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CHARLIE "EL COQUI" VERDEJO, SON OF PARENTS, THAT ORIGINATED FROM SANTURCE PUERTO RICO, AND STARTED A NEW LIFE, IN NEW YORK CITY. BORN IN MANHATTAN'S "SPANISH HARLEM" AND RAISED IN THE BRONX. VARIOUS RELATIVES HAVE PROFESSIONAL MUSICAL BACKGROUNDS. FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADULTHOOD I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AROUND LATIN PERCUSSION. MY FAVORITES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CONGAS, BONGOS, CAJON, AND TIMBALES. MY FAVORITE MUSIC STUDIES ARE IN FOLKLORIC AFRO-CUBAN RUMBA, AND LATIN JAZZ. I CONSIDER MYSELF A JOURNEYMAN CONGUERO, AND BONGOCERO. I PLAY BY EAR, AND I DO TAKE MY PLAYING VERY SERIOUSLY! MY INSPIRATION: MY WIFE, GRACE, AND MY DAUGHTER. MY INFLUENCES: RAY BARRETTO, MONGO SANTAMARIA, PATATO VALDEZ, TATA GUINNES, GIOVANNI HIDALGO, TITO PUENTE, FANIA ALL STARS, BUENA VISTA CLUB, YORUBA ANDABO, JERRY GONZALEZ AND THE FORT APACHE BAND, ANDY GONZALES-THE RUMBA CLUB, AND THE SPANISH HARLEM ORQUESTRA.. MY TEACHERS FROM CUBA: ("EMILIO CAMACHO") SOLID PLAYING TECHNIQUES AND RYTHMS. ("WILLIAM DUENAS") TIME STUDIES IN CLAVE, AND CAMPANA IMPROVISATIONAL STUDIES (EFFECTIVE SOLOING), FOR RUMBA, AND BAND SETTINGS. (LATIN JAZZ PERFORMANCE): "JASON ROBINSON" PROFESSOR SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE. "JUSTIN GRINNELL" PROFESSOR, SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE. EVENTS: DIZZY'S JAZZ CLUB DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO (2004) JUST JAVA CAFE DOWNTOWN CHULA VISTA (2005) WORLDBEAT STAGE AT STREETSCENES, QUALCOMM STADIUM GROUNDS (2006) "ADVICE FROM THE HEART" INVEST IN YOURSELF! NOTHING COMES WITHOUT A PRICE. GET THE BEST TEACHERS YOU CAN. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. ALWAYS PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND PRACTICE. LEARN GOOD HABITS, DO WHAT YOU LOVE, AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO. DONT BE LAZY, A REAL HOUR A DAY IS GOOD. DEVELOPE YOUR GROOVES, AND STYLE. SIT IN WITH OTHERS AT RUMBAS IF YOU CAN, AND OTHER MUSICIANS AS WELL. BE HONEST AND HUMBLE------LEARN, AND SHARE, HELP PUSH THE ART FORWARD. SET REALISTIC GOALS, AND SURROUND YOURSELF WITH FOCUSED, AND DEDICATED MUSICIANS, THAT ALSO HAVE SIMILAR GOALS AS YOURSELF. ***AVOID BAD HABITS, AND OR, THOSE THAT HAVE THEM*** AGAIN, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND PRACTICE. PRACTICE WITHOUT MUSIC, AND ALSO PRACTICE PLAYING ALONG WITH MUSIC AS WELL. LIVE IT, AND BREATH IT, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO ADVANCE BEYOND, JUST BEING A WANABE. IT'S THERE FOR YOU TO GRAB! BUT YOU MUST WORK AT IT, YOU MUST EARN YOUR LEVEL OF PLAY! IF FOLLOWED AS A FOUNDATION IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT, YOU WILL SURELY GET THERE, WITH TIME! IT'S A WONDERFUL JOURNEY TO TRAVEL. HAVE LOTS OF FUN, AND ENJOYMENT; AND "GOOD LUCK ALWAYS". THANK YOU, FOR VIEWING MY CONGA PLACE. CHARLIE "EL COQUI" VERDEJO (PLEASE CLICK ON THE PHOTOS BELOW) null