Remote Percussion and Drums

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I had the honour to play percussion live with Leon Ware (RIP), who was one of my idols when growing up. I am also very fond of the memories I have of the many amazing and really challenging, late night recording sessions I had with producer Michele Chiavarini in some of the best (and worst) recording studios in London in the late 90s and early 2000s!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: House tracks for Producer/DJ Michele Chiavarini at SPRY Records and an album for producer SoulPersona

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: They are both good depending on the cost and use

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I always want my clients to be very happy with my work

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I do not have to get stuck in the London traffic and waste a day for just having to go to a studio session and record one track!

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: Some clients are not sure on the names of the various percussion instruments but I am happy to discuss them and clarify

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Do you have strict directions or are you happy if I interpret the tune according to my taste? What instruments would you like to hear? By when do you need the track finished?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Make sure you describe in the best way possible what you are looking for. If you are not really sure yourself. perhaps provide audio examples of work that inspires you and/or any other clues you may think of. Do not be afraid to provide written parts if you deem important that strict directions be followed.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: An iPod with solar charger, a pair of headphones, a pandeiro and a pair of drum sticks!

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I have been doing this for the most of my life, since the early 90s!!

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Latin influenced

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I do a lot of percussion work for House labels but I am also hired for soundtracks and Jazz/Funk records. I generally record drums for Pop, Soul and Latin tunes.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I have a great knowledge on Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian rhythmical traditions and I am very good at applying those traditions within contemporary styles without overpowering the music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I am very good at bringing life to tracks that would otherwise lack groove or excitement. I pay a lot of attention to details and take great care at tonal characteristics. I am very versatile and creative.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I normally receive WAV/AIFF tracks with tempo embedded in them (or MP3s with tempo details in the title). I like to have at least a two-bar count-in but I can set that up in my DAW, if necessary. I generally discuss all details of the tracks and any special requirements beforehand in order to avoid any revisions later on. Once recordings are completed, I send them as individual tracks using WeTransfer or with a private server if required. These have no processing whatsoever in order to allow a mixing engineer or producer to apply it according to personal taste. At times I am asked to process my tracks so that they may fit in the mix, which I am happy to do.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have different set ups depending on what I am recording. Generally I record my two LP Professional Congas using a pair of vintage dynamic Sennheiser MD421 microphones, going through my Neve 1073 preamps and record them on Logic Pro with a MOTU 828 soundcard. I use these for Toms also. I normally record all tracks on 24bit 44.1KHz sampling rate but I can upscale to 96Khz if requested, although, in my opinion, I do not find any substantial improvement. I often record ambient tracks using a wide stereo pair of AKG C480s and I also use these as overheads on my drums. I love using an active GAP Ribbon microphone for Bongos and a vintage AKG C414 ULS for Shakers and Triangles, going trough an Avalon M5 preamp.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: I generally aspire to emulate the sound of the records of the late 60s and 70s when sound engineering and production was a true art. The bands and artists that inspired me most were, among many others, the Meters, James Brown, Azimuth, most of the 70s Disco and Funk, Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, Leon Ware, Isaac Heyes, Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, Irakere, Joao Bosco, Steely Dan, etc.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: I mostly record overdubs for songs that have already a pre-recorded structure. I am sometimes asked to replace a drum part or percussion loop/sample or to spice up a programmed drum track by overdubbing organic percussion parts