Giovanni Hidalgo: Difference between revisions

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Giovanni received his primary education in San Juan, the capital of [[Puerto Rico]]. His father and grandfather had been musicians and it was only natural that he was raised in a household surrounded by [[drum]]s, [[bongo]]s, [[conga]]s and [[timbales]]. When he was eight years old, he received a conga for his birthday which was hand made by his father. As a young child he practiced and developed his speed and playing skills on the conga and on the other instruments in his house. He would drum a tune with sticks and then play the same tune with his hands. During his high school days he played in local gigs.

Giovanni's big break came when he auditioned and was hired by the Batacumbe Band in [[1980]]. In [[1981]], he travelledtraveled with the band to [[Cuba]] where he met a musician by the name of Changuito. Together they were able to create a unique style of rhythum. They ushered in a new musical era in latin music.

In [[1985]]. Giovanni was performing with [[Eddie Palmieri]] at the Village Gate in [[New York]], when the legendary [[jazz]] musician [[Dizzy Gillespie]] walked in and listened to Giovanni play. So impressed was Gillespie with Giovanni, that he told him that someday in the future they must get together and play. In [[1988]], Giovanni joined the Dizzy Gillespie United Nations Jazz Orchestra.

In [[1992]], he released his first album titled "''Villa Hidalgo''" and that same year he was hired as an adjunct professor at the [[Berklee College of Music]] in [[Boston]]. There he taught all types of rhythms, [[Puerto Rican]], [[Cuban]], [[Dominican Republic|Dominican]], [[reggae]], [[African]] and jazz. He believesbelieved that every country has their own musical style and his objective was to capture the musical essence of these. He held this academic position until [[1996]], when he decided to continue performing on tours.

Among the musicians with which Giovanni has either performed or recorded with are: Dizzy Gillespie, [[Charlie Palmieri|Charlie]] and Eddie Palmieri, [[Jack Bruce]], [[Paul Simon]], [[Art Blakey]] and many others. In [[2001]], he recorded "''Jazz Descargas''" with the Conga Kings. His most current project is a [[DVD]] titled "''Traveling Through Time''".

==See also==

*[[List of famous Puerto Ricans]]

[[Category:1963 births|Hidalgo, Giovanni]]