#355 Camilo Molina-Gaetán- Percussionist for Eddie Palmieri, Sonido Solar, Jeremy Bosch and More!
Camilo Ernesto Molina-Gaetán is a thirty-two year old accomplished percussionist from New York City. At the age of two, Camilo began studying with Los Pleneros de la 21 – a community based group dedicated to playing folkloric Puerto Rican music – in their children’s workshop. It was as a student in the workshops where Camilo met his first teachers: Alberto “Tito” Cepeda and Juan Gutierrez. Advancing in skill through the years, Camilo has progressed from a student to a teacher for the community workshops offered by Los Pleneros de la 21. At the age of Four, also Camilo began to study at Boys Harbor Conservatory of Latin Music with renowned percussionists Johnny Almendra and Louie Bauzó. Camilo is also a graduate of The Julliard School of Music (2003) under the MAP/PATH programs.
In the fall of 2000, Camilo had the honor of being selected as one of ten semifinalists to compete in the Thelonious Monk International Afro-Latin Hand Drum Competition. He went on to become a finalist and was selected as the third place winner, who, at age ten was the youngest finalist in the 14-year history of the competition. That year, Camilo received a proclamation from the City Council of New York honoring him for his musical talents and achievements. He was also the recipient of the Celia Cruz Scholarship (2004) and The Harbor Achievement Award (2001). Camilo has recorded on 3 Grammy Award Nominated albums (Eddie Palmieri’s “Rumbero de Piano”, Los Pleneros de la 21’s “Para Todos Ustedes” and Papo Vazquez’s “Marooned/Aislado”) and contributed his talents to an Emmy Award winning documentary, Banco Populars “Sono, Sono: Tribute to Tite Curet”.
Camilo continues to make a name for himself early in his career, performing with acts varying in musical genres and styles. He is currently on tour as a member of Eddie Palmieri’s Orchestra. In addition, he has toured, recorded and performed with artists such as Santana, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Grusin, Los Pleneros de la 21, Miguel Zenón, Elio Villafranca, Teatro Pregones, Viento de Agua, John Santos, The Pimps of Joytime, Adonis Puentes, Iffy the Badman, Angel "Papo" Vasquez, Tato Torres y Yerbabuena, The Curtis Brothers, Sonido Solar, Jeremy Bosch, and many more.
R.I.P.
Rest in Peace to Oscar Valdes. Originally from Havana, the outstanding performer Oscar Valdés was born on November 12, 1937 into a family of great musicians, including his father Oscar [percussionist], his uncles Marcelino (percussionist), Alfredo and Vicentico Valdés [singers].
He began in the harmonic world in 1949 with a talent that he already had and that he perfected thanks to important teachers, who showed him the way of batá sounds, the construction of abakuá drums, batá and chekeres.
Defender of the Timbal, instrument he mastered at the Alejandro García Caturla Music School, Oscar Valdés joined the Rebel Army Group and Choir, at the same time he gave prestige with his virtuosity to orchestras CMQ, ICRT, Benny Moré Band and the Cubana de Música Moderna group.
When the popular band Irakere was created in 1972 under the guidance of Chucho Valdés, the performer became part of it as a singer and percussionist, being in charge of creating the lyrics and rhythmic ideas of the format, the folkloric elements. and the use of batá.
With this group, winner of a Latin Grammy in 1979, he transferred his mastery to the most important jazz festivals around the world, and on those stages he shared with high figures such as Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, among others. -Article
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Ney Rosauro! Ney is a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ney Rosauro has developed a successful international career as a percussionist, composer and pedagogue.
With his unique style of writing which combines charming melodies with catchy rhythms, he utilizes the rich elements of Brazilian folklore to create stylized compositions that are full of life and fantasy, and has been enchanting audiences all over the world.
