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A DAY WITH 58 59 SAMMY FIGUEROAARTICLE ARTICLE In August I had the good fortune of spending an afternoon with the outstanding percussionist Sammy Figueroa. Sammy has had a remarkable career as a first-rate recording percussionist with his magical touch being featured on countless albums in an array of genres with artists such as David Bowie, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin, Ruben Blades, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, George Benson, Diana Ross, Dave Grusin, Chet Baker, Stanley Clarke, Grover Washington Jr, Al Jarreau, Lena Horne, Joe Williams, Mark Murphy, Mike Mainieri, Nestor Torres, Chico O’Farrill, Mike Stern, By Alex Pertout Dave Valentin, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera, Eddie Palmieri, I wanted to start by asking you about your So you spent your young years in New York, every day and they would teach me stuff. So Then I heard a guy named Bill Fitch and he background, I understand that you were then I believe you went back to live in Puerto I grew up in that salsa kind of a world, but I changed my life. It wasn’t about his chops, Bobby Valentin, Michel Camilo, James Taylor, Dr. John, Mick born in New York of Puerto Rican descent Rico… wasn’t interested in that (laughs), I was more it was how beautifully he played. And I said, Jagger, Celine Dion, David Lee Roth, Hall & Oates, Joe Cocker, and your father was the bolero singer Charlie I was about 12-years old when my grandmother, interested in jazz. When I was a child, on the “Who is this guy? Who can play so gorgeous, Figueroa. Charlie’s mother, travelled to New York to pick radio we had a station in Puerto Rico, WIAC, with a cool tumbao and on top of that a Rickie Lee Jones, Annie Lennox, Luther Vandross, Whitney Yes, that’s correct Charlie was around in me up. She said, “Look we would love our that would play Cal Tjader with Willie Bobo Berklee College of Music graduate?” This guy the 1950s. I never got to meet him though, grandson with us …” and my mother didn’t and Mongo Santamaria. When I heard that I was a percussionist and a composer, so he Houston, Anita Baker, Grace Jones, James Ingram, Roberta Flack, because when he died, I was just barely hesitate. At the time you know, Alex, New York said, “That’s it for me, that’s what I want to became my hero. When I heard him, I said, three-years old. I hear stories about him from was rough. This was pre-rap, there were just be.” And you know, I was singing then, but “Now I know what I want to do: I want to be Chic, Sister Sledge, David Sanborn and the Average White Band to my aunt who is still alive and other people gangs. My mother was really scared for me, so I didn’t want to be a singer. I guess I didn’t Bill Fitch.” name a few. who give me little fragments about his life she told my grandparents, “Please take him want to do that because I remember how my So he inspired you to immerse yourself in all- and career: that he lived in New York, that he back to Puerto Rico, and I will meet you there father’s life went. I was a salsa singer, but round music studies? He has also developed a career as a co-producer working was a real joker, that type of guy. Everybody soon, at least he will get an education and he you know what happened, Alex? I think the Yes, I then studied music and studied always had a name; he would give names to will be safe.” So I went to Puerto Rico, and memory of my dad kind of freaked me out; I orchestral percussion, piano and arranging, alongside award-winning world music producer Rachel Faro and everybody. He was on the brink of becoming my grandmother put me in elementary school. still had that psychological insecurity. I kept conga playing was a side thing next to the her Ashé Records label and as a solo artist with two Grammy® huge, but the alcoholism and all that, being Where exactly did you live in Puerto Rico? on thinking that I didn’t want to end up like whole world of music I was immersed in. with the wrong people, saw him self-destruct I lived in my favourite place, Loíza, which is that. I changed my mind, and so I became How did your rhythmic percussion develop? nominations to his name. He has also been the recipient of two at thirty-years old. So sadly, I never really the real African neighbourhood in Puerto Rico. a percussionist. I guess that percussion was Listening to all those Cal Tjader records with knew the man. Loíza; the centre of Afro-Puerto Rican so different from what he did, that it kind of Willie Bobo, like the one where he takes that NARAS Awards for Percussionist of the Year, two Drummie Awards So where did Charlie develop his artistic culture… separated me, but of course now that I am famous solo on ‘Cuban Fantasy’. When I career? Yes, that’s where the largest community of older I really appreciate what he did, and I do heard Willie’s solo I thought, “Oh, my God!” for Best Hand Percussionist and the Jazz Journalists Association He worked in Puerto Rico and in New York. Africans settled in Puerto Rico. That’s where forget all that. It was amazing. Then Mongo Santamaria Award for Best Percussionist. When he went to New York is when his career all the great salsa bands were like Cortijo Y What instrument did you start with? formed this fabulous band with Hubert Laws, seemed like it was going to take off, but there Su Combo and Ismael Rivera. I lived next to Trumpet. I started studying trumpet in school Pat Patrick, Marty Sheller, Rodgers Grant and Here to follow is the result of our encounter… it just went astray, that’s what I know. Cortijo’s house, so I would see those guys in Puerto Rico and did that for three years. Victor Venegas: it really inspired me. Issue 49 DRUMscene 59 to turn me on to some Brazilian jazz.” And I for Miles immediately, we won awards and whole thing up. His stance was that I was the Sadly, that doesn’t exist anymore. said, “I got something for you, this album is a we were looked after by John McLaughlin’s only one with professional experience in New You also made use of an array of percussion killer.” And I gave him this record. He came manager. It was a blessing, but the guys took York, the only one doing all the stuff: they instruments on these recordings… back a week later and said, “Unreal! You got it for granted, and many problems developed didn’t have it. And he also thought they were Yes, I got into all sorts of styles in order to learn more?” I said, “Sure!” And he walked out with within the group members. The band was acting like little kids and he wasn’t prepared about the instruments. I used to go to gospel twenty records. One day he walks in, tells me unique at the time, inspired by Airto’s sound. to support them anymore. And he said to me, church services because I wanted to learn he has been on tour, then asks, “Do you play We heard Airto and it blew us away, his “I wouldn’t worry if I were you, because I am to play the gospel tambourine style. Then I anything?” I said, “Yes, I play congas, I am a album ‘Fingers’ and all that, and I said, “I going to hook you up with David Sanborn, got into berimbau, then I started studying percussionist.” He says, “Really? I am playing want to do that.” So we did something similar, with everybody, you are going to play with Australian indigenous culture: Dreamtime, tonight at Fat Tuesday - I want you to come, but with a little more funk. everybody.” and started playing didgeridoo. I have about bring your stuff and just sit in.” I went to my So how long did Raices last? And you did! 25 didgeridoos, I collect them. I have always room, a pimp helped me with my congas, we Look Alex, no more then two years. At the Yes! You know he said, “You are going to play been a collector of sorts. I also collect science got on the subway and got off at West 4th and time it was incredible: the company looked on Sanborn’s first album and then you are books, collect records… you know what then walked to the club. I get there, set up my after us, they had money for development, going to go on tour with John McLaughlin happened, Alex? I created a life for myself, ARTICLE stuff at the front and Herbie says, “You know they gave us a house for us to live in and his Mahavishnu Orchestra.” And I was something that would keep my consciousness Patato Valdez? I want you to play that style.” Woodstock to rehearse and be creative. Those like, “Are you serious?” And so I rehearsed always in good disposition and always in the The drummer in the band was Steve Gadd. were the days when there was a lot of with John, we did the tour, and Alex, it never process of learning: that is not just about And did you get a chance to see the great in New York.

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