Sabian Cymbal Artist Residency Featuring Walfredo Reyes Sr. and Walfredo Reyes Jr.

Walfredo Reyes Sr.

Walfredo Reyes, Sr. is an internationally renowned percussionist and drummer. He has recorded with a stellar cast of artists in both Cuba and the United States, including Tito Puente, Rolando La Serie, Louie Bellson, Cachao, Alex Acuna, Tito Rodriquez, Chico O’Farrill, Jose Fajardo, Linda Ronstadt, and Steve Winwood. Working in Las Vegas for many years, Reyes Sr. also performed with Milton Berle, Wayne Newton, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Sammy Davis Jr., Robert Goulet, Rich Little, Bernadette Peters, Rita Moreno, Juliet Prowse, Ben Vereen, and Dionne Warwick.

Reyes Sr. is one of Cuba’s most influential drummers and one of the pioneers in fusing percussion with drumset. His diverse background and experience make him one of the most in-demand clinicians and educators in the country today. Reyes Sr. was recognized for his extensive percussion work with a Modern Drummer Award at the 2005 Modern Drummer Festival.

Walfredo Reyes Jr.,

Few drummers playing today can successfully combine the rich history of Latin, Afro-Cuban, and world percussion with the drum set. For Walfredo Reyes Jr., fusing the two disciplines has been his driving passion. In fact, by blazing this path, Reyes has challenged the technical levels of our instrument.

Born in Cuba, raised in Puerto Rico and culminating his musical style in the U.S., Wally (Walfredo Jr.) learned the traditions from the master, his father Walfredo Sr. He married those principles with his love of the drum set, coming up with his own truly global rhythmic style. Simply put, Wally is able to sound like a drummer and a percussionist at the same time. Add blistering chops and a penchant for playing unusual patterns to the mix, and you have only a small idea of what this man can do.

Not surprisingly, this "one-man percussion show" has gathered an impressive list of gigs over the years, including touring and/or recording with: Carlos Santana, Traffic, Steve Winwood, Jackson Browne, Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan, David Lindley, Ricki Lee Jones, Richard Marx, Sergio Mendes, Smokey Robinson, Robbie Robertson, Joe Sample, Boz Scaggs, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Johnny Hallyday, Khaled, Lindsey Buckingham, and many others.

Because of his versatility, Walfredo is one of the most in-demand musicians in the world today. He currently lives in the Los Angeles area where he continues to expand his talents to recording, producing, composing, education, live performance, and touring.