Happy Birthday to Bill Bachman! Bill has been on twice (Ep 72 and Ep 159) and is a world-renowned specialist in hand technique with a heavy background in rudimental drumming and its application to the drumset. Bachman is a regular contributing columnist for Modern Drummer magazine and is the author of the books Stick Technique, an Essential Guide for the Modern Drummer and Rhythm & Chops Builders published through Modern Drummer Publishing (nominated for “Best Product” in their 2018 Readers Poll, as well as the Logic marching percussion instructional book series for Row-Loff Productions. Bachman is the founder of DrumWorkout.com, designer of Vic Firth’s Heavy Hitter pad series and his signature Billy Club drumsticks and the inventor of the patented Remote Speedy Hat.
Bachman is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and has studied percussion performance at the University of North Texas. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society’s Health and Wellness committee and Modern Drummer magazine’s education team where he was recently nominated in the 2016 reader’s poll under the “clinician/educator” category.
Bill has played with and instructed many award-winning marching percussion groups, including the UNT drum line and various DCI World Class finalists (Cadets, Bluecoats, Blue Knights, and Carolina Crown). On drumset, Bill is the drummer for Herd of Instinct, Spoke of Shadows, has toured with progressive rock artist Neal Morse, and freelances playing and recording in the Dallas area. Bachman is an international drum clinician, and he endorses Vic Firth sticks, Remo drumheads, Zildjian cymbals, and Row-Loff Productions products.
Happy Birthday to Juan Diego Villalobos! Latin Grammy award winning Juan Diego Villalobos, has developed a varied career as a composer, arranger, and performer making him one of the most sought- after vibraphone players in New York. His album, Perspectiva (2017), is his first step towards reimagining jazz and Afro-Venezuelan music to create a unique new sonority based on their common roots.
Originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela, Villalobos comes from a musical family that initiated him in Venezuelan folkloric music at a really young age, and with whom he performed at different festivals around Mexico and Venezuela. In 2010, Juan Diego moved to Caracas to study at the Simon Bolivar Music Conservatory; at the same time he was part of the renowned Teresa Carreño Youth Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and performed across Europe, Asia and the US as a classical percussionist, sharing the stage with Christian Vazquez and the acclaimed conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
In 2014 he was selected among fourteen Venezuelan musicians to participate at “ Lang Lang & Friends”, a concert held at the United Nations Headquarters in NY city, in celebration of the 69th anniversary of its founding with special guests such as Sting, Alec Baldwin and Lang Lang himself. Simultaneously, Villalobos developed his knowledge of jazz which allowed him to present his compositions and perform with several jazz artists from and across Venezuela and the United States.
Under the tutelage of Stefon Harris and Joe Locke, Villalobos obtained a full scholarship (2018 - 2022) to study jazz vibraphone at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music; learning from luminaries like Buster Williams, Kendrick Scott and Miguel Zenon. During this time he also starts appearing at distinguished New York venues including Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Harlem Stage, Smalls Jazz Club and Birdland, as a bandleader and sideman, performing alongside Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo O’Farrill, Jeremy Pelt, Peter Erskine, Luis Perdomo, Andy Narell, John Beasley, among others.
Villalobos was awarded a Latin Grammy for his participation on the album Identidad by Venezuelan cuatro player Miguel Siso.
Happy Birthday to Taku Hirano! Taku, one of the top percussionists on the touring and recording circuit, has been referred to by rock legend Mick Fleetwood, founder and drummer for Fleetwood Mac, as his “Secret Weapon" for good reason. His training encompasses Classical concert percussion, jazz drum set, and traditional Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, West African, Middle Eastern, Indian and Japanese styles and instruments.
This includes a BM cum laude from Berklee College of Music as the institution's first graduating Hand Percussion degree major, four years under the tutelage of conga master Giovanni Hidalgo, four years of Middle Eastern percussion studies under world fusion percussionist Jamey Haddad, studies with frame drumming virtuoso Glen Velez, graduate studies in World Music Performance at California Institute of the Arts studying West African and Indian percussion, time spent with Tokyo’s leading taiko drumming dojo through the Nippon Taiko Foundation, research in Havana, Cuba studying for a month both privately with percussion legend Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana and at the Escuelas Nacionales de Arte - ENA, and formative years spent under the guidance of Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra principal timpanist Kristan Phillips, jazz drumming legend Alan Dawson and world-renowned pop, funk and jazz drummer Ndugu Chancler.
