From Singer To Drum Brother - Sammy Figueroa

[otto]

Hello All
I just happen to catch Sammy on a local radio show I was surprised to find out what he has been doing. He really sounded great with his Latin Jazz band he was doing some really nice things on the drums. They where playing in a club here in the city last night.
JC do you know when he started playing percussion.
Otto

[JohnnyConga]

I don't know when Sammy started. I do have the first album with Raices from Puerto Rico from 1971. He was one of the fortunate ones, Had a connection with the studios in New York and became one of the busiest "session" cats in the city. Why he moved to Miami is beyond me. We did hang out for a minute in Miami, but he wasn't very "let's hang" type guy. He is not doing anything that I didn't do in Miami. I started the whole "Latin Jazz" scene there when I moved there in 1986. Before Juan Pablo,Paquito,and others that have tried to do Latin jazz in Miami with minimal success. There are almost NO venues for this music at all. I wish Sammy well ...."JC" Johnny Conga....

[zaragemca]

saludos,Miami didn't change that much when I was there neither,I did catch some 'Calle 8 Festivals' but in the 90's mostly DJ's were the one playing at Clubs in Miami Beach,with the exception of few which had some 'house acts',and also the weekend jam at the Pier.Bayside was showing some performers also.But the big shows were at Fountainblue's Hotel.



Edited By zaragemca on 1105723418