Alex Acuña was born and raised in Lima, Peru. A self-educated musician, he was inspired by his father and brothers, all of whom were musicians. By the time Alex turned ten he was already playing in local bands. As a teenager, he was one of Peru’s most accomplished session drummers, performing on many recording projects for artists, as well as film and television productions. Alex also earned a glowing reputation for his skills as a live performer.

At the age of eighteen, Alex was asked to join the big band of the great Latin bandleader, Perez Prado. It was with the Prado band that Alex first traveled the United States. Several years later he began to study at the Conservatory of Puerto Rico, while performing as a classical percussionist with the Symphony Orchestra for the Pablo Casals’ Summer Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In 1974 Alex moved to Las Vegas where he played with such greats as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross. Following this chapter of his career Alex became both drummer and percussionist for one of the most innovative jazz groups of our time, Weather Report, with whom he recorded on the Black Market and Heavy Weather albums.

Alex next moved to Los Angeles, California in 1978. Here, Alex quickly learned the position of a valued session drummer and percussionist for recordings, television, and motion pictures. He became the recipient of many awards and honors including the Emeritus MVP award from the L.A. chapter of NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences), as well as being chosen the winner of the Latin/Brazilian percussionist category of Modern Drummer’s Reader’s Poll for five years running. His countless album credits and live performances are comprised of such diverse artists as U2, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Al Jarreau, Ella Fitzgerald, Roberta Flack, Andre Crouch, The Winans, Tracy Chapman, Sheryl Crow, Whitney Houston, Bruce Willis, Seal, Sergio Mendes, Yellowjackets, The Brecker Brothers, Chick Corea, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Carlos Santana, The Gypsy Kings, Julio Iglesias, Herbie Hancock, Koinonia, Juan Gabriel, Luis Miguel, Placido Domingo, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, and Integrity Music Productions International, with artists such as Ron Kenoly and others. Alex has recorded film scores under the direction of Dave Grusin, Alan Silvestri, Michele Legrand, Bill Conti, Michele Colombier, Marvin Hamlish, Maurice Jarre, Mark Isham, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, and many others.

Alex is widely known as an educator, gifted teacher and clinician of drums and percussion. He has recorded four of his own instructional videos and travels the world teaching and giving seminars for the companies he is a sponsor for, such as Yamaha, Zildjian, Toca Percussion, Gibraltar, Vic Firth, Evans, and Audix speakers and microphones. Alex has also contributed creative new designs for instruments, including various lines of sticks, mallets, and the caddy stick bag for Vic Firth, the Azuka line of cymbals for Zildjian, the Yamaha Alex Acuña signature model timbales, his own King Cajon and the Peruvian-Flamenco cajon for Toca Percussion.

Alex’s South American and Caribbean roots, and understanding of contemporary and classical music, make him a complete and skilled master musician. This is evidenced in Alex’s solo albums for JVC, Alex Acuña and the Unknowns Thinking of You, for Tonga Productions, Tolu (Rumberos Poetry), and the Acuarela de Tambores percussion album with master percussionists of this generation, and his productions of several South American albums for Sony Peru Los Hijos Del Sol. This year will also see the release of several cd-roms for Spectrasonics and the new Christian Jazz album by Staff. Alex is characterized by innovation, energy and pure heart. It is easy to see why Alex Acuña is one of the most sought-after musicians of our time. Alex recognizes his music as a gift from the Lord and gives all the glory to God!

CongaMania
Q&A: A Conversation with Alex Acuña
by
Luis "Chi-Chi" Ernesto Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.