Taku’s client list of luminaries spans practically every genre. He has toured the world with Fleetwood Mac, Whitney Houston, John Mayer, Bette Midler, Stevie Nicks, Lionel Richie, Isaac Hayes, Japanese pop superstar Utada Hikaru, as a soloist on Japanese and Indian percussion with Academy Award-winning Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire), and as a featured soloist on the #7 top-grossing concert tour of all time, Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: THE IMMORTAL World Tour.
When Marcos mentions that he is eating Chipotle, it was an opportune time to use the great group Flor de Toloache, an all female Mariachi band.
The first segment of the episode is the Product Review. This week featured is the Hand-Bale designed by our guest Taku and the percussion company Meinl. It allows you to play timbales with your hand or with a stick. It also can be mounted to a clamp with a standard 3/8th inch rod or you can place it in a snare stand in the basket and use the mounting hole to put a 3/8th inch rod in and mount a cowbell or wood block to it.
Happy Birthday to Jim Mola! Jim has performed and/or recorded with jazz artists such as Phil Woods, Hank Jones, Dr. Billy Taylor, Bill Watrous, Mel Martin, Pepper Adams and Stanley Turrentine, as well as a diverse group of pop icons, Broadway and show business personalities including Tony Bennett, Weird Al Yankovic, Angelique Kidjo, Jane Olivor, Henny Youngman, Al Hirt, Pat Cooper, Billy Porter, Mario Cantone, Sally Kellerman and many others.
He has worked extensively in New York City’s recording studios, doing television, film, and jingle dates including A&E’s “Rat Pack” biography, Turner Classic Movie’s Lana Turner biography, Burger King, Nikon, Band-Aid, and more.
Jazz credits include:
The JVC Jazz Festival • Tony Bennett • Phil Woods • Stanley Turrentine • Charlie Rouse • Hank Jones • Frank Morgan • Annie Ross • Grady Tate • Dr. Billy Taylor • Larry Willis • Marc Johnson • Leon Pendarvis • Carmen Lundy • Bill Elliot • Bud Shank • Vic Juris • Bill Mays • Calvin Hill • Frank Strozier • Marion Cowings • Jay Leonhart • Harvey Swartz • Don Elliot • Victor Bailey • Lew Soloff • Bill Hardman • The Jackie Robinson Jazz Festival (House Drummer, 7 years) • The Charlie Parker Memorial Concert • Nelson Rangell • Carmen Leggio • Sal Salvador • Jimmy Rowles
Television, Film and Radio credits include:
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver • Sony Pictures "Hitch" • A&E bio pic "The Rat Pack" (Emmy Winner) • Turner Classic Movies "Lana Turner...A Daughter's Memoir" • Good Morning America • New York At Night (ABC)
Happy Birthday to Makaya McCraven! Makaya is a beat scientist. The cutting edge drummer, producer, and sonic collagist is a multi-talented force whose inventive process & intuitive style of performance defy categorization. French-born, but raised in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts by expatriate musician parents, McCraven went on to develop his chops in Chicago and now represents a rising generation of globally-minded, genre-bending music makers as an artist as well as band leader. Through his unique, rarified performances and collaborations he unapologetically affirms our right to re-think and re-write the rules, any rules, and affirms other artists in their own exploratory evolutions. The song playing behind his intro is ‘Suite Haus’, from his newest album, “Universal Beings”.
Happy Birthday to Julie Hill! Dr. Julie Hill is the Co-President, CEO, and Founder of Global Citizen Adventure Corps, a non-profit whose mission is to facilitate global service-learning and citizenship opportunities that foster a connection between people, places, and our planet. Julie has more than 25 years of experience as a music educator, scholar, performer, lecturer, administrator, and non-profit arts leader/advocate. Previously, She served as Chair of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Department of Music where she was also a Professor of Percussion since 2005.
As a scholar/performer, Julie has presented hundreds of workshops, concerts, and lectures championing opportunities for social mobility through music, specifically for black women and underserved children in Northeastern Brazil. As a member of the award winning Caixa Trio, Julie has performed in Peru, Poland, Mexico, Brazil, France, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Taiwan, and throughout the United States. She is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese and functional in Spanish.
