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Rolando Matias & Afro-Rican Ensemble

Closed to a decade ago, Rolando conceptualize The Afro-Rican Ensemble, with a vision and direction the Ensemble followed to national and international recognition. As an entertainer and musician, Rolando cannot be denied: a Multi-talented percussionist, Afro-Caribbean musicologist, Ethno-Foklorist and an accomplished harmonica player. Rolando has traveled the U.S. playing in a wide variety of groups, performing everything from the blues to Latin rock, and everything in between. A self-taught musician, Rolando, applied his formal training as an Architect into his musical education, seeking perfection, has sought out the greats during his travels in order to perfect his musical techniques as a percussionist, harmonica player and composer. Rolando started playing percussion at a young age in Cupey Alto, at the local "Bembes" of the neighborhood. "Bembe" is a gathering of "rumberos" jamming and improvising together. "We started with percussion grooves, pretty soon a trombone player joined in, a trumpeter and all of a sudden the place was kicking, it was a great scene." Rolando has completed his musical education in music and composition thru private education and formal studies at The Ohio State University, School of Music. He also advanced his studies as a Master Percussionist in Cuba under the tutelage of a number Cuba's finest master percussionists from Havana and Matanzas. These studies completed Rolando's formal training as Master Percussionist on drums, hand drumming and ethnic percussion as well as a Jazz composer. His performances range from the playful to the passionate, making this powerful Puerto Rican presence a pleasure worth watching. Rolando has performed or recorded with the likes of 2007 Latin Grammy winner Brian Lynch, multi-grammy winner David Sanchez, Chuchito Valdez, Benny Maupin, Patrice Rushen, Leon “Ndugu” Chadler, Azar Lawrence, Othello Molineaux, guitarist Mimmi Fox, percussionists: Bobby Matos, Bobby Sanabria, Bill Summers and Lenny Castro, bluesmen: Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater, Kenny Neal, Duke Robillard, Australian Dave Hole, Debbie Davies and Howard Scott and the World Band, the late great pianist from Cleveland Roberto Ocasio, Brazilian reedman Carlos Malta, the B-3 madman Ron Levy, Pam Williams, trumpeters: Pharez Whitted, Derek Gardner and Latin Grammy nominee Ray Vega, Los Hombres Calientes, guitarist Jim Savitt, Hector Martignon, Greg Abate, Andy Gonzalez, Adela Dalto, Kim Pencyl, The Navigators , the master of the spoken word the legenday Umar Hassan from The Last Poets among others.

Gear

Meinl Percussion Bosphorus Cymbals


Tags

The Charleston Gazette: ...if you closed your eyes for a few minutes, you might have thought you were in Havana in 1950. Jonathan Rodgers

JazzTimes: ...solid musicianship, the right dash of sabor, and a refreshing absence of self-indulgence. Marcela Breton

Latin Beat Magazine: ...What would this world be like without any percussion instruments? For some, life would be the same as always, but it wouldn't be the same for others who regard said instruments as the musical bloodline to the soul. Latin jazz would be virtually non-existent without it, as documented in the music recently recorded by Sammy Figueroa, Chembo Corniel, Bobby Sanabria, Poncho Sanchez, Nils Fischer, Francisco Mela, Eg|i Castrillo, Bobby Matos, John Santos, Rolando Matias, Ignacio Berroa, Dafnis Prieto, Mayra Casales, David Mora, Marlon Simsn, Tito de Gracia, Paoli Mejmas, and countless more. Nelson Rodriguez

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Primary Instrument

Percussion

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Clinic/Workshop Information

Rolando Matias is also available for clinics/workshop and afro-latin speaking forums. Other programs includes Forum/Seminar with Bobby Matos. The Afro-Rican Ensemble offers a wide variety of educational workshops that brings a clear understanding of the fusion of Latin rhythms with jazz. Latin-Jazz is made up of four building blocks: rhythmic grooves and the Clave-Cuban and Puerto Rican (e.g., rumba, son, bomba, and salsa), melody, harmony, and most importantly, improvisation

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Music

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