About me
Spain
Member since Feb 16, 2022
Alex Acuña nacio y crecio en Lima - Peru. musico autodidacta, con un gran regalo musical de Dios, y por inspiracion de su padre y hermanos ( todos ellos musicos) a la edad de 4 años empezo a tocar la bateria y la percusion y despues a los 10 años de edad comenzo a tocar con la orquesta de su padre y hermanos "Tropical Boys de los Hermanos Neciosup" y despues a los 16 años de edad llego a ser uno de los musicos peruanos mas solicitados como sesionista para diversos programas de television, teatro, peliculas y grabaciones de discos. tambien participando como musico de conciertos en vivo, se convirtió en un musico-artista de alto nivel.
A los 18 años de edad Alex fue contratado por el famoso musico Cubano Damaso Perez Prado para que integrara su orquesta, y fue con el Maestro Prado que Alex viajo por primera vez a los Estados Unidos.
Luego estudió musica y percusion en el Conservatorio Nacional de San Juan, Puerto Rico
Y tambien logro participar con la sinfonica de San Juan P.R en el Famoso Festival de Don Pablo Casals.
En el Año 1973, Alex viajo a las Vegas y alli empezó a tocar con las grandez estrellas de esa epoca, con el gran Elvis Presley y Diana Ross. Y continuando con los diferentes capitulos de su gran carrera musical y artistica, Alex logro ser el percussionista y baterista de uno de los mejores grupos del jazz moderno e innovadores de nuestra epoca. Weather Report - grabando "Black market" como percusionista y el famoso disco de todos los tiempos "Heavy Weather" como baterista.
Alex, empezó a vivir en los Angeles, California en el año 1978. Y rapidamente se gano la valiosa-posicion de musico sesionista como percusionista - baterista de grabaciones y programas de television y musica de fondo para las famosas peliculas de Hollywood.
Tambien obtubo muchos premios y honores los cuales incluyen, por un termino de 4 años consecutivos. Emeritus MVP premio de L.A chapter of NARAS ( National Academy of Recording for the Arts and Sciences ) y tambien por 5 años consecutivos gano en la revista Modern Drummer's el premio de el mejor "Latin/Brazilian- percusionista-baterista.
Se le acreditan a Alex incontables grabaciones y presentaciones en vivo con una gran diversidad de Artistas reconocidos en el mundo del entretenimiento, y por mencionar unos cuantos de los mas conocidos, estan en la lista: Paul McCartney, U2, Al Jarreau, Ella Fitzgerald, Jony Mitchell, Roberta Flack, Whitney Houston, Andre Crouch, James Taylor, The Winans, Seal, Celia Cruz, Sergio Mendes, Milton Nascimento, The Brecker Brothers, Yellow Jackets, Chic Corea, Herbie Hancock, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Los Papines, Ivan Linns, Chucho Valdez, Cachao, Paquito de Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, Carlos Santana, João Bosco, Ednita Nazario, Juan Gabriel, Carlos Jobim, Julio Iglesias, Placido Domingo, Luis Miguel, Koinonia, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Integrity Music Productions, Internacionalmente con artistas Cristianos, Ron Kenoly, Lionel Peterson, Marcos Witt, y otros mas…
Alex ha participado en grabaciones que sobrepasan mas de 125 peliculas, bajo la direccion de grandes compositores de nuestas epocas, Dave Grusin, Lalo Schiffrin, Alan Silvestry, Michele Legrand, Bill Conti, Michele Colombier, Marvin Hamlish, Maurice Jarre, Mark Isham, Randy Newman, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, John Williams,etc, etc,etc.
Alex es extensamente reconocido y respetado como un gran maestro, clinician, seminarista, y demostrador de nuevas tecnicas de bateria y percusion, por lo cual ya tiene grabado 4 videos educacionales que son distribuidos internacionalmente, y tambien personalmente Alex viaja educando por diversas partes del mundo y en las grandes Universidades y Conservatorios de musica de USA, UCLA de California, BERKLEE school of Music de Boston etc,..auspiciado por los compañias: Yamaha, Zildjian, Toca Percusion, Gilbrartar, Evans,Vic Firth, Shure microfonos, Line 6.
Alex tambien ha contibuido creativamente en nuevos diseños de instrumentos musicales
Para el mundo de la percusion incluyendo varias lineas de baquetas, mazetas, palos y estuche de baquetas para Vic Firth, la linea de platillos "Azuka" para la Zildjian, el modelo de Alex Acuña "Signature Timbales" para Yamaha, su propio "king Cajon" y el cajon Peruano-Flamenco para Toca Percusion.
Las raices Sudamericana de Alex, sus raices Caribeñas, el conocimiento y entendimiento de la musica comtemporanea y clasica, lo clasifica como un musico completo.
Ha obtenido ya tres nominaciones para los Grammy’s uno para los Grammys Americanos y dos los Grammys Latinos.