Julie is a winner of the University of Tennessee at Martin's Cunningham Outstanding Teacher/Scholar Award, the Hardy Graham Distinguished Professorship Award, the UT Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award, and the inaugural recipient of the University of Tennessee President’s system-wide Educate Award. She has received Member Laureate distinction from the Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity and is a Past-President of the International Percussive Arts Society. Julie is also principal percussionist with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra.
Julie is the Co-Editorial Director for Percussive Notes, the scholarly journal of the Percussive Arts Society of which she serves as a past-president. Julie is the co-author of an audition method book entitled All Inclusive Etudes (Row-Loff Productions) and a collection of solos/duets entitled Music for Multi Percussion: A World View (Alfred Publications). Julie has numerous percussion ensemble publications with Innovative Percussion and Row-Loff Productions. Her scholarly research has been published in Percussive Notes and the Garland World Music Encyclopedias. Julie is also the owner of Black Cat Music Publishing.
Julie holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Julie Hill is an Artist and Educator for Zildjian Cymbals, and a Performing Artist for Yamaha Corporation of America. She is an artist and endorsee for Innovative Percussion, REMO, and Grover Pro Percussion.
Happy Birthday to Josh Dion! Josh is 50% of the band Paris Monster, where he plays drums, keyboards and also sings. Josh Dion was born at the tail end of the disco funk era, when popular radio bore the sounds of Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and 'four on the floor' drum beats! Raised in Storrs, CT, Josh started playing his father's drums before he even started kindergarten. He grew up playing drums to the simple and beat driven sounds of Nick Mason and Ringo Starr. He also lived across the hall from his older brother, who not only followed the Grateful Dead, but introduced him to Cream at the tender age of seven. Rightfully so, Cream, Zeppelin and the Stones led Dion to Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and beyond.
A prodigious talent, Josh started playing professionally at age eight and was invited to shed with the UConn Jazz Studies program by the time he was twelve. While he was impressing people with his percussion skills, he was playing piano and singing in his local church, developing talents which would eventually help him stand out even among the world class drummers in whose company he has now found himself.
After a stint in the music program at New Jersey's William Paterson University, he has made New York City his home. Josh's college days were greeted by an immersion in the Jam band scene with NYC funk band Ulu, who toured the Eastern half of the US. Josh was soon noticed by jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb, who offered Josh an opportunity to be seen and heard by a whole new level of the music audience. From that platform, he has gone on to work with some of the major brand names of the music world: Candy Dulfer, Spyro Gyra, Will Lee, Pat Martino, Jeff Kashiwa, Jason Miles, Anthony Jackson, Edgar Winter, Randy Brecker, Bob James, Eric Marienthal, Til Bronner, Jim Beard, Ivan Lins and on and on.
Gig Alerts
Just added to the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Two-time Inductee Stevie Nicks, plus Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, Common, Ice-T, LL COOL J, Miguel, Queen Latifah and Sia. The Ceremony will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Nov. 3 at 8 PM ET, and be streamed LIVE on Disney+. You can buy tickets HERE.
Birthday boy, Juan Diego Villalobos, is performing at the Jazz Gallery in NYC.
Chris “Daddy” Dave, Pino Palladino and Isaiah Sharkey are returning to the Blue Note in NYC for 10 days.
Save The Music’s 25th Anniversary event will honor LL Cool J, Cindy Mabe, and Adam Blackstone on November 1, with performances from Brad Paisley, Brittney Spencer, Mary Mary, and more.
Save The Music has announced its 25th Anniversary event, Music Saves LA, taking place on Tuesday, November 1, at 6:30 PM at NeueHouse Hollywood. This year’s event will honor LL Cool J, Cindy Mabe, Becky G, and Adam Blackstone for their contributions to advancing equity within the music industry. -Article
Educational Spotlight
Friend of the show, Alex Acuña will be visiting the Herb Alpert Music Center to offer a Master Class for all the instrumentalists at Los Angeles City College. You are all invited! Wednesday, October 25th, at 7:00pm in the Alpert Recital Hall! Hosted by Euro Zambrano.
