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All Music Guide:
Best known for his work with Dizzy Gillespie, Afro-Cuban and jazz drummer Ignacio Berroa was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1953. Though he originally studied classical violin, after he heard Nat King Cole and Glenn Miller he knew that he wanted to take a different route. He began drum lessons at 11, and by 1970 was performing professionally in Cuba. In 1980 Berroa moved to New York. By the next year, Dizzy Gillespie had invited him to join his quartet, and he spent the next ten years playing in the trumpeter's various groups. Equally adept in jazz and Latin percussion, Berroa recorded and performed with artists like Tito Puente, Charlie Haden, Chico Buarque, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chick Corea, and João Bosco, and released his first solo album, Codes, in 2006.
Wikipedia:
Ignacio Berroa (born 8 July 1953 in Havana, Cuba) is a jazz drummer.
In 1980 Ignacio left his country during the Mariel Boatlift, moved to New York and joined Dizzy Gillespie’s quartet in 1981 becoming the drummer of all the important bands Gillespie formed until his death in 1993.
Ignacio Berroa has been recognized by many as one of the greatest drummers of our times. Jazz Legend Dizzy Gillespie best defined Ignacio as: “… the only Latin drummer in the world in the history of American music that intimately knows both worlds: his native Afro Cuban music as well as Jazz…”
As an educator Ignacio has conducted clinics and master classes all over the world. As an author he made his mark with the instructional video: Mastering the Art of Afro – Cuban Drumming as well as the books: Groovin’ in Clave and A New Way of Groovin’.
His first album as a leader, “Codes”, released under Blue Note Records, was nominated for a Grammy in 2007. “Codes” also won a Danish Music Award in 2007 as best International Jazz Album. He was recently honored by inclusion in the 2011 Blue Note and Modern Drummer Release entitled "Jazz Drumming Legends". He is currently working on a new album for 5Passion Records and plans to produce a new instructional DVD under the same banner.
Ignacio has recorded and played with musicians of the stature of: McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Jaco Pastorius, Ron Carter, Charlie Haden, Tito Puente and Gonzalo Rubalcaba, just to name a few.
