“LUISITO QUINTERO”
Venezuela, a country geographically located "North of South", as well as Franco de Vita describes in one of his songs.
Venezuela has been home to various cultures and where music is no exception.
Here in our beautiful country we have it all, not only a reputation in baseball, or in beauty pageants, we now have a reputation in the whole Caribbean musical movement, we keep giving reasons to talk about us, with talent, perseverance and dedication, and where we are recognized as one of the best in this competitive musical spectrum.
The Venezuelan percussion is one of the best, we have many excellent performers and virtuous, but there’s a timpanist that stands out from the rest and that is second to none, his name is Luis Ernesto Quintero Vegas, better known as "Luisito Quintero" .
QUINTERO, a name that is directly related to the music, quality and swing. The Quintero dynasty is formed by Doña Zoila de Quintero and Vicente Armando Quintero, from this union were born six (6) children, five boys and a girl. The first one is Luis Quintero percussion and strings lover, their second son is Carlos "Nene "an excellent musician and percussionist, in great demand when forming a group or making a band. Ricardo was the third son, performer of the “three”, guitar and bass, composer and singer. Jesus" Chu "is the fourth Quintero son, considered by many a complete musician, multi-instrumentalist and singer. The fifth is Rafael, of course born musician, composer, sonero and has won the hearts of the French people; and finally Rosalia their sixth daughter, who has worked as a part of the chorus of great luminaries, married our friend bongosero Charles Peñalver.
Doña Zoila died in 2003 and we all know now is next to her husband and sons Ricardo and Jesus "Chu", died in the tragedy of the Orinoco, August 15, 1980.
Luis Quintero Jr., was born in the populous Caracas neighborhood of San Augustin, an August 24, 1967, his parents Luis Quintero Sr. and Maria Vega de Quintero.
His first steps were in the atmosphere of the party, “gaitas” and “aguinaldos” in a group called "The Supertrema" from her uncles Ricardo and Jesus, then goes to the group led by Jesus Blanco "Totoño" called "The New Generation" in which he played the bongos and timbales as a child of only eight (8) years old, then leaves it to join the Manuel Guerra’s orchestra called "Fa Menor", then at the age of twelve (12) becomes part of one of the most representative and standing bands of that moment: “El Trabuco Venezolano”. After that joins the orchestra called "Siete Cuero " with Alberto Borregales and others, one day in one of those discharges which was part of the show, motivates the musician and director of a Group called “Daiquiri”, Alberto Slezynger, who was present as part of the audience and inspired him to compose the theme, "Chamito Candela", this becomes a success and with the participation of Luisito, allowing to listen to this “chamaquito’s” magistral solos.
A few time later becomes part of the orchestra of the world’s greatest sonero, Oscar Emilio León Somoza, with this one lasted about 10 years, making parallel recordings for other musicians of that time like Yordano, Ilan, Ildemaro and Evio di Marzo. Percussionist of the three (3) songwriter Amilcar Boscan productions (formerly from Guaco, soloist with Willie Colón) and virtually everything that occurred at that time in the record label TH (top hit's). In those ten years, there were many countries visited and much experience gained, it noted that Oscar became a foster parent, guardian and even had to sign a permission to travel abroad.
On one of those trips, visited the island of Cuba, where the world’s sonero has an extraordinary acceptance, Cubans say: "The Benny More and Oscar D'Leon are the best." While in Cuba, Luisito gets sick with pneumonia, this of course draws the attention of all staff of the medical center, for the mere fact of seeing Oscar watching his child there, it was already a great event.
In 1987, he recorded his first album titled "Luis Quintero" in which is accompanied by the Venezuelan sonero Antonio Ramos "Yeci" as lead singer in all recording for the label Sonográfica.
In 1992, places his permanent residence in New York, there performs work for luminaries as Natalie Cole, David Sanborn, Diana Kroll, George Benson and many others.
In 1993, he became the musical director of the singer Linda Caballero, known at the music scene as “La India”, a working relationship that lasted for seven (7) years.
He always admired the missing Ernest "Tito" Puente, who shared recordings inclusive, is regarded today as the best of its kind, next to Giovanni Hidalgo, Pequeño Johnny, Raphy Irizarry, Nicky Marrero, Tito de Gracia, Marc Quiñones, Bobby Allende, Jimmy Delgado and others.
He has recorded alongside Gonzalo Rubalcaba, The Perfect Combination, Isidro Infante and La Elite, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Isaac Delgado, recordings as a re-mix of Rollins Stones, and countless artists from the world of Jazz, the salsa, just finished recording the new full production Aventura, recorded with Don Omar and many others.
Currently he is the director of his own group Percussion Maddness which carries two productions, drummer of the excellent group led by Master Oscar Hernandez "Spanish Harlem Orchestra", principal percussionist of a project that has become a revelation in NY called PORNOSON with friend Danny Rojo, Don Omar’s Drummer, Percussionist of Gato Barbieri, etc, etc, etc.
Luis is a guy who carries within the Caribbean and will always work to make sure our Salsa does not die, and especially the one done in Venezuela.
Today, the best percussionist in the world is Venezuelan, and gentlemen, the most quoted, the most versatile, now called "POWERHOUSE" in NY, because of the great independence achieved and added to his great talent, a nickname given by no other than the Maestro Chick Corea. As I tell him: “buddy, to play you only have to get dressed”; what he does is laugh. TIMBAL GON BOPS BRAND, THE LEATHERS MUST BE REMO, THE SABIAN CYMBALS, THE STICKS ARE A NEW BRAND STILL NOT IN THE MARKET, TIMBAL HARDWARE IS DW, PEDALS HANSENFÜTZ, A NEW PERCUSSOR INSTRUMENT CALLED SLAPEROO, CYMPAD & MOOER AUDIO PEDALS ... and missing.
Not everyone knows that whenever an artist wins a Grammy, each participating musician accounts for this same right. I make this full explanation because my artist "Luisito Quintero" has already to his credit over 30 Grammys, including the American Grammy and Latin Grammy, between participation and cattle. As a reporter once told me, "seriously friend, if it was baseball or a beauty pageant this would be already known" ... As you know today is the TIMBALERO of SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA, the Salsa group that is more given to do in the XXI Century. Orchestra that is giving a lot and has 4 productions, 4 Grammy nominations and 2 American prizes.
Stays on tour with Richard Bona, Jack Dejohnette, Esperanza Spalding, Kip Hanrahan, Miles Davis, Gato Barbieri, at the present time is part of the new Chick Corea’s band named “The Vigil”, because this is the one who has taken him to privileged stages in the world of Jazz bands; and a lot others that wouldn’t let us end writing.
Luisito Quintero has already recorded (participated) in his artistic life in more than 500 musical productions, all genres known and yet to come, is really a phenomenon in Percussion and not just in Latin America, but in the whole world ... By now is finishing the new album "3rd ELEMENT" where Luisito surprise us with an excellent musical work with a number of guest musicians with 80% of them Venezuelan Talent.
The VENEZUELAN musicians are: ALFREDO NARANJO, ALBERTO VERGARA, ALVARO PAIVA, RODNER PADILLA, JULIO ANTILLANO, YOMAR MENDEZ, ANDERSON QUINTERO (Son of Luisito), BENIGNO MEDINA, JOSE LUIS MARTINEZ, FRANCISCO CEBALLO, JAIR ACOSTA, NENE QUINTERO, LUIS QUINTERO Sr., JORGE CARRERO, MAYERLING CARRERO, PEDRO CARRERO, ELIEL RIVERO RAFAEL GRECO, GONZALO TEPA, among others.
MUSICIANS INVITED ARE: OSCAR HERNANDEZ, REYNALDO JORGE, RICHIE FLORES, DOUG BEAVERS, HECTOR "MAXIMO" RODRIGUEZ, ROBERT QUINTERO, EDDIE VENEGAS, NOHA BLESS, AXCEL TOSCA, YEISON VILLAMAR and MIRELLA RAMOS, among others.
With this production Luisito and his Producer Luis Rojas presents a new stage of musical maturity, without further words every collector of Salsa, Latin Jazz, Music Jaz & Word Music can not fail to have in their music library !!!