This is the last week to register online for this year’s PASIC. Make sure to purchase your badge, reserve a hotel and secure your transportation.
Product Review
LP has released the new Munyungo Jackson signature series chekere!
Iconic Recording
Iconic recording #1 is Los Pleneros de la 21 performing Somos Boricuas.
Iconic recording #2 is Los Pleneros De La 21 & Cojunto Melodia performing Puerto Rico.
Iconic recording #3 is Melodía Tropical performing Conjunto Típico from the Ladi Danzas de Puerto Rico album.
Iconic recording #4 is Ciudadano del Mundo performed by Viento de Agua from the Fruta Madura album.
The last iconic recording for the week is A Mon Rivera performed by Los Pleneros del Quinto Olivo from the Los Pleneros del Quinto Olivo album.
Music News
Patreon started out a decade ago with one goal: get creators paid.
It was a time when anyone was a click away from sharing their greatest work on the internet, but very few people could actually earn money doing it. Being creators ourselves, we knew we could solve that problem by building a way to connect creative people with their biggest fans. And it worked. Over the past 10 years, creators have earned billions through paid membership.
Their next chapter is about giving creators even more. Patreon is no longer just a paid membership company. It’s where creators have the freedom to make what excites them and share it directly with the people who love it most.
Today, they're introducing a reimagined Patreon with community chats, Commerce, a completely redesigned mobile app, and a new brand identity. -Article
More Twitch streamers will now appear on other platforms. The live streaming platform dropped the latest announcements and guidelines at the TwitchCon in Las Vegas, alongside updated safety-related policies to tackle doxxing and swatting.
Since August, Twitch users could push their content on social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok, but the latest policy change opens streamers to competitor platforms — such as YouTube and Kick. -Article
Jay-Z gives his take on one of the internet’s favorite debates: Given the choice, would you take $500,000 in cash, or have an insightful lunch with the most successful rapper of all time, Jay-Z?
In a recent interview with Gayle King on “CBS Mornings,” rap icon and entrepreneur Jay-Z was asked to weigh in on one of social media’s favorite debates — the half-million dollar question. As an upcoming artist, is it smarter to take $500,000 in cash, or have an insightful lunch with Jay-Z? According to the man himself, the wisdom is already in the music. -Article
Camilo Molina Interview
The song leading into the interview is, Sun Sun Babaé by Eddie Palmieri featuring Gilberto Santa Rosa from the Mi Luz Mayor album.
Camilo was on the Sonido Solar album and talks about how the project came to fruition.
Shout-out to Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah.
The Sonido Solar album is in the first round of Grammy voting.
Shout-out to Donald Harrison. Camilo and Damon talk about Donald’s mentorship.
Check out Baby Dodds.
Camilo mentions Nicky Marrero and Chucky Lopez with Eddie Palmieri.
Camilo talks about the importance of mentors and the experiences and lessons you can learn from older players.
Shout-out to Desmar Guevara.
Camilo talks about his time with Santana. Shout out to friend of the show Karl Perazzo.
Damon brings up the Roy Haynes and Gary Burton having bands younger than them.
Camilo talks about being a good person over being a great player.
Camilo talks about helping develop the “Barriles De Bomba” with Marcos Lopez for LP.
Camilo talks about the importance of understanding the culture to avoid appropriating it in business.
Camilo talks about where the idea to develop Afro-Puerto Rican folkloric instruments came from. Spoiler alert, it was in Japan while he was on the road with Eddie P.
Camilo mentions the panderetas de plena being the first instrument he played as a kid, thanks to Tito Matos.
Shout-out to Karenly Nieves.
Shout-out to La Goyco and the work they are doing.
Camilo talks about leaving a legacy for the future.
Shout-out to Eddie Palmieri, Bobby Allende, Marc Quiñones, Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, Weedie Braimah, Jeremy Bosch, David Rivera,
Camilo uses Latin Percussion instruments, Zildjian cymbals, Zildjian sticks and mallets.
Camilo gives the iconic recordings for the week.
The song leading out of the interview is “Mambo Influenciado” performed by Sonido Solar.
