Erick Barberia

Erick was born in Habana Cuba listening to the music of his father, Luis Barberia, current singer of the Orquesta Jorrin (the creator of the ChaChaCha). Erick began his studies in 1991 in the School, Escuela Vocacional de Arte Juan Pablo Duarte. He continued his studies in the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA), graduating in Folkoric Dances, and studying under professors such as Lazaro Pedroso, who was his first teacher of Cuban Folkloric song and percussion, and Alfredo Ofarril, who for twenty years was the principle dancer of the Conjunto Foklorico Nacional de Cuba.In 1996, Erick graduated the ENA as a dance teacher and began his professional life working in Matanzas as a dancer, actor and percussionist, with the Proyecto Korimacao, directed by the actor Manuel Porto. In his two years with Proyecto Korimacao, he shared the stage with groups such as Pachito Alonso y sus Kini Kini, Conexción Salsera, Son Damas, La Farandula, La Karovan, La Reve, Maravillas de Florida amongst others. After Korimacao, Erick returned to Havana to teach Cuban Folkloric song and percussion in the ENA and in the Centro Nacional de Escuelas de Arte (CENSEA) for the next five years.In the religious world, Erick is crowned Omo Eleggua, Awo Orunmila and comes from the family of Papo Angarica. Erick, Omo Aña, was consecrated en the tambor Aña bi, of the deceased Nicolas Angarica and one of the oldest Tambores that exists in Cuba today. With Aña bi, Erick has played with many other drummers such as, Angel Bolaños, Regino Jiménez, Papo Angarica, Nene Carvajal, Cristóbal Larrinaga and many others.Erick currently lives in San Francisco, California, working as a musician. He has had the pleasure of working with artists such as Jesús Díaz, Sandy Pérez, Carlos Aldama, José Francisco Barroso, Susana Arenas, Raul Pineda and Fito Reinoso, with whom he presently works with and has recently recorded a cd.In 2006, Erick had the great honor to record, in Cuba, with the great Chucho Valdez, creator of Irakere, on one of his latest productions. Other collaborating artists included Yalordi Abreu, Dreiser Durruty, Orlando Vallez (Maraca), German Velazco, and Jorge Reyes amongst others.More than working as a musician, Erick teaches private classes in Afro-Cuban Folkloric and Popular song, dance and percussion. He has also taught Cuban music and dance through the University of California, Santa Cruz and with numerous Junior High and High Schools.For more information, please contact: (831) 818-4781 [email protected]