Hello everyone! Here I go again trying to tell you what's happened in my crazy musical life in the past three and a half months... On a very early morning the day after my daughter's twenty-third birthday I met a dear friend, percussion master Giovanni Hidalgo. We met across the street from the headquarters of the United Nations in Manhattan to head out to the airport for our trip west to begin the debut tour of the Eddie Palmieri Afro-Caribbean All Star Band. It was great to get back to the West Coast and finally get to see all my friends again. We began at the San Jose Jazz Festival, playing on the Main Stage that was set up in the middle of the street and turned into a massive Latin-jazz party! The day after, we moved a few miles north to play at the beautiful and cozy theatre at Half Moon Bay. At this time one of the best (if not the best) jazz clubs in the world, the famous Yoshi's in San Francisco, was just waiting for our arrival. A week of amazing audiences (15 sold-out shows including a matinee on Sunday for kids!) will remain in our memories as a great gift from the Bay Area. Northbound was then on the agenda, and so we flew to Seattle for four nights at the great Jazz Alley where our dear friend and trombone player Conrag Herwig showed us his skills not only as a musician, but also as a great cook!

I headed home for a couple of days to get behind the mixing board to do some more work as a producer on what will be master percussionist Richie Flores' debut solo record. Montreal came next through an invitation of my friend Danny de los Reyes to play at what was one of the most amazing parties I have ever been, organized by the creator of the Cirque du Soleil. It reunited on stage some of best Canadian DJ's and master percussionists Ron Powell (Madonna, Sting, etc.), Luisito Quintero (Latin great), Danny de los Reyes (Earth, Wind & Fire, Yanni, etc.) and myself on traps. We jammed non-stop from midnight until 7am and we only stopped because airplanes don't wait, otherwise we would probably still be playing...

A Pearl Drum event with my brother Richie Flores at Villa Music in his native Puerto Rico, took me back to La Isla del Encanto spending a few extra days with my friends on their boat relaxing and recharging the batteries to go again on a 28 hour trip to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean (Africa), to record the album of piano ace Meddy Gerville featuring Dominique DiPiazza (John McLaughlin,Trilok Gurtu) on bass, and Jean-Marie Ecay on guitar. We also played a few concerts and visited the island of Mayotte which, in an unfortunate way, reminded me of my native Cuba... 28 hours back to the States and a few days later celebrating in Long Island, New York, was the Tenth Anniversary of the amazing Evans Drumheads. It was a very special day, not only for the celebration, but also because I had the chance to spend the full day with a musician (drummer) who has been a life-long inspiration to me... the great Mr. Peter Erskine. After lunch we jammed for a couple of songs and it was more apparent to me than ever what a joy it is for a percussion player (I was playing congas) to play with such an amazing drummer. This one day will forever remain in my heart. Thank you Peter!!

It is always great to be able to do something for your colleagues if they have a problem. That's why the Berklee Performance Center was the scenario for a benefit concert that left not only the audience, but also the performers wanting to help anytime there was the need. Put together by an organization called Right Turn, the event "Rhythm and Recovery" gathered together different styles of drum luminaries. From the funkiest John Blackwell (Prince) and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chile Peppers), to the rock legend Simon Kirke (Bad Company) it was a full night of joy. Egui Castrillo and myself were in charge of bringing the rice 'n beans to the feast ending in a mega Latin-Funk-Rock jam that left audiences on their feet.

Back to Caracas, Venezuela, for their First International Drum Festival. It was almost a year since I flew with my brother Robby Ameen and so I enjoyed not only performing at the Drum Fest, along with the phenomenal Venezuelan audiences and hospitality, but also traveling together with my friend. While in Caracas, I had the chance to seal the deal for my upcoming release ITALUBA II on Cacao Records, and so hopefully around March '06 it will see the light!

So not wanting to be too long-winded here, I'm gonna give you guys a break until next time. I still have alot to tell you about the great tour I just wrapped up with ITALUBA.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO Y'ALL AND YOUR FAMILIES...
and don't forget DRUMS ARE LIFE!!!!
And what a wonderful life...

Yours,

eL NEgRO

The DrumsOnTheWeb site...

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Note... DrumsOnTheWeb.com is Artist-Friendly!!! All music on this site is here with complete knowledge and input from the artist.

Surf around... listen to a few great tunes... and have fun!

