Afro-Cuban
New York, New York
Photo: Micheal Weintrob
“Cuban music is very cosmopolitan,” declares Havana native Pablo “Pedrito” Martinez, pointing out just how many musical traditions contributed to the development of today’s Afro-Cuban musical sound. Percussionist and vocalist Martinez takes this cultural syncretism even further, wrapping genres from jazz to funk and beyond into his repertoire. But what makes him widely regarded as the leader of Latin percussion is his dedication to infusing everything he does, no matter how innovative, with the most traditional elements of Afro-Cuban musical expression: Yoruba chanting and the sacred beat of the batá drum. Both elements arrived in Cuba with enslaved Africans, and are central to the Afro-Cuban religious and ritual practices of Santería, Palo Monte, Abakuá, and indeed all of Afro-Cuban music. By honoring these traditions, Martinez’s diverse projects are always firmly rooted in Afro-Cuban musical and spiritual expression.
Pedrito was born in 1973 in Havana’s Cayo Hueso neighborhood. While his family was poor, they gave him a rich musical upbringing. His barrio was known for its lively street politics and its talented musicians—among them Pedrito’s mother, singer Regla Martinez Campos, who first observed and encouraged his musical talent, and his uncle, the legendary conguero Antonio Campos. Inspired to take up conga himself, Pedrito was playing professionally by his mid-teens, performing with Cuban legends including Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. He traveled to Canada in 1998 with bandleader Jane Bunnett and then relocated to the U.S in 2000, settling in New Jersey. That same year, Pedrito won the first Afro-Latin Hand Drumming competition sponsored by the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute, which only increased his profile as a percussionist. He has worked with stars ranging from Paquito d’Rivera to Chico O’Farrill, from Cassandra Wilson to Bruce Springsteen, and for two years he was a member of the popular Latin fusion band Yerba Buena. Bandleader of his own Pedrito Martinez Group since 2005, Pedrito has developed a devoted and star-studded following. He first lured the cognoscenti to his nearly decade-long residency at midtown Manhattan’s Guantanamera restaurant, and at subsequent high-profile standing gigs throughout New York City.
His quartet’s 2013 self-titled CD, featuring Wynton Marsalis and John Scofield, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album. Habana Dreams, released in 2016, featured multiple guests including Marsalis, Ruben Blades, and Angélique Kidjo, and was declared #1 Latin jazz album of the year by NPR Music. In 2019, Pedrito was featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series and released Duologue with Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, followed in 2020 with two single releases in anticipation of his upcoming album.
At 48, Pedrito has already enjoyed an extraordinary career; like Afro-Cuban rhythms that build steadily to climactic heights, he’s only getting warmed up. For this special virtual celebration, Pedrito will treat Richmond Folk Festival audiences to an intimate solo set featuring batá drums and sacred Yoruba chants.