#62 Eric Velez- Percussionist for Marc Anthony and several others!
Today's guest is Eric Velez, current percussionist for Marc Anthony.
Shoutout to Harold Wheeler for conducting in the Oscars orchestra pit again this year, along with Adam Blackstone holding down musical director duties as well. Special acknowledgement to Charles Haynes for playing on the soundtrack and live performance for "The Greatest Showman".
Birdman is our iconic recording composed and performed by Antonio Sanchez. Here are details why the soundtrack was ineligible for the Oscars, but it did win a Grammy.
Our Festival Alert for this week is the San Fransisco Jazz Festival and the SFJazz Summer Sessions, and as an added bonus, here is the full calendar of events.
Music News for this week.....
4 Reasons why you should be using LinkedIn to advance your music career (in addition to the normal four - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube). Next, is how to get your music posted on various websites. That can be tricky and there is also some etiquette involved in approaching magazines and blogs. Following that, 5 things you can keep with you when traveling to keep you from getting sick on tour. Last week's show notes (episode 61) features a bunch of information on ear health. Protecting your hearing and such. The product Marcos uses for tinnitus is called: Ring Relief. Lastly, cassettes are making a comeback similarly to the way vinyl has been making a surge as well.
The song we play leading into the interview is the title track, from the Celia Cruz album called "Mi Vida es Cantar". The other track Marcos mentions is "Cal Y Arena" off the same album.
In the beginning of the interview, Eric references his brother, Jose "Juicy" Jusino. He also talks about the group 'Los Rumberitos' which featured his brother "Juicy", along with Marc Quinones, and Bobby Allende.
Some of the albums that Eric mentions are the Fania All Stars, Hector Lavoe, Tipica 73, Tata Güines, & Patato Y Totico (Carlos "Patato" Valdes and Eugene "Totito" Arango). He also mentions a couple albums that were put out by LP (Latin Percussion) like "Ready for Freddy" and "Dandy's Dandy, A Latin Affair".
Eric says one of the first solos he learned was on the song "Oye La Noticia" by Ray Barretto, "Todos Vuelven" by Ruben Blades featuring Eddie Montalvo on congas, and even Nicky Marrero's timbale solo on Ismael Quintana's "Maestro De Rumberos". As he was growing up, one of the people he saw as another youngster on the scene was Richie Flores.
Cuchifritos started as a name for Puerto Rican and Dominican food. It later also became a name for certain types of bands. If you'd like to know where you can eat some of the best versions of this food, you can click HERE.
Eddie Montalvo is one of Eric's biggest influences on the congas. Along with Eddie, Johnny Rodriguez, Milton Cardona, and Papo Pepin as well. Jose Grajales was someone that Eric was introduced to by his brother as well as Freddie Sanchez.
The song from the Carlito's Way soundtrack that Marc Anthony sings is called "Parece Mentira" featuring Eric on congas.
Eric credits Johnny Almendra with turning him on to specific genres of music, specifically the music coming out of Cuba.
The famous recording studio that produced a lot of the iconic Latin recordings that Eric talks about is Skylight Recording Studios. The Kip Hanrahan album that Eric is on with a ton of other legends is called "Kip Hanrahan/Thousand Nights and a Night". The Ned Sublette album that Eric is on is called "Cowboy Rumba". For a list of other albums Eric has been involved in, you can click this link HERE.
This is the first DLG album Eric refers to that Marc Quinones played on called "Dark Latin Groove". After that, he mentions recording with Vanessa (Formell), before recording with Celia Cruz.
Eric uses Toca Percussion and has his own signature series which you can see and hear him playing on HERE. Eric also uses Remo Drumheads, Vic Firth Sticks, and Zildjian Cymbals.
You can follow Eric on Instagram and check him out on tour with Marc Anthony.
