#171 Little Johnny Rivero- Bandleader, Percussionist for Eddie Palmieri, Sonora Ponceña & More!
Biography
Conguero, percussionist, producer, songwriter and bandleader Little Johnny Rivero has performed all over the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, Caribbean and the South Pacific. Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Rivero, as young boy, was drawn to Latin jazz and the sounds and rhythms of the rumbero players in the NYC area. At age 10, Johnny began practicing percussion and joined his school band. Soon after, he took dance lessons, which eventually led to performances on stage with the bands of the era at such famous venues as the Manhattan Center, the Colgate Garden, the Copacabana, and the Palladium. At age 14, Rivero joined Orquesta Colon, the youngest Latin band in New York City, and recorded two albums with them.
In 1973, Rivero moved to Puerto Rico with his parents, and joined La Sonora Ponceña in 1974. After playing bongos with them for a year and a half, he switched to congas, which rekindled the love he had with the instrument as a small child. Rivero attributes the rhythms and professional conduct he learned from Quique Lucca and his son, Papo Lucca, as qualities that have made him what he is today. During the 16 years Rivero played with La Sonora Ponceña, he traveled worldwide and made 18 highly respected albums with them. - Read more
R.I.P. Bill Withers
Bill Withers, photographed here in 2006, was an artist more concerned with writing stories about humanity's pain than landing a pop hit. - Reed Saxon/AP
"And, I'll paint your pretty picture with a song" — Bill Withers
There's a song, buried on the second side of Making Music (1975), the first album Bill Withers made for Columbia after his previous label Sussex, founded by the Black Godfather Clarence Avant, had folded. "Paint Your Pretty Picture" is easy to overlook alongside some of the hits — modern standards, really — that Withers wrote and performed, like "Lean on Me," "Ain't No Sunshine," "Grandma's Hands" and "Lovely Day." Yet "Paint Your Pretty Picture," from its opening line, "I will lay around sometimes and show some sadness for people whom I've known that now are gone," said so much about an artist who was more concerned about telling the stories about the loves and losses that he witnessed in a world that needed hope, and as someone who understood humanity's pain. - Read More
This is the song mentioned Kissin My Love from the Still Bill Album.
Withers - vocals, guitar, piano
Benorce Blackmon - guitar
Melvin Dunlap - bass
Ray Jackson - piano, string & horn arrangements
James Gadson - drums
Bobbye Hall - percussion
If you’re so inclined to check out the version of “Kissing My Love” on Damon’s album, you can CLICK HERE.
Gig Alerts
The UnCancelled Music Festival brings together musicians, fans and venues from around the globe affected by the Covid-19 crisis for a virtual concert experience to help sustain the music industry during this trying and unprecedented time. UnCancelled will feature artists and community-valued venues in the global music industry for an on-going, world-wide music event that will help musicians and venues of all sizes cover missed revenue during the Coronavirus shutdowns. - Read More
As the nation adjusts to the new reality of life under self-quarantine in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, a number of artists and musical institutions are taking the show online to share some musical joy during these trying times.
With venues and bars on lock down across the country, there are plenty of things you can watch from the safety of your couch, thanks to everyone from Miley Cyrus to the New York Metropolitan Opera and the fine folks at Disney. - Read More
Education Spotlight/Product Review
Vic Firth is posting drum challenges on their instagram @VicFirth once a week! Check out this week’s challenge with @mikeslessons
Social Soundbyte
Friend of the show Keita Ogawa recorded some awesome percussion behind Charlie Hunter’s instagram video, including the Porkestra! Check out Keita’s Episode.
Iconic Recording
This week’s iconic recording was chosen by our guest Johnny Rivero. The album is Tremendo Cumba by Machito and his Afro Cubans. The tune played on the podcast is Chango Ta’ Veni.
Music News
Jobs You Can Pick Up Temporarily During The Coronavirus Outbreak - Article
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COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources - an aggregated list of FREE resources, opportunities, and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines. Click Here.
The Recording Academy® and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares® have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help our peers in the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Click Here.
9 THINGS TO DO NOW THAT YOUR GIGS ARE CANCELLED BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS - Ari Herstand - Article
MUSICIANS WILL RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UNDER THE STIMULUS PACKAGE - Ari Herstand - Article
Resources for musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic - Chris Robley - Article
The Song leading into the interview is Yambeque by Sonora Ponceña from the album Determination.
Little Johnny Rivero Interview
The episode starts with Johnny Rivera showing his warmness by thanking Damon and Marcos for being invited to the show.
Marcos asks Johhny about the album “Golpe Duro” that he’s currently working on that has been put on hold due to the Covid-19. He mentions that the album is 9 original songs composed by himself, Anthony Almonte, and Zaccai Curtis to name a few. He also mentions being a dancer as a young kid and that this album is dedicated to hardcore Salseros (Salsa Dancers).
Johnny mentions being in Puerto Rico for Día Nacional de la Zalsa with Eddie Palmieri.
