Results for "Pedrito Martinez"

Pedrito Martinez

Pedro Pablo “Pedrito” Martinez was born in Havana, Cuba, Sept 12, 1973 in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood of Old Havana, and began his musical career at the age of 11.Since settling in New York City in the fall of 1998, Pedrito has recorded or performed with Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Paquito D’Rivera, Chucho Valdez, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Matthews, Jackson Browne, Elton John, James Taylor and Sting, and has contributed to well over 100 albums.  A consummate master of Afro-Cuban folkloric music and the batá drum he is also the world’s first-call rumbero—playing, singing, and dancing with dozens of Cuban rumba groups and contributing to, or appearing in, several important films, including Calle 54 (2000) and Chico and Rita (2010).

Pedrito was a founding member of the highly successful, Afro-Cuban/Afro-Beat band, Yerba Buena, with which he recorded two albums and toured the world in the mid- to late-90’s.

Mr. Martinez’s career as a leader began in 2005 with the formation in NYC of the The Pedrito Martinez Group. The group’s first, self-titled, studio album, was released October, 2013, was nominated for a Grammy, and was chosen among NPR’s Favorite Albums of 2013 and The Boston Globe Critics Top Ten Albums of 2013.”

Habana Dreams, their second album, recorded largely in Cuba, was released in June 10, 2016. Guests include, Ruben Blades, Isaac Delgado, Wynton Marsalis, Angelique Kidjo.In February of 2019, Pedrito and Cuban pianist, Alfredo Rodriguez, released a duo album called Duologue to critical acclaim and was selected by NPR for a First Listen. Quincy Jones was Executive Producer. In July 2019, Pedrito and Eric Clapton, recorded a newly arranged version of Clapton’s song, My Father’s Eyes for a new Pedrito Martinez album, called Acertijos (Riddles), to be released in early 2021. And on September 22, Pedrito and Clapton performed the song together at Clapton’s, Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, Texas.On March 12, 2020 at the Beacon Theater in NYC, Pedrito had the honor of performing as special guest, with Dave Matthews, Jackson Browne, and The Tedeschi Trucks Band, for a benefit concert called Love Rocks NYC. In June of 2020, Pedrito began releasing singles that were recorded for album, due in early 2021, Acertijos—starting with Yo Si Quiero, an original by Isaac Delgado Jr, Mitchell Delgado, and Pedrito, followed by My Father’s Eyes, a duet with Eric Clapton.

Monk Con Clave

By Carlos Henriquez

Label: Self Produced
Released: 2026
Track listing: 'Round Midnight; I Mean You; El Son de Teo; San Juan Hill; Ugly Beauty; Evidence of Four and One; Raise Four; Green Chimney; Who Knows; Plena Azul / Blue Monk.

Hamilton de Holanda: Chegando a San Antonio!

by Katchie Cartwright
June 21, 2026

Hamilton de Holanda Trio is coming to San Antonio for the first time, which is cause for celebration. Fans of Caminhos do Jazz have heard the great bandolinista on the show many times over the years, but this is our first opportunity to see him live in our fair city. He and his bandmates, Thiago Big ...

Carlos Henriquez: Monk Con Clave

by Pierre Giroux
June 6, 2026

Carlos Henriquez has long understood that rhythm tells stories long before words arrive. On Monk Con Clave, he takes Thelonious Monk's angular brilliance and brings it back to the streets, dance halls, and other crowded spaces across New York's Afro-Caribbean neighbourhoods. The result is not merely a tribute album but a living dialogue between Monk's genius ...

Metropole Orkest, Michael League, Booker Stardrum, Luca Dell'Anna & More

by Ludovico Granvassu
March 24, 2026

This week we celebrate 80 years of music by the Metropole Orkest, the restless spirit of Michael League, and flying carpets made of percussions, pianos and Hammond organs that take the listener to a hypnotic new dimension.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Parlor Greens ...

Michael League Ellipsis at SFJAZZ Center

by Roy Strassman
March 2, 2026

Michael League Ellipsis  SFJAZZ Center San Francisco, CA January 29, 2026 On an uncharacteristically balmy January evening, Michael League brought Ellipsis to the SFJAZZ Center, featuring Cuban conguero/batalero, singer (akpwón), dancer, and composer Pedrito Martinez. The ensemble also included famed Mexican drummer Antonio Sanchez and Cuban keyboardist and synthesizer player Glenda ...

Jaleel Shaw, John Vanore, and Richie Beirach

by Jerome Wilson
February 18, 2026

This program features music from Jaleel Shaw, Dawn Clement, John Vanore, Ian Shaw, Marion Brown and the late Richie Beirach.Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 John Vanore and Abstract Truth “Gods and Devils" from Easter ...

2026 Winter JazzFest Marathons: A Survival Guide

by Ludovico Granvassu
January 6, 2026

For jazz fans who are in New York, when one countdown ends with the Times Square Ball Drop, another one begins--and ends a few days later, when Winter JazzFest officially gets underway with the first downbeat at Le Poisson Rouge. For 22 years, the festival has been the launch pad of the jazz year ...

Overcoming

By Zahili Gonzalez Zamora

Label: Self Produced
Released: 2025
Track listing: Rumination; Blissful Sorrow; Despair; Duality Embrace; Negra.

Deborah Silver with the Count Basie Orchestra: Basie Rocks!

By Deborah Silver

Label: Green Hill Records
Released: 2025
Track listing: Paint It, Black – feat. Arturo Sandoval & Pedrito Martinez; Bennie and the Jets; Baby, I Love Your Way – feat. Peter Frampton; Tainted Love – feat. Kurt Elling (duet), Steve Jordan, John Clayton; Band On The Run; A Hard Day’s Night – feat. Monte Croft; Joy To The World – feat. Trombone Shorty (duet); Fly Like An Eagle – feat. Bill Frisell; Every Breath You Take – feat. George Coleman; Old Time Rock & Roll – feat. Wycliffe Gordon (duet) & Herlin Riley; Life’s Been Good – feat. Scotty Barnhart of The Count Basie Orchestra.