A Day with JOHN SANTOS

by Alex Pertout

Seven-time Grammy-nominated multi percussionist, US Artists Fontanals Fellow and 2013-2014 San Francisco Jazz Resident Artistic Director, John Santos, is one of the foremost exponents of Afro-Latin music in the world today. John is known for his innovative use of traditional forms and instruments in combination with contemporary music and has earned much respect and recognition as a prolific performer, composer, teacher, writer, radio programmer, record and event producer, whose career has spanned five decades.

John has performed and/or recorded with multi-generational masters such as Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Bebo Valdés, Max Roach, Eddie Palmieri, Carlos ‘Patato’ Valdés, Lázaro Ros, Bobby Hutcherson, Manny Oquendo, Chucho Valdes, Paquito D’Rivera, Buenavista Social Club, Chocolate Armenteros, Billy Cobham, Zakir Hussain, Hermeto Pascoal, Joe Henderson, Chester Thompson, McCoy Tyner, Poncho Sanchez, Ignacio Berroa, Jose Luis ‘Changuito’ Quintana, Pancho Quinto, CK Ladzekpo, Pancho Terry, Larry Coryell, Modesto Cepeda, Sonny Bravo, Arturo Sandoval, Nestor Torres, Lalo Schifrin, Pete Escovedo, Mark Levine, Charlie Hunter and Carlos Santana, among others.

John is a member of the Latin Jazz Advisory Committee of the Smithsonian Institution and has conducted countless workshops, lectures and clinics in the US and Europe since 1972. John runs the Machete Records label, which he founded in 1984 and has an extensive solo discography showcasing an array of his ensembles, including the grammy-nominated Machete Ensemble, featuring masterful performances by remarkable artists such as Armando Peraza, Orestes Vilató, Jimmy Bosch, Rebeca Mauleón, Michael Spiro, Bill Ortiz, Francisco Aguabella, Cachao, Chocolate Armenteros, Giovanni Hidalgo, Anthony Carrillo, Raul Rekow, Jesus Díaz, Andy Gonzalez, Pedrito Martinez, Steve Turre, Joe Henderson, Linda Tillery, Dafnis Prieto, Omar Sosa, Johnny 'Dandy' Rodriguez and Jerry Gonzalez among many others. Here . Here is the result of our conversation:

How did your musical life commence? What are your early recollections?

I was born in San Francisco, California into a musical family. My Cape Verdean and Puerto Rican grandfathers - José Joao dos Santos and Julio Rivera - were professionals, so I heard excellent live music in their homes throughout my childhood. My Puerto Rican side of the family was very large with many musicians. I played clarinet from 3rd to 6th grade in elementary school and in the marching band at the Boy's Club in San Francisco's Mission District where I was born and raised. I then joined my Puerto Rican grandpa's band around 1967, and went into congas, bongos, timbales, this was a band whereupon I was surrounded by elders who opened their arms and experiences to me.

And so there a strong musical tradition in the family

Yes indeed. Also, my dad was an amateur musician, he played piano and guitar and there were a lot of great records in the collections of my dad, Puerto Rican grandparents and uncles.

What music were you listening to in your teens?

James Brown, Motown, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Cortijo, Ismael Rivera, Ramito, La Calandria, El Gran Combo, Los Papines, Arsenio Rodriguez, Grupo Guaguancó Matancero, Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco, La Sonora Matancera with Celia, The Alegre All Stars, The Fania All Stars, Cachao, Mon Rivera, Ray Barreto, Joe Cuba, Beny Moré and more!

And who influenced directly your percussive interests?

Armando Peraza and Francisco Aguabella became huge for me because they lived here in San Francisco and I spent a great deal of time with them, watching them, listening to them, performing with them and talking to them.

I understand you and the great Raul Rekow would get together regularly to learn and develop percussive material from recordings?

That was a very important part of our training up until Raul left in 1976 to play in the Santana Band for 38 years!

Who did you eventually study percussion with?

Other than studying batá in 1981 with Alfredo Videaux and in 1984 with Francisco, I had nearly no formal percussion training. We learned from watching and listening to countless elders and by practising. We learned tons from Armando and Francisco by being around them a great deal and asking questions, but no formal lessons. We were mainly self-guided. I actually had three formal lessons: the first in 1967 with a Puerto rican friend of my dad's, René Rivera, who showed me the basic tumbao on tumbadora. I never saw him again as he was a merchant marine and was killed on the ship. The second lesson was in Havana in 1990 with Victor Valdés, the timbalero with Conjunto Rumbavana at that time, who gave me a timbal lesson. The third lesson was on tumbadora with the great José Luís Quintana (Changuito) in the early 90s. I've also known Giovanni since he was about 12 years old and learned a great deal from him by simply hanging out, playing and talking. He is a shaman.

