Legendary percussionist, bandleader and latin jazz star Pete Escovedo turns seventy-five on July 13th, 2010. No better way to mark the occasion than with musical performances, right? These engagements in LA and Oakland will feature Pete and his Latin Jazz Orchestra along with his sons, Juan and Peter Michael Escovedo. Pete\'s daughter, Sheila E. will be performing with the group in Oakland.\"As I reflect on my seventy-five years of life, I am so blessed to be able to perform, to greet all of the fans over the years, and to meet new fans. I am looking forward to performing with my family at Spaghettini and Yoshi\'s this summer. And I thank you all for being such an important part of my life.\"
About Pete Escovedo
Pete Escovedo has certainly had a life and a career worth celebrating. He’s been a major force in Latin music since the late 1960s, and his versatility has resulted in success in several areas of music, from Latin jazz and salsa to rock and Latin pop.
Born into a musical family in Oakland, California, Pete and his brother Thomas \"Coke\" developed quickly as percussionists, eventually forming the Escovedo Brothers Latin Jazz sextet (with their other brother Phil playing bass). That group broke up in 1967 when Carlos Santana hired Pete and Coke for his Latin rock group. They toured with Santana for the next three years.
Not content to accompany, Pete and Coke departed Santana and founded one of the most revered West coast Latin bands, Azteca.
Since that time, Pete Escovedo has performed with such notable artists as Herbie Hancock, Woody Herman, Ernesto \"Tito\" Puente, Ramon \"Mongo\" Santamaria, Bobby McFerrin, Billy Cobham, George Duke, Boz Scaggs, Al Jarreau, Ray Obiedo, Chick Corea, and Prince.
In addition to his many solo albums, Pete has released recordings with his daughter Sheila E. and sons Peter Michael and Juan.
Pete has also had a significant influence on the design and creation of percussion instruments. His Toca signature timbales reflect his deep experience in the heart of the Afro-Cuban scene and incorporate the best features of vintage drums with added modern durability.