Es evidente en los discos que ha grabado como solista para JVC: "Alex Acuña and the Unknowns" ( Pensando en Ti ), para Tonga Productions: Tolu ( Rumberos Poetry ) El Bongo de VanGohg y "Acuarelas de Tambores" un Compacto donde esta compartiendo con los mejores percusionistas de esta Generacion y sus producciones de varios compactos grabados para su propia compañía “ Nido Entertaiment " www.nidoentertaimente.com
Los Hijos del Sol " y “Alex Acuña And The Uknowns” este año proximo a salir 3 Cd Roms para Expectrasonics, distribuido por Ilio, nuevo Cd, con un grupo de Jazz Cristiano " The Staff ".
El estilo de Alex es caracterizado como innovador, energico, un musico que cuando toca, trasmite con el corazon, y por estas razones es aclamado en el mundo entero y aceptado, muy querido, estimado y apreciado por los musicos-colegas de estos tiempos.
Alex reconoce que su talento es un regalo de Dios y por esa misma razon, le da toda Honra, Honor y Gloria al Señor JesuCristo.
ENGLISH VERSION:
Born in Pativilca, Peru, 100 miles north of Lima, Alex Acuña was born into a musical family that inspired him and helped shape him as a musician. His father and five brothers were all musicians. Alex taught himself how to play the drums from the age of four. By the time Alex turned ten, he was already playing in local bands. As a teenager, he moved to Lima and became one of Peru's most accomplished session drummers, performing on many recording projects for artists, as well as film and television productions.
In Lima, Alex also earned a glowing reputation for his live performances. So much so, that at the age of eighteen, Alex was chosen by the great Latin band leader, Perez Prado, to join his big band. It was with the Prado band that Alex first traveled to the United States. In 1967, Alex moved to Puerto Rico to work as a studio musician and play locally. During this period, he also studied for three years at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, playing as a classical percussionist with the Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the famed Spanish cellist master Pablo Casals.
Alex moved to Las Vegas in 1974, where he played with such greats as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross. Between 1975 and 1977, he made part of jazz history when he became both drummer and percussionist for one of the most innovative and pioneering jazz groups of our time, Weather Report. He first performed as percussionist (October 1975 to April 1976), and later as drummer (April 1976 to October 1977). He recorded two albums with the group: "Black Market" (1976) and the highly successful "Heavy Weather" (1977), which included the famous tracks "Birdland" and "Havona." "Heavy Weather" became the first jazz-fusion album to sell a million copies.
Alex next moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1978 where he quickly earned the position of a valued session drummer and percussionist for recordings, television and motion pictures. His countless album credits include such diverse artist as U2, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Sergio Mendes, Yellow Jackets, Chic Corea, Julio Iglesias, Koinonia, Juan Gabriel, Luis Miguel, Placido Domingo, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul and many more. Alex has also performed live with the likes of Al Jarreau, Roberta Flack, Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Gipsy Kings, Paco de Lucia, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Christina Aguilera and Tito Puente, to name a few. Additionally, Alex has recorded film scores under the direction of Dave Grusin, Alan Silvestri, Michele Legrand, Bill Conti, Michele Colombier, Marvin Hamlish, Maurice Jarre, Mark Isham, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Lalo Schiffrin and others. He became the recipient of many awards and honors including the Emeritus MVP award from NARAS (National Academy of Recording for the Arts and Sciences) and winner of the "Best Latin/Brazilian Percussionist" of Modern Drummer's Readers Poll for five consecutive years.
Alex's South American and Caribbean roots and understanding of contemporary and classical music make him a complete and skilled master musician. In 2000, Alex Acuña y Su Acuarela De Tambores received a Grammy nomination for "Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album" for "Rhythms for a New Millennium". This solo album included varying styles of Latin, South American and African percussion. The nomination confirmed Alex's vast knowledge and expertise of percussion rhythms. Zan Stewart of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Alex Acuña is the epitome of the world music percussionist, to whom no style is a stranger". In addition, Alex has composed music for various artists and produced "Thinking of You" by Alex Acuña and the Unknowns, "Rumberos Poetry" by Tolú and "Aliyah" by Kay Silberling. This year will also see the release of Tolú's "Bongo de Van Gogh," the Unknowns follow-up album, and several projects for NIDO Entertainment.
Alex is widely known as an educator, gifted teacher and clinician of drums and percussion. He has recorded four solo instructional videos and provides seminars at universities such as UC Los Angeles, Berklee School of Music in Boston and other top international schools of music. Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Toca Percussion, Gibraltar, Vic Firth, Evans and Shure microphones all sponsor Alex. He is also credited with the design of Zildjian's "Azuka" line of cymbals, signature Vic Firth sticks and the caddy stick bag, the Alex Acuña Yamaha Signature Model Timbales and his own Cajon, a Peruvian-Flamenco instrument for Toca Percussion.
Innovation, energy and pure heart characterize Alex's playing. It is easy to see why Alex Acuña is one of the most sought after musicians of our time. Alex recognizes his music as a gift from the Lord and gives all the glory to God!
