Walfredo Reyes Jr.

Last updated

Walfredo Reyes Jr.
Walfredo Reyes, Jr. in 2018.jpg
Reyes, Jr. in 2018
Background information
Birth nameWalfredo de los Reyes Palau IV
Also known as
  • Wally Reyes, Jr.
  • Walfredo Reyes
Born (1955-12-18) December 18, 1955 (age 68)
Havana, Cuba
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)
  • Drums
  • percussion
Years active1972 (1972)–present
Member of Chicago
Formerly of
Website walfredoreyesjr.com

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 long-term member of Santana. He was also a member of 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.

Contents

Biography

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. [7] [8]

Reyes has had a lifelong interest in the music of the band Chicago, originally known as Chicago Transit Authority. The first album he purchased as a youth was with his own money was Chicago Transit Authority'. [8]

Walfredo Reyes Jr. and his wife Kirsten were married on March 21, 2020, and live in Greater Cincinnati. [9]

Career

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. [7] [8]

He is the title character of the Phish song "Walfredo". [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]

YearsArtist
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]
Walfredo Reyes Jr.

Discography

Select discography
YearArtistTitleCreditsSource
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 QuartetSpanish BreezeMember [21]
2012 Manny Charlton Band HellaciousMember [22]
2014 Chicago Chicago XXXVI: Now Member, percussion
2020 Johnny Hallyday Happy Birthday – Live au Parc de Sceaux Percussion, drums

Videography

YearTitleArtistCreditsSource
1981Pippin: His Life and TimesSoundtrack musician, uncredited [26]
1993Santana: Sacred Fire, Live in Mexico Santana member [27] [notes 1]
2000100% Johnny Live a la tour Eiffel Johnny Hallyday Percussion, drums [28]
2000 Olympia 2000 – Live a l'Olympia Johnny HallydayPercussion, drums [29]
2003The Studio Percussionist, Vol. 1Michael McFall; Dave Witham;
Walfredo de los Reyes;
Larry Klimas; John Peña
[30]
2005 The Last Great Traffic Jam Traffic [31]
2005Sound Stage featuring Steve Winwood Steve Winwood member [32]
2005Global Beats for Drumset & PercussionWalfredo Reyes Jr.author of instructional video [33]
2011Songs from the Small Machine Lindsey Buckingham Drums
2011The Road DividesCarl Verheyen BandDrums, percussion [34]
2014Killer B3Interviewee, drum set [35]
2020 Happy Birthday – Live au Parc de Sceaux Johnny HallydayPercussion, drums

Equipment

Reyes uses and has used the following equipment:

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Sacred Fire: Live in South America (CD audio) and Sacred Fire: Live in Mexico (DVD video) are counterparts for the same show.

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References

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