Sammy Figueroa

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Sammy Figueroa
File:Sammylaughing.jpg
Background information
Born The Bronx, New York, United States
Genres Jazz, Fusion, Rock, Brazilian, R&B, World Music
Occupation(s) Percussionist, Vocalist, Producer
Instruments All Percussion
Labels Savant Record
Associated acts Miles Davis, Mariah Carey, Sammy Figueroa Band, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Mick Jagger, George Benson, Michel Camilo, Carol King, Sonny Rollins
Website www.sammyfigueroa.com

Sammy Figueroa is [1] born in The Bronx, New York. Sammy Figueroa has long been regarded as one of the world's great musicians. As one of the world's leading percussionists he has played on countless records, providing the rhythmical framework for hundreds of hits. Well-known for his versatility and professionalism, he is one of the few percussionists equally comfortable in a multitude of styles, from R & B to rock to pop to bebop to Latin to Brazilian to New Age. [2] He has recorded and toured with Miles Davis, the Brecker Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Mick Jagger, George Benson, Caro King, Sonny Rollins, Michel Camilo, Quincy Jones, David Bowie, and Mariah Carey. Sammy's famed sense of humor, ebullient personality, and open-heartedness is famous within the music industry and has further empowered him in his connection with musicians and audiences alike. Two of his CD's, And Sammy Walked In and The Magician, have been nominated for Grammys in the "Best Latin Jazz Album" category.

Figueroa hosts a Latin jazz music program on WDNA-FM in Miami, Florida.

Biography

Sammy Figueroa has long been regarded as one of the world's great musicians. As one of the world's leading percussionists he has played on countless records, providing the rhythmical framework for hundreds of hits. Well-known for his versatility and professionalism, he is one of the few percussionists equally comfortable in a multitude of styles, from R & B to rock to pop to bebop to Latin to Brazilian to New Age. As one of New York's most sought after session players Sammy played on countless albums, jingles and film scores and appeared often on The David Letterman Band and the Saturday Night Live Band. He has recorded and toured with Miles Davis, the Brecker Brothers (for 12 years!), Sonny Rollins, Michel Camilo (who wrote the tune 'And Sammy Walked In' in his honor), Chaka Khan, David Bowie, and Mariah Carey (in her multi-million selling MTV Unplugged). Sammy's famed sense of humor, ebullient personality, and open-heartedness is famous within the music industry and has further empowered him in his connection with musicians and audiences alike.

While continuing his career as one of the world's leading sideman (in recent years he has toured with saxophone icon Sonny Rollins and Brazilian superstar Jorge Ben Jor), Sammy has also now established himself as a bandleader and artist. It is rare for a successful professional musician such as Sammy to make the transition from sideman to leader in what some might term "the middle years". Even more unlikely would be for both of this artist's first two albums to each be honored with Grammy Nominations. But since Sammy Figueroa became a leader in his own right the role has fit him comfortably, as if that was always his destiny. Sammy Figueroa is currently considered to be the most likely candidate to inherit the mantles of Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto as one of the world's great congueros. When Sammy plays percussion he tells a story, taking the listener on a journey.

Sammy Figueroa was born in the Bronx, New York, the son of the well-known romantic singer Charlie Figueroa. His first professional experience came while still a student at the University of Puerto Rico, with the band of bassist Bobby Valentin. During this time he co-founded the innovative fusion Brazilian/Latin group Raices. Raices was signed to a contract with Atlantic Records and Sammy returned to New York.

Since then Sammy has played with a multitude of distinguished jazz and Latin jazz artists including Sonny Rollins, Dave Sanborn, Quincy Jones, Dave Grusin, George Benson, Chet Baker, Stanley Clarke, Grover Washington, Jr., Al Jarreau, Lena Horne, Joe Williams, Mark Murphy, Mike Mainieri, Nestor Torres, Chico O'Farrill, Mike Stern, Dave Valentin, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera, Ruben Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Tania Maria, Jorge Ben Jor, Daniella Mercury, Tom Jones, James Taylor, Dr. John, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Celine Dion, Natalie Merchant, Luther Vandross, Ashford & Simpson, Anita Baker, Roberta Flack, David Lee Roth, Hall & Oates, Joe Cocker, Rickie Lee Jones, Annie Lennox and many, many more.

In the spirit of experimentation he has recorded and appeared with "New Age" artists such as Paul Winter, Glen Velez and Michael Schrieve and some of Europe's greatest electronica artists, including Vienna's dZihan & Kamien and the UK's Mark De Clive-Lowe. He has also taught numerous clinics and master classes in connection with his endorsement arrangement with Pearl Percussion.

In addition to his work as a musician, Sammy has also produced or co-produced several important jazz and world music albums, including his own two Grammy-nominated releases. In 1990 he and producer/musician Rachel Faro (producer of Odetta, Eddie Palmieri, Bobby Sanabria and others) formed Faro Figueroa Productions, which soon became one of world music's hottest production teams. Trips to Cuba and Venezuela led to historic productions with groups such the phenomenal Cuban a cappella group Vocal Sampling (Sire/Elektra), authentic Afro-Cuban rhythms set to modern jazz arrangements in "Cantos: Lazaro Ros con Mezcla" (Intuition), spectacular Cuban jazz recorded in Venezuela with Cuarto Espacio, featuring Omar Hernandez and Ernan Lopez-Nussa (Ashe), and the classic "Celebremos Navidad" (Universal) by cuatro legend and Fania Allstar Yomo Toro.

In 2001 Sammy relocated to South Florida where he discovered a rich treasure trove of Latin jazz virtuosos from Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, along with members of the University of Miami's extraordinary music department. In September 2002 Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion made their debut at the Hollywood Jazz Festival, with special guests Dave Valentin and Ray Vega. Since that time Sammy and his band have been unstoppable and they are now one of the most exciting groups in Latin jazz today.

