Primary Instrument: Percussion
Born in New York City, son of Jose “Pin” Madera, who was the first arranger for the Machito Orchestra, Jose spent 31 years with the Tito Puente Orchestra. While there, he served as a percussionist and later went on to become a musical arranger and the musical director of the Orchestra. He has written many arrangements for countless commercial Latin artists and has recorded or worked with many of them as well. Some of them include: Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Chico O'farill, The Lincoln Center Afro-Cuban jazz orchestra, Celia Cruz, Tito Rodriguez, Fania All-Stars, Willie Colon, Joe Farrell, Machito, Graciela, Mario Bauza, Willie Rosario, Earl Klughand Eddie Palmieri, just to name a few. Jose has also worked and recorded with many pop, R&B and jazz artists. Some of them include Diana Ross, James Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D'Rivera, George Benson and Lionel Hampton among others.
Mr. Madera has performed on over 250 recordings. He has worked on several! television show soundtracks, the most recent being: “The Simpsons” and several motion picture soundtracks, the most recent being “The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love,” where he was the musical arranger and conductor for the Tito Puente segment of the film. Jose also taught the art of playing Latin percussion instruments at BOYS HARBOR in New York City for 28 years.
He is currently a Latin Percussion Company endorser/artist and has done and continues to do musical clinics around the country at various schools. He was the musical director of the Latin Giants of Jazz from 2001 to 2009. Jose continues his musical direction with a band comprised of former members of the Tito Puente Orchestra, which is dedicated to performing new creative Latin and Latin jazz concepts, as well as some of the music of Machito, Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente. Mr. Madera has personally recreated and re- arranged much of the music that those bands performed during the heyday of the mambo at the Palladium Ballroom in New York City, considered by many critics to be the “Greatest and most innovative Era” in the history of Latin music.
Primary Instrument:
Percussion
Location:
Denver, CO
Credentials/Background:
Workshops and classes from beginning level to advanced master classes on
Conga, Timbales, Bongos, Latin Percussion and Syncopated Drum Music
Reading. One on one lessons are available. Rates are subject to class/instruction
length and travel. Please visit website for information on current classes and
opportunities
