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Yissy García

Yissy Garcia is a female drummer born on May 29th, 1987 in Havana, bearing great musical heritage from her father and main inspiration, drummer Bernardo Garcia, who was one of the founders of legendary Irakere band. At nine years old she started studying percussion at the music school and for more than a decade she developed her skills during the academic training receiving several awards as percusionist. On this period she had the chance to play with internationally prestigious musicians like Horacio Hernández (El Negro), Giovanny Hidalgo, Arturo Tappin and Roy Hargrove. From 2006 to 2011 she was a member of the all female Salsa band Anacaona, performing all through Cuba and on international festivals. Young gifted Yissy has a growing interest on jazz and begins to stand out as one of the new talents of the country. Working close together with jazz players like Alexis Bosch, Bobby Carcasés and Yasek Manzano was instrumental on this part of her development as a performer. In 2012, she decided to launch her solo career taking her first steps as composer and bandleader with the project YISSY & BANDANCHA, a quintent whose core is to do fusion with jazz and various genres. She is now a regular guest on the most renowned festivals of Cuban music, Jazz Plaza, JoJazz, Ellas Crean, Havana World Music, etc. A side from the work with her project, she works extensivelyon new releases by renowned Cuban artists and bands like Interactivo, Alexis Bosch and Telmary. On 2014 she joined Kelvis Ochoa, William Vivanco and Yusa to take part on the Festival El sur suena a cubano, held in Argentina. She toured Japan with Yusa; was one of the musicians that played on Gema Correderas’ record Felling Marta and toured Mexico with Omara Portuondo, the Buena Vista Social Club diva. Since 2014 Yissy is on the line up of Maqueque, a band led by Jane Bunnett, the well-known Canadian sax player. With this band she has played on the most important festivals of Canada and the USA and recorded the album Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, awarded with a Juno on 2015 for Best Jazz Album. She begins 2015 recording Última Noticia her first album, and touring various US cities with her band YISSY & BANDANCHA. Was one of the artists included on a documentary that shows the most outstanding talents of Cuban Jazz vanguard now a days, a film for Brazilian TV directed by Max Alvin.

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Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, arguably the premier Cuban drummer of his generation, was at the lunch (he’s known García since she was a child and they are now planning a project together) and called her “the leading figure in modern Cuban drumming.”

- Fernando González, Artburst

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Drums

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