Born: October 20, 1961 Primary Instrument: Drums
Fidel Morales is a Cuban Drummer, General Percussionist, Composer, Arranger, Musical Director and Author.Morales began his formal music education at the age of 12, having previously studied music reading and theory with the great Cuban clarinetist Amado Valdés. He graduated in 1981 from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory, at Havana, Cuba, with a degree as instrumentalist and percussion professor.
Drummer and Percussionist: As a drummer, he has played with musicians such as Danilo Pérez, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Giovanni Hidalgo, Nicolás Reynoso, Eddie Gómez, John Faddis, Mark Kramer, Mike Orta, Gary Campbell, Gary Keller, Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Eddie “Guagua” Rivera, Carlos Garnett, Charlie Sepúlveda, and the Hologram Quartet, among others. He has also accompanied soloists such as Omara Portuondo, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Elena Burke, Malena, Celeste Mendoza, Bárbara Wilson, Roberto Roena, Albita, Martha Serra Lima, Basilio, Chichi Peralta, and Noriko.
Morales performed as a percussionist with the Panamá Symphonic Orchestra for 10 years. He has recorded on countless occasions with the Cuban Radio Television Service and with the Symphonic Orchestras of Cuba and Panamá. He has toured extensively around the world, having traveled in music engagements through Austria, Hungary, Canada, Brazil, México, Guatemala, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the USA. Latin Percussion (LP) and Paiste have endorsed him.
Composer: Fidel is the composer of Cuban dance classics “La Expresiva” and “Mamina”, among others. Artists from Cuba, United States, and Puerto Rico have recorded his compositions, and he contributed as well in the CD “Bajando Gervasio”, by Amadito Valdés, nominated for 2004 GRAMMY Awards. The documentary Seguir a través de los años (To Follow Through the Years), by Daniel Diez, is inspired in his music. His last album, “Salsa Son Timba,” was produced and recorded in 2005, but released in 2010.
Musical Director: At the age of 15, Fidel wrote his first arrangements for a Big Band integrated by students from the National Art School in Havana. One year later, he became the musical advisor for Buenas Tardes, the hit teenage television series of the time, where he performed with prominent show business figures. In 1990, he directed the salsa and timba group Orquesta Layé, creating the music and appearing in public performances with important Cuban choreographers such as Tomás Morales and Andrés Gutiérrez, from the famous nightclubs Tropicana and Parisién. Morales is director of his own bands: the Fidel Morales Trio, Fidel Morales & The Modern Latin Quartet, and salsa orchestra Proyecto Nega. He also performs with José Ramirez’s ‘Tambores Batá’.
Professor, Clinician and Author: Fidel has worked as an Assistant Professor of Percussion in Panama’s National Conservatory. He has taught Drums Clinics in Europe, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Chile, and United States, for students from the Berklee College of Music, the New England Conservatory, the Drummers Collective, the University of Miami and the University of Puerto Rico.
At present, Morales is a professor of Drum Set for the Jazz and Afro Caribbean Music Department at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. He also offers private music lessons, and is, as well, an active clinician and author of the virtual book Técnicas afrocubanas para bateristas y percusionistas (Afrocuban Techniques for Drummers and Percussionists).
Source: Rosalía Ortiz-Luquis
Awards:
• Golden Owl Award for Best International Show (Panama 1992, 1993). • EGREM Nomination, CD “Tremenda Expresividad” (1994). • Grammy Nomination, CD “Bajando Gervasio” by Amadito Valdés (2004). • Reviews by specialized press: Latin Beat Magazine (1994, 1997, 2003, 2005); Down Beat Magazine (2004); and the Chicago Tribune (2005). • UNEAC Member • Percussive Arts Society (P.A.S.) Member.Primary Instrument:
Drums
Location:
San Juan, PR
Willing to teach:
Advanced students only.
Credentials/Background:
Fidel has worked as an Assistant Professor of Percussion in
Panama’s National Conservatory. He has dictated Drums
Clinics in Europe, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Chile,
and United States, for students from Berklee College of
Music, New England Conservatory, Drummers Collective,
University of Miami and University of Puerto Rico.
At present is professor of Drum Set for the Jazz and Afro
Caribbean Music Department at the Puerto Rico
Conservatory of Music, private teacher, active clinician, and
author of the book “Técnicas afrocubanas para bateristas y
percusionistas” (Afro-Cuban Techniques for Drum Set and
Percussion).
For more information, call (787) 607-6269.
Clinic/Workshop Information:
Fidel has worked as an Assistant Professor of Percussion in
Panama’s National Conservatory. He has dictated Drums
Clinics in Europe, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Chile,
and United States, for students from Berklee College of
Music, New England Conservatory, Drummers Collective,
University of Miami and University of Puerto Rico.
At present is professor of Drum Set for the Jazz and Afro
Caribbean Music Department at the Puerto Rico
Conservatory of Music, private teacher, active clinician, and
author of the book “Técnicas afrocubanas para bateristas y
percusionistas” (Afro-Cuban Techniques for Drum Set and
Percussion).
For more information, call (787) 607-6269.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnvbwJ6rJX8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqgxQghXQ1M
