Walfredo Reyes Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Reyes, Jr. in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Walfredo de los Reyes Palau IV |
| Also known as |
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| Born | December 18, 1955 Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1972–present |
| Member of | Chicago |
| Formerly of | |
| Website | walfredoreyesjr |
Walfredo Reyes Jr. (born Walfredo de los Reyes Palau IV; December 18, 1955) is a Cuban American musician who is an expert in drum set and auxiliary percussion, and a music educator and clinician. He has performed with many jazz, Latin, World music, World fusion, Afro-Cuban, and rock bands as a touring, session recording, and full-time player/performer.
Reyes is known for his fusion of many of the world's percussion techniques, including the ability to play a drum set with his hands in addition to the traditional use of drumsticks; it was said that he can "sound like a drummer and a percussionist at the same time" [1] [2] [3] He was a member of Santana and joined Chicago as the percussionist from 2012 to 2018, at which point he took over the drum seat. [4] [5] [6] He also performed in the band of former Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton. Reyes is the title character of the Phish song "Walfredo". [7]
Walfredo Reyes Jr. was born on December 18, 1955, in Havana, Cuba. His native name of Walfredo de los Reyes Palau IV is a traditional Cuban combination of his paternal and maternal surnames. He is a third generation musician in a prolific professional musical lineage on both sides of his family, including several globally recognized percussion experts. His father is percussionist Walfredo Reyes, Sr.; one brother is world music percussionist Daniel de los Reyes; another brother is actor Kamar de los Reyes; and his grandfather is trumpeter and Cuban orchestral organizer, Walfredo de los Reyes II. [8] [9]
Leading up to his current role with the band Chicago, Reyes had a connection as a lifelong fan of the band, as a long-time friend of and collaborator with former drummer Tris Imboden, [10] : 47 and as brother of Chicago's previous percussionist Daniel de los Reyes. [8] [9] The first album Reyes purchased as a youth was with his own money was Chicago Transit Authority [9]
Walfredo Reyes Jr. and his wife Kirsten were married on March 21, 2020, and live in Greater Cincinnati. [11] For the 2021 movie Being the Ricardos , Reyes coached and mentored Javier Bardem in learning the conga drums performed in the film. [12]
Reyes has globally toured and/or recorded with countless international acts, including the following: [4]
| Years | Artist |
|---|---|
| 1983—1984 | Tania Maria |
| 1985—1988 | David Lindley’s El Rayo X |
| 1988 | Jackson Browne |
| 1988 | Jimmy Barnes |
| 1989—1993 | Santana |
| 1992 | Boz Scaggs |
| 1993 | Gloria Estefan |
| 1994 | Traffic |
| 1995 | Robbie Robertson |
| 1997—2004 | Steve Winwood |
| 1998—1999 | Joe Sample |
| 2000 | Johnny Hallyday |
| 2005 | Khaled |
| 2007—2011 | Lindsey Buckingham |
| 2008 | Mickey Hart |
| 2010—2012 | El Chicano [13] |
| 2012—present | Chicago [5] [6] |

| Select discography | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Artist | Title | Credits | Source |
| 1986 | Jackson Browne | Lives in the Balance | Conductor, conga, drum set | [14] |
| 1990 | Santana | Spirits Dancing in the Flesh | member | |
| 1992 | Santana | Milagro | member | |
| 1993 | Santana | Sacred Fire: Live in South America | member | [15] [16] [notes 1] |
| 1995 | Frank Gambale | Thinking Out Loud | Percussion | [17] [18] |
| 2000 | Johnny Hallyday | 100% Johnny – Live a la tour Eiffel | Percussion, drums | [19] |
| 2000 | Johnny Hallyday | Olympia 2000 – Live a l'Olympia | Percussion, drums | [20] |
