I grew up in "DA BRONX" in the 60's/70's and was playing in Latin bands by the time I was 15 and half years old. I was afforded the "luxury" of seeing, hearing,and playing with some of the best Latin bands ever, during this time. I started with "JOE PANAMA" doing gigs on the "loisida"(lower east side-NYC) and lots of weddings. Then with "FELIPE "PHIL" DIAZ & THE LATIN JAZZ SEXTET", where I really "learned the ropes" from Phil Diaz, Manny Ramos, Pat Patrick, Llewellyn Matthews, and Carl Witherspoon. From there I went thru the bands of "RENE GRAND Y SU COMBO", "GIL SUAREZ & THE HI-LATINS", "EARNIE AGOSTO Y LA CONSPIRACION","THE LATINAIRES with LOUIS SMALL & CARLOS CROSSMAN", "JUNGLE RAT" with DWIGHT BREWSTER, "FESSOR FUNK", "ROSETTA STONE", and some lesser known bands. I got to see and hear so many many bands growing up in New York City and "Da Bronx". They had a profound influence on my life and I have not stopped playing or listening to what I believe is the GREATEST MUSIC ever invented!. My band plays in that "NY Style", and people ask what is that?.... Well it's the same thing you would find in Puerto Rico or Cuba-Great Musicians and Great Music. It is the "supreme" ground of "competition". Where else could you truly test your latin Music skills, outside of those 3 places? I would like to give CREDIT to a Mr. Henry "Hank" Fields, who taught me how to play the drum and gave me my first set of fiberglass congas. I would also like to THANK George "Sabu" Caldwell the 3rd(who played with Dizzy Gillespie,Charlie Parker, others and toured with Katherine Dunham's Dance Co.) Who gave me rhythms and taught me to become a "Dance Musician".....
