Four-time Grammy nominee, JOHN SANTOS is one of the foremost exponents of Afro-Latin music in the world today. He is known for his innovative use of traditional forms and instruments in combination with contemporary music, and has earned much respect and recognition as a record and event producer. He has performed, recorded and studied with acknowledged masters of the Afro-Latin and Jazz idioms such as Cachao, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Lazaro Ros, Armando Peraza, Eddie Palmieri, Patato Valdés, Francisco Aguabella, Orestes Vilató, Rene López, Max Roach, Batacumbele, Steve Turre, John Faddis and Chocolate Armenteros. This experience has provided a solid foundation for Mr. Santos' current ground-breaking work in bringing together styles, rhythms, concepts and artists from different generations.
Born in San Francisco, California, November l, l955, he 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, Brazil and Colombia.
Mr. Santos is widely respected as one of the top writers, teachers and historians in the field and is a member of the Latin Jazz Advisory Committee of the Smithsonian Institution. He has conducted lectures, workshops and clinics in the Americas and Europe since 1972. He 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 above) include: Bobby Hutcherson, Grupo Mezcla (Havana, Cuba), Lalo Schifrin, Irakere West, Santana, Yma Sumac, Linda Tillery, Cal Tjader, Danilo Perez, Ignacio Berroa, Omar Sosa, Jon Jang and Charlie Hunter. Mr. Santos founded and directed the GRAMMY-nominated Machete Ensemble from 1985 to 2006, a world-class Latin Jazz band of international renown. They recorded and released nine CDs during that time, mostly on Mr. Santos' Machete Records label. He is currently performing and recording extensively with an exciting Latin Jazz Quintet under his own name.
JOHN SANTOS
percussionist • historian • producer • composer • writer • vocalist • lecturer • instructor
- 1976-1980 Director of Orquesta Tipica Cienfuegos, SF, CA
- 1981-1985 Director of Orquesta Batachanga, SF, CA (Two commercially released recordings)
- 1985-2006 Founder and director of The Machete Ensemble, SF, CA (Nine commercially released recordings)
- 2003-present Founder and director of The John Santos Quintet, Oakland, CA (One commercially released recording)
PARTIAL DISCOGRAPHY (*John Santos as producer or co-producer)
- Latigo • 2007 GRAMMY Nominee • Quartet San Francisco (ViolinJazz) 2006
- Para Todos Ustedes* • 2005 GRAMMY Nominee • Los Pleneros de la 21 (Smithsonian/Folkways) 2005
- 20th Anniversary* • J.S. and Machete (Machete) 2005
- Para Ellos* • 2005 GRAMMY Nominee • J.S. and the Coro Folklorico Kindembo (Machete) 2004
- Brazos Abiertos* • J.S. and Machete (Machete) 2003
- S.F. Bay* • 2003 GRAMMY Nominee • J.S. and Machete (Machete) 2002
- Princesa de la Naturaleza • Maria Marquez 2003
- Sentir • Omar Sosa (Ota) 2002
- Mambo Jazz* • Bobby Matos/John Santos (Cubop) 2001
- Tribute to The Masters* • John Santos and Machete (Cubop) 2000
- La Mar* • John Santos and Omar Sosa 2000
- Cuba Without Borders • Comp. Machete, Pancho Quinto, Omar Sosa, Los Terry, John Calloway 2000
- Cuban Roots Revisited • Mark Weinstein, F. Aguabella, Lazaro Galarraga and O. Sosa (Cubop) 1999
- Machetazo* • John Santos and Machete (Bembé) 1998
- Nfumbe* • John Santos and Omar Sosa (Price Club) 1998
- Pound for Pound • Charlie Hunter Quartet (Blue Note) 1998
- Flores* • Conjunto Cespedes (Xenophile) 1997
- Tierra Adentro* • Claudia Gomez (Xenophile) 1996
- Ritmo Y Candela II • Patato, Orestes Vilato and Walfredo Reyes Sr. (Tonga) 1996
- Hacia el Amor* • Coro Folklórico Kindembo (Xenophile) with Francisco Aguabella 1996
- Machete* • John Santos and Machete (Xenophile) with Cachao and Chocolate 1995
- Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir o (Tuizer) 1994
- Una Sola Casa* • Conjunto Céspedes (Green Linnet) 1993
- Bebop & Beyond • Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Martin, George Cables (Blue Moon) 1991
- Cantos o With legendary vocalist Lázaro Ros & Mezcla, Havana, Cuba (Intuition) 1990
- Goza mi Timbal • Tito Puente Orchestra (Concord) 1989
- Africa Vol.1* • John Santos and Machete (Earthbeat) 1988
- Un Poco Loco • Tito Puente Orchestra (Concord) 1987
- Sensación • Tito Puente Orchestra (Concord) 1986
- Si Me Ves Diferente* • Johnny Nelson Orchestra (Mila's) 1986
- Mañana Para Los Niños* • Orquesta Batachanga (Earthbeat) 1985
- Yesterday's Memories, Tomorrow's Dreams • Pete Escovedo (Esgo) 1985
- La Nueva Tradicion* • Orquesta Batachanga (Sugarloaf) 1982
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
San Francisco Jazz Festival • J.S. and Machete 20th Anniversary Concert 2005. Farewell Concert 2006
Latin Grammys International Telecast • Cachao , Bebo Valdes, Orestes Vilato. Los Angeles CA 2005
The Getty Museum • J.S. Quartet Los Angeles, CA 2005
Chicago Latin Jazz Festival • J.S. Quintet 2004
San Jose Jazz Festival • J.S. and Machete 2001, 2002, 2004. JS Quintet 2006
