Sammy Figueroa’s Latin Jazz Explosion

Sammy Figueroa| Sunday, October  20, 4:00 p.m. | Doors open at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets: $45 members; $50 not-yet-members; $25 students (13+)

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SAMMY FIGUEROA has long been regarded as one of the world’s great musicians. As one of the music’s leading percussionists he has played on countless records and is well-known for his versatility in a multitude of musical styles. Besides playing with some of the world’s greatest pop stars, such as David Bowie, Chaka Khan and Mariah Carey, Sammy has also played with a multitude of distinguished jazz artists including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Brecker Brothers, and many, many more. 

When Sammy plays percussion he tells a story, creating a playful conversation with other musicians and taking the listener on a musical journey . As one of the world’s greatest congueros he is currently considered to be the most likely candidate to inherit the mantles of Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto.  But Sammy’s playing isn’t confined to the congas.  He plays a variety of percussion instruments from Latin percussion such as cabasa, tsekere, bongo and guiro to instruments from Turkey, Africa and First Nation.

Sammy Figueroa was born in the Bronx and raised in Puerto Rico, the son of romantic singer Charlie Figueroa.  Early in his career he was a member of Raices, the seminal Afro-Brazilian-Jazz group, which brought him to New York where he was discovered by Herbie Mann and began his career as one of the world’s most sought after percussionists.   After many years as New York’s number one percussionist, in 2001 Sammy relocated to South Florida. It was there that Sammy discovered a thriving community of amazing Latin jazz virtuosos from Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, and was inspired to find his voice as a solo artist. Putting a band together with the best players in town Sammy Figueroa and His Latin Jazz Explosion debuted at the Hollywood Jazz Festival and since then he has never looked back. 

In addition to his two Grammy® Nominations for Best Latin Jazz, Sammy has been honored with numerous awards. These include two NARAS Awards for Percussionist of the Year, two Drummie Awards for Best Hand Percussion and the Jazz Journalists Association Award for Best Percussionist.  Recently his album “Searching For A Memory/Busco Tu Recuerdo” was awarded Album of the Year by the Fundacion Nacional de La Cultura Popular de Puerto Rico.