|
 Gerardo
Rosales was born July 6, 1963 in Caracas, Venezuela. Musical from a
young age, at eight he began piano studies, expressing an interest
in congos and bongos.
The latter aspiration wasn't fully realized until 1977 when, at age
thirteen, he met Orlando Poleo, who invited him to study Afro Caribbean
percussion at the Taller de Arte, the local art academy in the suburb
of Sarria in his native town Caracas. From 1977 until 1980, Gerardo
Rosales studied congos and bongos under Poleo's watchful eye, and also
timbales under Alberto Borregales. His formal education seemed complete
in 1985 when he studied Afro Venezuelan percussion with Alexander
Livinali at the Fundacin Bigott.
Gerardo's career went leapt forward due to collaborations with with
significant musicians, including Soledad Bravo, Cecilia Todd, Canelita
Medina, Alberto Naranjo. Maria Rivas, Joe Ruiz, Ilan Chester, Orquesta
Caf, trina Medina y Yarake, and Victor Cuica. Concurrently, he founded
his own band called Salsa 70, with which he still performs.
In 1992 Gerardo Rosales participated in the Expo Sevilla in Spain
with the band Caracas Son 7. The experience caused him to uproot and
make Europe his permanent residence. In 1993 he released his first
CD, Gerardo Rosales y su Salsa Pa'lante, Invitations began to
flow in: work in France with Alfredo Rodriguez and Orlando Poleo; performances
in Germany with Conexin Latina and Nicky Marrero; dates in Holland
with Saskia Laroo, Jos Avila y su Quimbombo, and Cedric Dandaree.
In 1995 he was invited by Paquito D'Rivera to participate in the recording
of the CD Bebo Rides Again alongside legendary Cuban piano player Bebo
Valds. From 1996 onwards, he has been touring Europe with his own projects,
spreading the rhythms of Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Peru,
Curacao, Surinam, and the Antilles. In 2002 the song "La Salsa
es mi Vida" from one of his CDs was used as part of a soundtrack
for the movie Zus en Zo, directed by Paula van der Oest. The following
year, Gerardo composed "Perdon" for the Oscar nomionated move
"Madamn Jeanette."
DISCOGRAPHY
Salsa pa' lante (1992), Venezuela Sonora (1996), Seor Tamb (1998),
El Venezolano (1999), Ritmico y Pianistico (2001), La Salsa es mi
Vida (2001), Tribute to Fania All Stars (2003), Salsa Antigua (2005),
Mongomania Tribute to Mongo Santamaria (2005). In 2007 his tenth
CD carries the working name: Gerardo Rosales presents Our Latin Groove.
For more info please visit
www.youtube.com/gerardorosalestambo
www.gerardorosales.com
www.myspace.com/gerardorosalestambo
|
