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Peggy Jo Oliva
Peggy Jo Oliva / Biography
About Me
Peggy Jo “PJ” Oliva was born into a musical family. Her Puerto Rican father, Arturo
Rodriguez, was born and raised in Spanish Harlem, New York, and was passionate
about business, design, jazz, and percussion. Peggy's mother, Margarita Morales,
aka “Peggy,” is of Cuban and Venezuelan descent and was born and raised in the
Bronx. Also, she was Arturo's “right hand” for over thirty years in their successful
light fixture company and a dedicated mother, incredible salsa dancer, a lover of
Afro-Cuban rumba and was greatly influenced by María Antonieta Pons, Tito
Puente, and Celia Cruz.
PJ was the youngest of four children and the only girl. Her childhood memories
include jazz, rumba, salsa, funk, rock, soul, hip-hop, R&B, and artists such as James
Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Earth,
Wind, and Fire.
PJ grew up listening, loving, and “living” the music. Her earliest musical memories
are of her dad listening to Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Louis
Armstrong, and later, Spyro Gyra, Jean-Luc Ponty, the Yellow Jackets, Chick Corea,
Al Dimeola, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Eddie Palmieri, Michito and Chucho
Valdes and Irakere. In the 80s, PJ's father and mother listened to Ruben Blades,
the Fania All-Stars, and discovered bands from Cuba, such as Los Van Van, NG La
Banda, and Orquesta Reve, to name a few.
Arturo also played percussion and led a band called the “Salsa Express,” the
house band for Herbie Hancock's club in West Hollywood called the “Nucleus
Nuance.” Also, he often had jam sessions (descargas), and musicians such as
Gerald Wilson, Danilo Lozano, Miguel Cruz, Papo Rodriguez, Robertito Melendez,
Bobby Matos, Tony Rosa, Ricardo Alba, and Long John Oliva frequented their
home. At thirteen, Peggy Jo understood the value and quality of music and
percussion.
At eighteen PJ studied at San Diego State University's School of Art and Graphic
Design. Simultaneously, she studied percussion and performed with local bands in
San Diego. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Art and Graphic Design (1994),
she accepted a position at the “Clark and Gable” Design Firm in Seattle, where she
worked under the direction of designer and percussionist Tony Gable, who worked
with the “206 Band,” and Kenny G.
While at Clark and Gable Design, PJ worked with clients such as “Mike Tice
Enterprises” (Budweiser Party Bus), Lost Luggage (High-End Portfolio Designer),
and former Nirvana bassist Chris Novoselic and his project “Static Radio.” After
that, she was offered the position of lead graphic and web designer for the
Fortune 500 companies Smartpages.com (in Old Town Pasadena) and
Propertyfirst.com (in Alhambra) and simultaneously contracted jobs with a
reputable design agency named “Portfolio” (in West Hollywood). While at
smartpages.com, PJ was responsible for generating more than 50,000 ads for the
launch of their new site, which yp.com bought out.
In May of 1998, PJ went to Cuba while pregnant, and she was exposed to the
musical excellence of bands like NG La Banda, Manolin, Los Van Van, and
Orquestra Reve. The experience changed her life and inspired Peggy Jo to be a
part of the revolutionary musical movement that had existed in Cuba for many
years and was gaining popularity in the United States.
In September of 1998, after returning from Cuba and giving birth to her son
Christian Arturo Gutierrez “Turi,” PJ went out on her own as a contract graphic and
web designer, working for “Big10Four Productions,” designing flyers and logos for
musical groups such as Eyedentity (Diana & Krishna Booker, the daughter of Airto
Moriera, Flora Purim), Quetzal and the Broadway Music Hall, while simultaneously
studying Afro Cuban percussion.
In 1999, Peggy met her soul mate backstage at the Wiltern Theater in West
Hollywood, California, at a Los Muñequitos de Matanzas's show, “Juanito” Long
John Oliva “Penalty,” who was considered to be one of the most prominent Cuban
percussionists in the United States by way of Belen, Cuba and described as the
”Jazz Rumbero.” In 2000, they got married and decided to pursue a dream. In 2001
Lucumi Music Productions was born, where PJ's passion for music and creative
capabilities merged to create great art and music and discover great talent. The
same year, the AC Jazz Project was born. Some of the honors and awards included
the AC Jazz Project's Album LUCUMI, a Top 100 Jazz Recording of all time, Best
Latin Jazz Artist of 2003-2004 from the Long Beach Jazz Search Competition, and
the 2006 IAJE Latin Jazz Award winner. In 2004, Long John passed, and Lucumi
Music Productions opened up booking and promotional services and has since
worked with some of the best artists in Jazz and Cuban music, including; Dennis
Chambers, Rayford Griffin, Kamasi Washington, Luis Conte, Patrice Rushen, Luis
Eric Gonzalez, Carlitos del Puerto, Jimmy Branly, Orlando Valle “Maraca,” Long
John Oliva, Yosvany Terry, Havana D' Primera, Giraldo Piloto & Klimax, Wil Campa,
Francisco Aguabella, among others.
Ironically, PJ was unaware that Long John and her father, Arturo Rodriguez, were
close friends, nor was she aware that when Long John arrived in the States, he
played timbales in her father's band, “The Salsa Express.” Furthermore, Lon John
sent Arturo to Cuba to meet Pancho Quinto, El Gato and other rumberos, and Long
John's family and friends. He respected and loved Peggy's father and was in the
hospital when Arturo died of heart failure.
In Long John's honor, PJ continued with the AC Jazz Project and in 2013, under her
direction as Manager and Co-Executive Producer, along with William Tilford,
collaborated with Cuban trumpeter Composer Josiel Perez Hernandez and with
other Cuban musicians on “Conga Buena,” featuring Cuban lead vocalist Alberto
Tamayo, Co-Producer/Drummer/ Engineer Jimmy Branly, Saxophonist
Extraordinaire Kamasi Washington who is now on Flying Lotus' Brain Feeder label,
world-renowned percussionist Luis Conte, bassist Yosmel Montejo and pianist
Fermin Sifontes, which produced hits that climbed to #5 and #6 on the music
charts in Lima Peru and Cali Colombia.
Despite challenging times and raising her son, PJ realized her strength,
successfully broke through obstacles and put her band on the map.
PJ also continues to pursue her career as a graphic designer career and to work for
good causes. Her clients range from non-profits to the city of Los Angeles's
Recreation and Parks.
Concerning music, PJ is bi-coastal, living in Los Angeles and Miami during various
parts of the year. Also, she is managing her son, “Tury,” who is pursuing a music
career in Reggaeton and Latin Trap. He is set to release his first single and music
video for “Duda” in 2024 on the Indie label Futureless Records.
Today, Lucumi Productions is dedicated to reissuing existing music, designing
collector's box sets and selling related related merchandise via (include website
link, or link to merchandise, etc.).
VISIT PEGGY JO OLIVA ON BEHANCE
https://www.pjolivadesign.com
https://www.behance.net/pjolivadesign
