Ignacio Berroa Quartet, featuring, Bob Mintzer, Alan Pasqua & Darek Oles at Feinstein's At Vitello's

Ignacio Berroa has been recognized by many as one of the greatest drummers of our times. He was honored by inclusion in the 2011 Modern Drummer Magazine and Blue Note Records Mp3 entitled “Jazz Drumming Legends”. His contribution to the American music scene have earned him a place among a selected group of artists known to have set new musical trends for the 20th century.

Ignacio Berroa was born in Havana Cuba on July 8 1953.In 1980 he 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. 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…”...

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Ignacio Berroa has been recognized by many as one of the greatest drummers of our times. He was honored by inclusion in the 2011 Modern Drummer Magazine and Blue Note Records Mp3 entitled “Jazz Drumming Legends”. His contribution to the American music scene have earned him a place among a selected group of artists known to have set new musical trends for the 20th century.

Ignacio Berroa was born in Havana Cuba on July 8 1953.In 1980 he 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. 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…”

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. Ignacio has recorded and played with musicians of the stature of: McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Michael Brecker, Milt Jackson, Jaco Pastorius, Ron Carter, Charlie Haden, Tito Puente, Mario Bauza, Chico O’Farrill, Lalo Schifrin, Gonzalo Rubalcaba as well as the Carniege Hall Big Band, Lincoln Center Orchestra, WDR Big Band and BBC Big Band to name a few. 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’. As an educator Ignacio has conducted clinics and master classes all over the world.

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