I am aware of your research travels to Cuba and beyond, could you elaborate about your experiences?

Cuba, Puerto Rico and New York. Those experiences would easily fill books. In a nutshell I took four trips to Cuba; 1990, 1997, 2002 and 2018. Got to know, hang with and learn from the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional, took part in a two-week dance course called Folk-Cuba, Ernesto Oviedo, Isaac Oviedo, the Conjunto de Clave y Guaguancó, Alejandrito Publes, Raul de la Caridad Gonzalez Brito ‘Lali’, Amado DeDeus, Pancho Quinto, Merceditas Valdés, Pello el Afrokán, Los Papines and with Los Van Van among others. I also did about six trips to Puerto Rico between 1980 and 2019. There I got to know, hang with and learn from Cachete Maldonado, Giovanni Hidalgo, Anthony Carrillo, Lester Nurse, David La Mole, Tito Matos, Jerry Medina and the Familia Cepeda. On top of that I had about twelve trips to New York between 1978 and 2023. There I got to know, hang with and learn from René López, Orestes Vilató, Milton Cardona, Andy and Jerry Gonzalez, Steve Berrios, Patato, Los Pleneros de La 21, Louie Bauzó and Johnny Almendra.

Remarkable experiences John! And from that becoming the leading force in the creative San Francisco percussive scene, leading several remarkable groups, could you tell me about these?

Very kind of you to say that. These are the main groups I've directed: Conjunto Folklórico Yambú (approx. 1972-75) an Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian folklore ensemble, all percussion and voices. Raul Rekow joined this group in 1973. Grupo Tambor Cubano (approx. 1976-79) Afro-Cuban folklore, also all percussion and voices. Orquesta Típica Cienfuegos (1976-1980), which was the San Francisco Bay Area’s first charanga orchestra. Tambokuba (approx. 1980-84) Afro-Cuban folklore, all percussion and voices. Then came Orquesta Batachanga (1981-85) a charanga orchestra which was the first of my groups to formally record, we made two lps. El Coro Folklórico Kindembo (approx. 1986-2011) Afro-Cuban folklore, mostly percussion and voices. First of my folkloric ensembles to formally record, we released four cds over the years. The Machete Ensemble (1985-2006) which released nine formal recordings. The John Santos Quartet (2003-2005). The John Santos Quintet (2006-2008) which recorded two cds and The John Santos Sextet (2009-present) which has released six cds with another due in January of 2025.

You have also been called as an expert on numerous publications, documentaries, university faculties, could you relate some of those experiences?

I enjoy writing and teaching, although I regret having never learned to type. I've probably wasted a solid five years of my life taking exponentially longer to type anything and everything over the last fifty years! I'm at the point now (for the last couple decades) where I feel I need to spend my time focusing on learning, practising and documenting my experiences rather than teaching. When the pandemic hit, I took a sabbatical from my three steady teaching gigs; one day a week each at the College of San Mateo, SF State University and the California Jazz Conservatory and never returned to any of them. The only real teaching I'm doing now is the occasional lecture, three week-long summer camps and my only private student since 1990, which is my 10-year-old cousin.

Recently you have been honoured with a wonderful film documenting your wide-ranging career: Santos - Skin to Skin (Searchlight Films), congratulations! could you tell me about the development of this outstanding achievement?

It is a great honour for me that this documentary was done. It is a snapshot into a few aspects of my life, family and philosophy through the eyes of filmmakers Ashley James and Kathryn Golden. Shot and edited over a nine-year period. It had about a year and a half run in 2022-23 at various film festivals.

What are your current projects?

The John Santos Sextet remains active but is not touring, in the general sense that we don't go on the road for extended periods of time. Recently, we've played at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, at the San Francisco Jazz Festival, at Yoshi's in Oakland at the Monterey Jazz Festival, at the the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley and the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. We have Lake Merritt (Oakland), the San Jose Jazz Festival, Santa Fe (NM), Albuquerque (NM), Oaktown Jazz and the Sound Room (Oakland) coming up. I was commissioned to write a piece for the Oakland Symphony which will premiere on October 18th at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland. I'm in my third year of curating a series called 'Raices' at the Freight and Salvage. We've recently presented Omara Portuondo, Telmary, Bobi Céspedes, the Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Flor de Toloache and Eliades Ochoa and have El Laberinto de Coco (Puerto Rico) with Jerry Medina and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra coming up! My sextet is constantly composing and recording with the new album Horizontes to be released in 2025 on my Machete Records label. My gratitude to the lovers, practitioners and supporters of traditional and creative music around the world who understand its role in the honourable and timeless efforts towards real peace, unity, dignity and justice for EVERYONE!

Anyone seeking more information about the film can contact the filmmakers at kgolden@searchlightfilms.org

johnsantosmovie.com