Dafnis Prieto

His arrival in the U.S. has been compared to that of an asteroid hitting New York. Indeed, in the relatively short period of time Dafnis Prieto's revolutionary drumming techniques have had an astronomical impact on both the Latin and jazz music scene, locally and internationally.

As a youngster Prieto studied at the school of Fine Arts in Santa Clara, Cuba. Later, he studied at the National School of Music in Havana, where he received a thorough classical education, and ever broadening knowledge of Afro-Cuban music, jazz and world music.

Dafnis has accumulated over ten years of experience as a professional musician. He has toured throughout Europe with a succession of talented pianists including Carlos Maza, Ramon Valle and the ground-breaking group, “Columna B.”

In addition, Prieto has performed with Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana; Henry Threadgill and Zooid, Eddie Palmieri's Afro-Caribbean Jazz Orchestra; Chico O' Farrill's Afro-Cuban Jazz Project, Arturo O' Farrill and Riza Negra, Dave Samuels & The Caribbean Jazz Project; Peter Apfelbaum & The New York Hyrogliphics, D. D. Jackson Trio & Quartet; Ed Simon Trio, Roberto Occhipinti, Michel Camilo Trio, Chucho Valdes Quartet, Claudia Acuna, Roy Hargrove's Havana Crisol, Andrew Hill, Herbie Hancock; Arturo Sandoval.