| 2009 | Thomas Lorenzo Quartet | Spanish Breeze | Member | [21] |
| 2012 | Manny Charlton Band | Hellacious | Member | [22] |
| 2014 | Chicago | Chicago XXXVI: Now | Member, percussion | |
| 2020 | Johnny Hallyday | Happy Birthday – Live au Parc de Sceaux | Percussion, drums | |
| Complete Discography | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Artist | Title | Credits | Source |
| 1986 | Jackson Browne | Lives in the Balance | Conductor, conga, drum set | [14] |
| Johnny Hallyday | Tour 2000 – Backstage | |||
| Carl Verheyen | Trading 8s | |||
| Txell Sust | Ciudadana Universal | |||
| Lindsey Buckingham | Gift of Screws | |||
| Martin Verdonk | Old School, New Sound | |||
| Steve Winwood | Junction Seven | |||
| Steve Winwood | About Time | |||
| Robbie Robertson | Classic Masters | |||
| Joe Sample | The Song Lives On | |||
| Santana (band) | Spirits Dancing in the Flesh | |||
| Santana | Milagro | |||
| Santana | Brothers | |||
| Rickie Lee Jones | Pop Pop | [23] | ||
| Dave Samuels | Del Sol | |||
| Frank Gambale | Passages | |||
| Frank Gambale | Thinkin out Loud | |||
| Don Grusin | Laguna Cove | |||
| John Mayall | Sense of Place | |||
| Kazu Matsui | Wheels of the Sun | |||
| Juan Gabriel | Todo esta Bien | |||
| Daniel de los Reyes | Rafael 560 | |||
| Michael Thompson | The World According to MT | |||
| Nestor Torres | Talk to Me | |||
| Kathy Troccoli | Corner of Eden | |||
| Michael O'Neill | Never Too Late | |||
| Freddie Ravel | Soul to Sol | |||
| Jackson Browne | World in Motion | |||
| David Lindley y El Rayo X | Very Greasy | |||
| David Lindley y El Rayo X | Live | |||
| Luis Conte | The Road | |||
| Tania Maria | The Real Tania Maria, Wild! | |||
| Louis Bellson/ Walfredo de los Reyes | Ecue | |||
| Patti Cabrera | Forever & Forever | |||
| Rose Mary Clooney | Brazil | |||
| Clare Fischer | Crazy Bird | |||
| Clare Fischer | Free Fall | |||
| Clare Fischer | Rockin' in Rhythm | |||
| Clare Fischer | Tjaderama | |||
| Jazz Tribute to Brian Wilson | Wouldn't It be Nice | |||
| 2004 | Willie Lomax Blues Revue | Best Blues Money Can Buy | Drums, percussion | [24] |
| Marcos Loya | Love is the Reason | |||
| Barry Manilow | Showstoppers | |||
| Don Randi | Baked Potato Shuffle | |||
| Juan Carlos Quintero | Through the Winds | |||
| Ricardo Silveira | Storyteller | |||
| Shapes | The Last Farewell | |||
| Willie and Lobo | Siete | |||
| Haakon Graf | License to Chill | |||
| Roma Kanyan | Insight | |||
| 2011 | Carl Verheyen Band | The Road Divides | Drums, percussion | [25] |
| 2014 | Chicago | Chicago XXXVI: Now | Member, percussion | |
| Year | Title | Artist | Credits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Pippin: His Life and Times | Soundtrack musician, uncredited | [26] | |
| 1993 | Santana: Sacred Fire, Live in Mexico | Santana | member | [27] [notes 1] |
| 2000 | 100% Johnny Live a la tour Eiffel | Johnny Hallyday | Percussion, drums | [28] |
| 2000 | Olympia 2000 – Live a l'Olympia | Johnny Hallyday | Percussion, drums | [29] |
| 2003 | The Studio Percussionist, Vol. 1 | Michael McFall; Dave Witham; Walfredo de los Reyes; Larry Klimas; John Peña | [30] | |
| 2005 | The Last Great Traffic Jam | Traffic | [31] | |
| 2005 | Sound Stage featuring Steve Winwood | Steve Winwood | member | [32] |
| 2005 | Global Beats for Drumset & Percussion | Walfredo Reyes Jr. | author of instructional video | [33] |
| 2011 | Songs from the Small Machine | Lindsey Buckingham | Drums | |
| 2011 | The Road Divides | Carl Verheyen Band | Drums, percussion | [34] |
| 2014 | Killer B3 | Interviewee, drum set | [35] | |
| 2020 | Happy Birthday – Live au Parc de Sceaux | Johnny Hallyday | Percussion, drums |
Reyes uses and has used the following equipment:
Tom Leobold sets up a "drumcam" for Walfredo Reyes Jr.