Be sure to check out the DrumsOnTheWeb.com VIP websites...

www.WalfredoReyesJr.com - Wally's Learning Center, new photos, updated itinerary and more!

www.ElNegro.com - all the info on my new book "Conversations In Clave", my video "Live At The Modern Drummer Festival 2000", and my cds and video with Giovanni Hidalgo "Traveling Through Time" & with Robby Ameen "El Negro and Robby at the Third World War" & Italuba!

www.TomTeasley.com - updated itinerary, current news, and more! New cd coming very soon!

www.FunkyDrummer.com - Jim Payne's site... NYC teaching studio open! music downloads, interviews, books for sale and more! (new Tito Puente book!) New cd Energy!

www.LeonMobley.com - Photo gallery, itinerary, and more!

www.FreeAssociationRecords.com - Dave Abbruzzese's site!

www.JohnJRRobinson.com - NEW! cd Funkshui
John JR Robinson's site with photos, sound clips and more!

www.MichaelFoxDrums.com - drummer with Floyd Lee & MF2... itinerary, photos & more!

www.Creatchy.com - keyboardist David Garfield! Itinerary, Current News, Carlos Vega Memorial Birthday Concert info, Jeff Porcaro Tribute, CD shop, and more...

www.DianeLotny.com - soulful... an amazing singer... ya gotta check her out!

www.OdedLevy.com incredible photographer!

www.JauqoIII-X.com incredible bass player and innovator -
The SubContra Bass and The Low C# Sharp Theory

www.DonPeakeMusic.com guitarist, arranger, composer, Academy Award... need I say more?

Volume 9 Issue 12 December 2005
©All Rights Reserved

Negro's Musings ....

Cowbells for Sale! So after a wonderful introduction of my Signature Series Cowbells at the NAMM show, I took a well deserved 10 day vacation... just to pump gas to start again! A photo session for Turkish pianist Fahir Atakoglu, that I did with Anthony Jackson, brought me back to work. And the day after, I started producing virtuoso percussionist Richie Flores' solo debut record. After a few days in the studio I embarked on the Mario Canonge (piano) tour, (the French connection), that features everyone's bass player in Paris - Michel Alibo and Jacques Schwartz-Bart on sax. It was many countries in not so many days... but unforgettable memories. My first time in Haiti Port-au-Prince, then to Mexico for 4 concerts. One in the familiar Monterey. Two at the UNAM in Mexico City. And one in an amazingly beautiful old town named Queretaro. Then we flew north, back to the states for the west coast. A night in San Francisco... and then even further north, at the East Cultural Center in Vancouver... and then really into the winter at Winnipeg. Next, to the nation's capital - Washington DC... funkying at Snug Harbor in New Orleans... and hanging out with Delsayo Marsalis... and a day at home - but playing at the Knitting Factory, New York City... and then straight to the sun of San Juan, PR... a small jump to Guadalupe... another small jump to Margarita Island, Venezuela... and then to the mainland, for the first time in Curacas (just to find my cousin by accident in the airport!)... hanging with the guys of the Ochestra Sarao.

The final date of the tour was in Maracibo, Venezuela... where it was unknown that I was coming to perform. I happened to run into a drummer at the soundcheck - and in a matter of less than an hour, every drummer in Maracibo showed up! It was a beautiful gathering. All this happened between February and March. On April 9th, I found myself playing at the Frankfurt MESSE show (the European equivalent of the NAMM show) with Italuba (which kicked off the tour of April with Italuba). Santander in Barcelona, Spain... a wonderful drum fest in Milan, Italy, (where besides playing with Italuba, I played as a guest with La Drumeria - which is a fantastic group of five of the top drummers in Northern Italy). I had, of course, to anchor at home (Rome) and also Ravenna Jazz Festival and the Bellante in Italy. A short flight to London put me into the clinic tour mode. It was my longest clinic tour of Europe to date... fantastically organized and run by Dave Phillips for Pearl Drums UK and the webmaster extraordinaire Mike Dolbear. From Glasgow to London... 6 venues in the UK, 6 nights of Indian food... yeah! Continued on to do more clinics in Holland, Belgium and Germany, (thumbs up for DrumWorld in the Netherlands – the biggest drum store in the world). High praises to Mike and Dave, it was a great one.

In my SOS a few days ago, I was asking questions from you for a dvd that had just completed filming of Mike Mangini and myself. Thanks for all of your great questions and comments!

Now at this very moment, I am shaving... with not too much time to run to the airport and go to Mauritania on the west coast of Africa, so I will talk to you later.

Negro

Pam & Rhythm Tech... yup! The rumors are true! Pam is back working with Richard and the rest of the great folks at Rhythm Tech. For now, I will be updating the Artist Area of the www.RhythmTech.com site. So all you Rhythm Tech endorsers (you know who you are!) make my life easier and send some artist updates! A quick email telling us what you've been up to lately... and I'll get it up on the Rhythm Tech site... and of course, the DrumsOnTheWeb.com site.

And all you "other-wise-endorsed artists" - send me an artist update email, too! I'll post it on the DrumsOnTheWeb.com site!