ANNETTE A. AGUILAR is a multi-percussionist specializing in Latin percussion, and a recording artist, educator, producer and bandleader. Born in San Francisco to Nicaraguan parents, Aguilar began playing the drums in sixth grade after seeing The Beatles on television. By sixteen she was performing with well-known artists such as Chepito Areas (formerly of Santana), Cal Tjader, and Sheila E. She studied classical music at San Francisco State University and earned a master’s degree in music from the Manhattan School of Music as well as a master’s degree in music education at Lehman College of the City University of New York. She also studied Latin music with Louis Bauzó at Boys Harbor Conservatory, and with Jerry González of the Fort Apache Band. Ms. Aguilar has always been involved in nurturing the next generation of musicians and ran a music program for youth in the South Bronx for twenty years, in addition to serving on the faculties of The Jazz Power Initiative, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Celia Cruz High Bronx High School of Music, Lehman College, Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS) in Washington Heights, NYC, and several clinics in the New York Area. She has toured around the world, worked in television and film, and has numerous recording credits as a side person. She has performed, toured and shared the stage with such artists as Stevie Wonder, Darlene Love, Casselberry & Dupree, Tito Puente, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon and Toshi Reagon. She has also performed with the late legendary Mose Allison, The Grateful Dead, Ray Brown, and many others. In 2020 she joined the new group Bronx Banda directed by Arturo O’Farrill, a multi-Latin Jazz Grammy winner. The group recorded remotely during the heat of the pandemic, produced an album and presented concerts in collaboration with the NY Philharmonic. Annette has worked on several Grammy Award-winning Broadway shows, including LinManuel Miranda’s In the Heights, Paul Simon’s The Cape Man, Daryl Waters’ Street Corner Symphony, The Chronicle of a Death Foretold, a book by Gabriel García Márquez directed by Graciela Danielle, and Ntozake Shange’s Besty Brown directed by Emily Mann

BAND MEMBERS:

Annette A. Aguilar bandleader/drums percussion /vocals

Ariacne Trujillo piano/lead vocal

Karen Joseph Flute/vocal

Ruben Rodriguez Electric bass

Barry Olsen Piano/vocal

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