Chicago Jazz Festival • Batacumbele 2000
American Museum of Natural History, NY • John Santos and Machete 1999
S.F. Jazz Festival • J.S. and Machete 1999, '97, '94, '92, '90, '89, '87
Virgin Islands and East Coast Tour • Omar Sosa 1999
Havana International Jazz Festival • John Santos and Machete 1997
Sao Paulo Intl. Music Exposition • Brazil 1997
Machete Ensemble East Coast U.S. Tour • 1996
Monterey Jazz Festival, CA • Lalo Schifrin with Carnegie Hall Jazz Band 1996
Yoshi's, Oakland, CA • Eddie Palmieri 1996, 2007
Cachao y su Orquesta European and U.S. Tour • 1995
Jazz Masters • With Dizzy Gillespie & Mel Martin, Herbst Theater, S.F. 1991
Sense Us • Max Roach & Jon Jang, University of Kansas & Davies Symphony. Hall, SF 1990
Oakland Coliseum • With Nelson Mandela, J.S. and Machete 1990
S.F. World Drum Festival • With Tito Puente 1988
FILMS & MUSIC VIDEOS
- Race is The Place • (performer) Documentary by Rick Tejada-Flores and Ray Tellez 2005
- Every Child is Born a Poet: The Life and Work of Piri Thomas • (Composer, performer) Doc. 2003
- Why Don't You and I • Music Video, Carlos Santana 2003
- Sworn to the Drum • (Consultant) Documentary about Francisco Aguabella by Les Blank 1985-1995
- Roots of Rhythm • (Consultant) Three-part documentary by Les Blank, featuring Harry Belafonte 1986
- La Familia Latina • Tito Puente/Sheila E. Special with Pete Escovedo Orchestra 1986
INSTRUCTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Lecturer, Duke University, North Carolina, 2006
Faculty, College of San Mateo, CA 2006-07
Faculty, Esalen Arts Festival, Big Sur, CA 2006
Faculty, Institute For Diversity in the Arts, Stanford University, CA 2005
Faculty, California Brazil Camp, Cazadero, CA 2005
Artist-in-Residence, Diaz Music Institute, Houston Texas 2005
Faculty, Afro-Cuban Drum and Dance Summer Camp, University of CA at Humboldt 2004, '05, '07
Artist-in-Residence, University of California at Monterey Bay 2004
Artist-in-Residence, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor 2003, 2005
Artist-in-Residence, University of Wisconsin at Madison 2002
Artist-in-Residence, Association of Latin American Musicians Philadelphia 2002
Lecturer/clinician, Universidad Inter-Americana San Germán, Puerto Rico 2001
Clinician, mini-tour for LP, Argentina and Chile, SA 2001
Panelist, Natl. Association of Latino Arts and Culture San Antonio TX 2001
Lecturer/clinician, Intl. Assoc. of Jazz Educators Atlanta '96, NY '98, Anaheim '99, New Orleans 2000, NY 2001
Lecturer/clinician, Brigham Young University Salt Lake City, UT 2000
Lecturer/clinician, Yale University 1999
Faculty, World Percussion Fest Berklee School of Music, Boston, MA 1998-2001
Faculty, Jazz Camp, Rhythmic Concepts Inc. Aptos, CA 1986-present
Lecturer/clinician, UCLA 1995
Faculty, Stanford Jazz Workshop, Stanford University, CA 1989-present
Spring clinic/lecture/concert tour Europe 1987-2005
Adventures in Music, S.F. Symphony S.F. Unified School District 1987-2001
Lecturer, Faces of the Gods exhibit U.C. Berkeley 1995
Lecturer/clinician, Percussive Arts Society Convention Atlanta, GA 1994
Roots of Salsa 16-wk. lecture series La Raza Graphics, S.F. CA 1987, '88, '89, '93
Faculty, Community Music Center S.F. CA 1980-1987
California Arts Council Artist-in-Residence Mission Cultural Center, S.F. CA '77-'80
PUBLICATIONS
"The History of Salsa in San Francisco" S.F. Bay Guardian 1992
Featured columnist for Latin Percussionist New York 1995-present
Featured columnist for international magazines Modern Drummer and Modern Percussionist 1985-1989
Featured columnist for Percussive Notes international magazine of the Percussive Arts Society 1985
SELECTED AWARDS & HONORS
Champion of Diversity Award from the University of California at San Francisco 2006
November 12, 2006 proclaimed John Santos Day in San Francisco by Mayor Gavin Newsom
Commission by Oakland Ballet to compose and premiere Union Fraternal for Fall season 2000
Commission by Brava! for Women in the Arts to compose original score for play, Watsonville, by Cherrie Moraga 1996
Commission by the Oberlin Dance Colective to compose and premiere Under the Jaguar Sun S.F. CA 1994
Indie Award from NARAS (National Association of Independent Record Distributors) for Una Sola Casa 1994
Artistic Community Service Award Mission Economic and Cultural Association, S.F., CA 1992
Commission by NPN and AMLA to compose and premiere Caribeño Suite at the Mellon Jazz Festival, Phila, PA 1991
Artists Fellowship California Arts Council 1991
OTHER
Smithsonian Institution o Latin Jazz Advisory Committee, 1999-present
Arts Education Initiative Program o Advisory Committee, East Bay Community Foundation, Oakland, CA 1996-98
Advisory Board, Educational Liaison o S.F. Jazz Festival 1983-present
President/founder, Machete Records o S.F. 1984 to present
President/founder, Guataca Music Publishing Co o S.F. 1991 to present
Ahora, monthly radio program o KPFA-94.1 FM, Berkeley, CA 1986-1990
Kindembo, weekly radio program o KPOO-89.5 FM, S.F 1983-1988
