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Fernando García

Born in San Juan and raised in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, García studied guitar at the extension program of the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and drumset at Micheo Music Academy, while later receiving a bachelor’s degree in Música Popular from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico. Furthermore, he was awarded the Juan Luis Guerra Scholarship to complete a master’s degree in Contemporary Performance at Berklee College of Music, Valencia, Spain. Currently, he is finishing a second master’s degree in Music Education at Teachers College Columbia University.

In New York City, he has established himself as a drummer, percussionist, composer, and educator. Throughout his career, he has worked equally as a band leader as well as a sideman. Some of the musicians García has toured and/or recorded with include Abraham Laboriel, Perico Sambeat, Ricardo Pons, Héctor Matos, Pepe Rivero, Alain Pérez, Guillermo Klein, Julio Montalvo, Victor Mendoza, John Benitez, Ximo Tébar, Nathaniel Townsley, Jim Ridl, Boris Koslov, and Miguel Zenón among others. As a bandleader, García has produced three studio recordings: Desde Arriba (Fernando García Music, 2012), Subidor (Montalvo Records, 2013), and Guásabara Puerto Rico (ZOHO Music, 2018).

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8
Album Review

Joan Torres's All Is Fused: Revolution

Read "Revolution" reviewed by Paul Naser


Amidst the chaos that is the year 2020, Joan Torres's All Is Fused has found the time to release an alt take of the closer from their 2019 album, Revolution (Self Produced). The new version of “Finale" is a collaboration with bass virtuoso Bubby Lewis. Of the collaboration, Torres says: “I wanted someone who was a bit of a kindred spirit in this musical journey but with a considerably different style. The stars then lined up somehow because Bubby Lewis....was ...

8
Album Review

Joan Torres's All Is Fused: Revolution

Read "Revolution" reviewed by Paul Naser


Since the band's last record, Of The Musical (Self Produced, 2016), Joan Torres' All Is Fused has taken time to dig deeper into its influences and expand its sound. This year All Is Fused returns with an evolved vibe that finds it delving deep into fusion and Latin with a slight nod to the avant-garde and Thundercat among other styles. The result is Revolution.The album begins with the on-topic, high intensity “Rebellion." Torres, who serves as the project's ...

5
Album Review

Fernando García: Guasábara Puerto Rico

Read "Guasábara Puerto Rico" reviewed by Mark Sullivan


Puerto Rican born (now a New York City resident) drummer/composer Fernando García leads his young sextet through a set blending folkloric bomba rhythms and jazz. García was immersed in bomba after meeting master percussionist and folklorist Rafael Maya in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, where his parents lived. Maya taught the drummer the traditional tune “Guaynabo Mi Tambor," as well as contributing “Se Va" (which has lyrics, but García made an instrumental arrangement). The rest of the set was composed ...

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“Like a master rhythmatist, García juggles all the intricate polyrhythms, odd meters and quick tempo shifts with assuredness and authority. The Puerto Rico native and New York City resident is fast emerging as a talent deserving of wider recognition for both his remarkable adeptness on the kit and his considerable skills as a composer-arranger. On Guasábara Puerto Rico, García organically blends folkloric bomba rhythms and jazz in a myriad of satisfying ways. Backed by his core group of Kus, Vicéns, Chakarji, Pablo and bassist Dan Martínez, the drummer and his simpatico crew of youngbloods push the envelope on García’s third album as a leader and debut for ZOHO Music.” – Bill Milkowski

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