As leader of The Latin Jazz Explosion, Sammy empowered his players and created an ensemble that is astounding in its musical excitement. His first album, "And Sammy Walked In" (on Savant Records), co-produced by longtime production partner Rachel Faro, included music by Michel Camilo and Hermeto Pascual. His second album, "The Magician", (also on Savant Records), again co-produced with Rachel Faro, features spectacular original compositions by Venezuelans Silvano Monasterios and Gabriel Vivas alongside jazz classics such as Seven Steps and Cedar Walton's Firm Roots. Both albums received Grammy Nominations for Best Latin Jazz Album. His third album, "Urban Nature", mainly original compositions by Monasterios and Vivas, further explores the connection between Latin rhythms and complex modern jazz, with offerings ranging from the complex 'Gufillo' to the poetic lyricism of 'Zuliana' to the swinging salsa of Mongo's 'Cuca y Olga'.

Gifted with a warm speaking voice and a fanatic knowledge of jazz, Sammy has also found a natural vocation as a radio host. His show "The Sammy Figueroa Show" every Monday morning on Miami's WDNA 88.9 FM is one of the station's most popular and has fans that stream it on the internet throughout the world.

Sammy's residency in South Florida has introduced him to the best of South American music. He has been appearing as a featured artist with the band Brazilian icon Jorge Ben Jor, who has written a song specifically for Sammy. Sammy also appeared with Brazilian superstar Daniela Mercury at an historic beach concert, performing for over 60,000 fans. Other collaborations have been with Grammy Nominees DJ LeSpam and the Spam Allstars, violinist/composer Alfredo Triff, Latin Grammy winner saxophonist Ed Cale, singer Nicole Henry, Latin Grammy nominees Negroni's Trio.

In 2010, 'just for fun', Sammy developed a second band, Sally's Tomato, an exciting tribute to the music of Cal Tjader. With the blessings of Tjader family, this band caught on instantly, magnetizing a devoted fan base of its own with its breezy tropical, retro sound. Making their debut at the world famous Miami Book Fair, this band has become one of South Florida's most popular groups for festivals and corporate events.

Sammy also appeared in concert as Dave Grusin's special guest, along with Arturo Sandoval, Patti Austin, Jon Secada and Gary Burtin, with the Henry Mancini Orchestra at UM's Frost School of Music in a Jazz Roots revisiting of Grusin's legendary rendering of Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story". Performed at Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center, this concert is available on Concord Records as a DVD and has been broadcast on National Public Television.

From 2010 - 2013 Sammy toured the world with saxophone icon Sonny Rollins, appearing at every major festival and performing arts center. In 2014 toured Europe and Asia with Australia's premier jazz guitarist Albare iTD.

In 2014 Sammy released a new album, 'Talisman', a special collaboration with Brazilian singer Glaucia Nasser, also produced by Rachel Faro. This album brilliantly combines the rhythms of Latin percussion with the beauty of Brazilian song. The Talisman group toured the U.S. East coast in late 2014.

In 2015 Sammy recorded and released 'Imaginary World' his latest album on Savant Records, featuring the compositions and arrangements of Silvano Monasteries and Gabriel Vivas. Co-produced by Rachel Faro and Dancing With The Stars musical director Ray Chew, the tracks combine a highly complex and challenging Latin approach with a classical sense of beauty. In live performance this band, no longer called the Latin Jazz Explosion, and this music invariably receives standing ovations and encores.

In late 2015 Sammy also released 'Memory of Water', a new age album of Sammy playing the eclectic Hangman, a celestial-sounding steel drum.

Sammy appears in several important books on music and its legends. His relationship with Miles Davis is described at length both in Miles‛ own words in his autobiography entitled "Miles" and in "The Last Miles: The Music of Miles Davis From 1980 - 1991" by George Cole. Anecdotes about Sammy abound in Paquito D‛Rivera‛s amusing book "My Sax Life". Sammy has also been included in The Grove‛s Dictionary of Jazz. [3]


Discography

As solo artist

  • 2005: And Sammy Walked In with His Latin Jazz Explosion
  • 2007: The Magicianwith His Latin Jazz Explosion
  • 2011: Urban Nature with His Latin Jazz Explosion
  • 2014: Talisman with Glaucia Nasser
  • 2015: Imaginary World
  • 2015: Memory of Water

As sideman

As producer

  • 1992: Decision with Seis Del Solar
  • 1994: Cantos with Lazaro Ros con Mezcla
  • 1995: Una Forma Más by Vocal Sampling
  • 1996: Celebremos Navidad by Yomo Toro
  • 1997: Cuarto Espacio by Cuarto Espacio
  • 2007: The Magician by Sammy Figueroa and His Latin Jazz Explosion

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year Award Title Note
1985 NARAS PERCUSSIONIST OF THE YEAR
1987 NARAS PERCUSSIONIST OF THE YEAR
2005 BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM And Sammy Walked In Nominated
2007 BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM The Magician Nominated

Drum Magazine Awards

Year Award Title
2007 BEST HAND PERCUSSIONIST The Magician
2008 BEST ALBUM HAND PERCUSSION 2008 The Magician

Miami New Times

Year Award
2002 BEST PERCUSSIONIST
2003 BEST JAZZ ARTIST
2005 BEST PERCUSSIONIST
2010 BEST JAZZ MUSICIAN

Source

  • 1990: Miles: The Autobiography, by Miles Davis (Author), Quincy Troupe (Collaborator)
  • 2002: The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz edited by Barry Kernfeld
  • 2004: Mi Vida Saxual (My Sax Life) by Paquito D'Rivera
  • 2007: The Last Miles: The Music of Miles Davis, 1980-1991 by George Cole

References

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External links