I was raised in the San Fernando Valley Pacoima to be exact, I went to Pacoima Jr. High School where the hometown hero Rock n Roll legend Ritchie Valens recorded his live album. A musician in percussion, and voice I started at the age of 9 years old in private lessons for 3 years, my first drum set at 10 yrs old was a Pearl tiger strip and it was my pride and joy. I started singing in Junior High school and it was after hearing the great voice of Little Willie G. of Thee Midnighters, I would spend hours in my room trying to imitate his voice and other R&B artist such as Lenny Welch (Since I fell For You) fame along with the Rock N Roll bands that I listened to. I Played in bands through Jr and High school and had such a hard time about because at that time everyone wanted to be the next Beatles but not me though I just wanted to play whatever I could. I had a blast in the early 60s hanging with my sister and going to Love Ins and music festivals at Griffith Park, I mean this was 67-69' and it was a real experience as the music was happening and the bands were making statements and you knew it was something you had to be a part of. In 1969' I had the pleasure of going to the Newport 69' Festival at Devonshire Downs, it was a 3 day festival right after Woodstock and all the heavies were there, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jethro Tull, Steppenwolf, Joe Cocker, Eric Burdon, The Chambers Brothers, Mother Earth, the Byrds, Marvin Gaye, Creedence Clearwater Revival and alot more(see poster pic). I think I grew after that experience and learned that music IS the heart and soul in us all. People really cared about eachother and the Love and Peace thing really meant something, we were refered to as Brothers and Sisters and I wished the ideals and hopes of the 60s would have carried over to the kids now days the way you treat your brothers. Yeah its changed now but but Im still here and I would not have changed my life for anything growing up and I have the best hope for our youth, my other love was for the fighting arts and at 15 yrs old I had the honor to study Sil Lum Chuan Fa (Five Animal System) under master Douglas Lim Wong and his taoist philosopy will stay with me forever. I myself now have the most awesome little boy in my life and I never thought I would ever have that, the children do change your life forever and it opened my eyes once more when I thought I experienced just about all I could have. Emiliano Djembe,that is his name and he is quite the earth shaker, named after Emiliano Zapata he will grow proud and strong. I am a single parent but I give thanks to my spiritual guide everyday for the lady that gave me this gift even though we are not together she is truely a beautiful spirit and my friend, of the Ojibway tribes she is proud of her heritage and will not deny it. My father has told me stories of my grandfather Rufugio who rode with Pancho Villa as did many of the plains people for his cause. My family is of the Aztecs, Mexican and Yaqui and Apache tribes, we along with our brother tribes and with our African brothers and Chinese that were brought to america worked the land of California. We built the rails for the trains and worked the mines and plowed your fields and still we are not seen as a true people of this land, our blood is of this earth that you walk on so show my family the respect that you would have shown to yours... I am a Massage Therapist and I still play drums though I have chosen to now play Timbales, Djembes, Bongos, Frame and other spiritual drums and the singing is still my main love as music is in my heart and soul. Shall you never forget who you are and where you have come from. Peace In Music to all..
