John Santos - Congas, Band Leader

Born in San Francisco,

California, November 1, 1955

Percussionist, composer, writer and educator John Santos was raised in the Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean traditions of his family, surrounded by music. The fertile musical environment of the San Francisco Bay Area shaped his career in a unique way. His studies of Afro-Latin music have included several trips to New York, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Colombia.

Widely respected as one of the top writers, educators and historians in the field, Mr. Santos is a member of the Latin Jazz Advisory Committee of the Smithsonian Institution and has contributed to the international magazines Percussive Notes, Modern Drummer, Modern Percussionist, and Latin Percussionist. The San Francisco Bay Area community in which he still lives and works has presented him with numerous awards and honors for artistic excellence and social dedication.

Mr. Santos is also a distinguished and creative multi-percussionist and recording artist. His diverse credits (in addition to those listed) include: Grupo Mezcla (Havana, Cuba), Irakere West, Santana, Cal Tjader, Charlie Hunter, Danilo Perez, Linda Tillery, Ignacio Berroa, Omar Sosa, Bobby Hutcherson, McCoy Tyner, Lalo Schifrin, Jon Jang, Yma Sumac, Pete and Sheila Escovedo, Mark Murphy, John Faddis, Batacumbele and Batucaje. He was the director of the Orquesta Tipica Cienfuegos (l976-1980) and the Orquesta Batachanga (1981-1985). Mr. Santos currently directs the Machete Ensemble (since 1986), a world-class Latin Jazz band of international renown, and is recording and touring with the Cuban piano phenom, Omar Sosa.

Look for Mr. Santos' latest recordings, S.F. Bay (2002) with the Machete Ensemble on the Machete label and La Mar with Omar Sosa.

PARTIAL DISCOGRAPHY:
(* John Santos as producer or co-producer)

Sensación Tito Puente Orchestra (Concord) 1986

Goza mi Timbal Tito Puente Orchestra (Concord) 1989

Un Poco Loco Tito Puente Orchestra (Concord) 1987

S.F. Bay* J.S. and Machete (Machete) 2002
Mambo Jazz* Bobby Matos/John Santos (Cubop) 2001

Tribute to The Masters* John Santos and Machete (Cubop) 2000

Machetazo* John Santos and Machete (Bembé) 1998

Machete* John Santos and Machete (Xenophile) with Cachao and Chocolate 1995

Africa Vol.1* John Santos and Machete (Earthbeat) 1988

La Mar* John Santos and Omar Sosa 2000

Nfumbe* John Santos and Omar Sosa (Price Club) 1998

Sentir Omar Sosa (Ota) 2002

Prietos Omar Sosa (Ota) 2001

Bembon Omar Sosa (Ota) 2000

Cuban Roots Revisited Mark Weinstein, Aguabell

Pound for Pound Charlie Hunter Quartet (Blue Note) 1998

Cuba Without Borders Comp. Machete, Pancho Quinto, Omar Sosa, Los Terry, John Calloway 2000

Ritmo Y Candela II Patato, Orestes Vilato and Walfredo Reyes Sr. (Tonga) 1996

Hacia el Amor* Coro Folklórico Kindembo (Xenophile) with Francisco Aguabella 1996

Bebop & Beyond Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Martin, George Cables (Blue Moon) 1991

Cantos with legendary vocalist Lázaro Ros & Mezcla, Havana, Cuba (Intuition) 1990

Three in One Wayne Wallace (Spirit Nectar) 2000

Once Cuentos de Amor Maria Fernanda Marquez (Ryko Latino) 2000

El Campanazo Jackeline Rago and the Venezuelan Music Project 2000

Playing it Cool Joyce Cooling (Heads Up) 1997

Front Porch Music Linda Tillery (Earthbeat) 1997

Flores* Conjunto Cespedes (Xenophile) 1997

Bird Goes Latin Jamey Aebersold 1996

From Africa to Camaguey Los Terry/Cuba (Round World) 1996

Tierra Adentro* Claudia Gomez (Xenophile) 1996

Flying South Pete Escovedo Orchestra (Concord) 1996

Skin Talk* Carolyn Brandy 1995

Vivito y Coleando* Conjunto Céspedes (Xenophile) 1995

Guardabarranco Guardabarranco 1994

Wooden Boat Keola Beamer (Dancing Cat) 1994

Latin Jazz Jamey Aebersold 1994

Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir (Tuizer) 1994

Una Sola Casa* Conjunto Céspedes (Green Linnet) 1993

The World’s Getting Loud Alex DeGrassi and Andy Narell (Windham Hill) 1993

Collage/Afro-Cuban Jazz* Bobby Matos Heritage Ensemble (Night Life) 1993

Forman on the Job Bruce Forman, Joe Henderson (Kamei) 1992

Mr. E. Pete Escovedo Orchestra (Concord) 1988