Some of the people on the new album coming soon are: Anthony Almonte Leon- Singer/Composition, Eddie Palmieri - Piano, Ronald Roy - Piano/Arrangements, Zaccai Curtis - Fender Rhodes/Composition, Luques Curtis - Bass, Johnathan Powell - Trumpet, Herman Quintero, Joe Fiedler - trombone, Lia - Trombone, Luisito Quintero - Timbale, Jeremy Bosch - Voice/Flute, Jimmy Bosch - Trombone, Nelson Gonzales Voice/Tres.
They recorded this album with Truth Revolution Records and produced by Eric Piza.
Johnny was a ballroom salsa dancer as a kid. He mentions his father collected album by Miles Davis, Dizzy, Chet Baker, Art Blakey, Frank Sinatra, and more. His whole family were dancers and Johnny followed in their footsteps. He mentions a story of dancing with Joe Cuba.
Johnny mentions that after seeing José Mangual Sr. (percussionists in Machito’s band) swag that he wanted to play percussion. Johnny mentions listening to Eddie Palmieri y la perfecto, La Sonora Poncena, Ray Barreto, Tito Rodriguez, Mongo Santamaria and more.
At 11 years old he got a conga from Santa, and across the street from where he lived in 122nd st. in Harlem there was a park where Rumberos would get together. That’s where Johnny got a lot of his first tips on how to play congas. His first band was when he was 13 years old in Orchestra Colon (Youngest Salsa Band in NYC at the time). He recorded two albums with this band.
Johnny tells a story of how he taught friend of the show Eddie Montalvo the Masacote (left hand carrying the rhythm) instead of the open Tumbao (alternating hands).
In 1973 Johnny left NY to go to Puerto Rico and started playing Bongos with the Sonora Poncena in 1974 (16 years old). His first album with Sonora Poncena was Tiene Pimienta. A year later after a tour with the band there was some turmoil with the congero player so Johnny got the spot to play congas in the band. Johnny recorded congas up until the Into the 90’s album.
Johnny talks about his approach to taking solos. He tells us that Papo Lucca (Enrique "Quique" Lucca) was the one who told him to say “Pequeno Johnny” in Yambeque’s solo.
When Papo Lucca and Johnny would could up with an arrangement Johnny first listened to the piano and bass and would come up with something that would answer what they would say. He also mentions being inspired by Tata Güines, Mongo Santamaría, Little Ray Romero, Ray Barretto, and more.
Marcos asks Johnny how he developed his sound on the congas. Johnny noticed at a young age during the rumba’s how important each tone of the different sized drums and that made him practice a lot. He mentions jamming with some of the baddest cats like Frankie Rodriguez at the Rumbas. Living in the Barrio during that time meant he was surrounded by amazing musicians like Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Jose Mangual Sr.Machito, and more.
Marcos asks Johnny about Frankie Rodriguez’s playing. When Johnny first met Frankie he was playing with Larry Harlow and Pablito Rosario was on bongos. He was playing one conga and his sound was really powerful. Johnny also mentions Frankie Malabe.
Johnny talks about his experience playing with Eddie Palmieri and talks about how Eddie’s band has such a powerful sound and how Eddie himself is a strong energy to his playing. He talks about how generous Eddie Palmieri is and how he takes care of his band members.
““Taking clues from percussionists and ideas is a beautiful thing, there is no time for an ego.” - Little Johnny Rivero”
Before being endorsed by LP Johnny was using Congas by Ismael Timba. Johnny shares about his relationship with Martin Cohen and the LP company. Johnny first met Martin Cohen at the nightclub Village Gate the late 1970’s and was endorsed two years after. Martin was introduced to many of the percussionists in Puerto Rico by Johnny and their relationship grew stronger as the years went by. Johnny is also endorsed by Remo.
In 2016 Johnny recorded his first Latin Jazz Album with True Revolution Records. The story behind the recording was that during a tour in Europe Brian Lynch encouraged Johnny to record an album under his name.
Some of the personel in this album includes Louis Fouché - Alto Saxophone , Luques Curtis - Bass, Ludwig Afonso - Drums, Zaccai Curtis - Piano, Other [Fender Rhodes], Trumpet – Brian Lynch and more.
He also talks about his album Pasos Gigantes recorded in 2006 featuring Pedrito Martinez first time singing salsa. He had guest artists such as Papo Lucca, Giovanni Hidalgo, Nelson Gonzalez and more! Johnny composed 11 songs out of the 12 in the album.
Some iconic recordings that Johnny recommends is Ahora si by Machito and Puente in Percussion.
Leading out of the interview is Tu Recuerdo by Little Johnny Rivero from his Pasos Gigantes Album.
Bob Reynolds just released his new album Runaway. He also made a video on his experience touring Europe at the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
“We recently wrapped a European tour that had us at the front end of this pandemic. It was a bizarre time to be on the road. Stay home and stay safe, y'all.” Bob Reynolds