"LUISITO QUINTERO"...
VENEZUELAN PRIDE AND FROM VENEZUELA TO THE WORLD.
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Venezuelan Luisito Quintero can't recall not playing percussion. Although he has earned a reputation as a world-class timbalero, his career, in fact, began on shakers and rattles that hung from his crib! The toys in his nursery became the instruments with which he accompanied his father.



By age fourteen, Luisito Quintero's prowess on timbales got him the call to join the prestigious orchestras of La Critica and El Tambuco Venezolano. His work brought him to the attention of "The Lion", Oscar D'Leon, who took young Luisito on tour around the world.



Highlights of Luisito Quintero's career include associations with Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony, George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Hector Lavoe, Ray Barretto, Giovanni Hidalgo, Danilo Perez, and Gary Burton. This partial list reveals a broad range of musical experiences from Latin to funk to jazz.



Part of Luisito Quintero's rhythmic curiosity is attributable to his South American heritage and, in particular, to the musical milieu in Venezuela. Here many folkloric styles peacefully coexist with a strong Afro-Cuban rumba undercurrent.



"The first pieces of LP gear I had," says Quintero, "were a bongo, cowbell, and congas. The different sounds of LP instruments have always helped me create great music. They have clean, beautiful sounds. In fact, they sound so good that they inspire me to improvise different rhythms. I'm constantly practicing with LP timbales, congas, djembes, congas, and bongos - it's great for my imagination and creativity".



Recent accomplishments include a role in Celia and Friends, an album that won a Latin Grammy nomination. And on an eighth album with Raulin Rosendo, says Quintero, "I played LP castanets - and enjoyed every minute of it!" Speaking of his first love, the timbales, Quintero would like to be recognized as an authority on indigenous rhythms who is not afraid to improvise and "bend the rules" in order to propel the band to greater heights.