great tools to learn independence, Afro-Cuban grooves as well as mixing the Rumba clave with other styles like rock, funk and Brazilian. Ignacio has also conducted clinics and master classes all over the world and has recorded and played with a variety of musicians such as Tito Puente, Danilo Perez, Ivan Lins and others.

Official Website: http://www.jazzalley.com/artist.asp?name=Ignacio_Berroa