My passion is music... salsa in particular. I dance a lot and play as much as I can. As for the dancing, you'll see me bailando en clave wherever there's salsa in NYC (even in Westchester county where I grew up =P). As for the congas, I started playing after my 25th birthday and bought my own pair in September 2006. Not too long after, on December 14, 2006, I got to sit in on congas with Johnny Almendra's group at La Fonda Boricua en el Barrio (106th & 3rd). This was my first time playing with a band! Thanks Johnny (y Primo tambien)!
Next, I got to start off the new year with a bang by sitting in on congas on Saturday, January 6, el mismo DÃa de los Tres Reyes Magos, with a group called Son del Caribe at Gonzalez y Gonzalez. Thanks to Puriri Matos, the band leader, Edwin Vega, their conguero, and Ralph Lopez, their timbalero who invited me to G&G that night.
Since then I've gotten to play a bunch of times at Camaradas with Enrique Medina and his group Son Cafe (I think), with Johnny Mambo's salsa band El Rico Son on bongo y campana, and with Fernando Benardos' Latin jazz band Mundo Clave also on bongo y campana and a little on conga.
I also had the honor of jumping in on congas for a song with Grupo Caribe , a long standing band of veteran salseros, at G&G. Thanks to Sergio Rivera, the pianista and band leader, and Louis Bauso, the conguero, for giving me a shot! It was fun! Grupo Caribe came out with their 4th album not too long ago, Somos Caribeños, so look for it. It swings! The singers on most of the 10 tracks are Luisito Ayala and Herman Olivera, with Tito Allen singing one song.
I was also pleasantly surprised to have the tremendous salsa band The New Swing Sextet play at the third annual NHHF Scholarship GALA Dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan on November 29th, 2007. They made my night by letting me sit in, first on bongos and then on congas. They also gave me my longest solo to date! What a blast!
Recently, I got to sit in on bongos with a smaller version of Danny Mendez and the Latin Project on my 27th birthday (8/28/08) at Latin Kitchen in the Bronx, having the honor of playing alongside Anthony Carrillo, one of the best percussionists out there, and then two days later, at my friends Jessica & Hector's wedding, I got to sit in on congas for the last song with Dave Santiago & Latin Affair , a real tight band with fantastic musicians.
So, if you spend any time with me it's easy to see that this music moves me. With all this dancing and playing, it's hard to believe I'm a 4th year medical student at the same time. I'm excited to say that on March 19, 2009 I matched at my #1 choice for Internal Medicine/Primary Care Residency at NYU Medical Center. On June 2, 2009, I'll be graduating at Carnegie Hall and will actually be a medical doctor... I almost can't believe it... Internship (first year of residency) then begins July 1, 2009. Wish me luck!!!
¡Que Viva La Musica!
¡Que Sigan Bailando y Gozando!
Clubs/restaurants that I like to go to for dancing and/or live Salsa/Latin Jazz:
Monday: Session 73 [73rd & 1st] (DJ Babaloo; Live Band starts around 9:30pm every Monday) & Sofrito [57th b/w 1st & Sutton) (Live Band from 7:30-11pm - I play with the band there when I can)
Tuesday: Country Club (DJ Woody; Live Band most nights)
Wednesday: Julia De Burgos [105th & Lex] (Live Bands)
Thursday: FB Lounge [106th b/w 3rd & Lex] (Live Bands @ 8 or 9PM) & Camaradas [115th & 1st] (Live bomba y plena)
Friday: FB Lounge (Live Band @ 9pm), Sofrito (Live Band), SOB's (Live Band), Gonzalez y Gonzalez (Live Band usually starts @ 11pm), Choco's (salsa dance social)
Saturday: FB Lounge (Live Band @ 9pm), Gonzalez y Gonzalez (Live Band @ 11pm), Sofrito (Live Band usually starts @ 11pm or later)
Oshrit & Me Dancing at Session 73 on my 26th B-day on August 28th!
