Waldo Madera

Born in Queens, NY on April 12, 1968, Waldo Madera typifies himself as a drummer/composer/percussionist. At the age of 15 he was gigging with Brazilian and Dominican groups, finding himself on a main stage at the Montreal Jazz Festival on more than one occasion. A tenure at the Manhattan School of Music between 1987 and 1991 was crucial to Waldo's development. There he came under the tutelage and influence of Dave Valentin, Paquito D'Rivera, and Rafael Cruz.

In 1991 Waldo Madera made what was, in retrospect, a wise choice: He uprooted his NY residence and established new digs in Mexico City. Here he immediately began working with leading jazz artists including Hector Infanzon, Chilo Moran, and Cristobal Lopez. At the same time, Madera began making a name for himself in the pop scene through gigs with its key exponents. This led to a variety of studio recordings and Waldo becoming a first-call session drummer. No doubt his expertise in authentic, indigenous rhythms melded with pop rock was widely recognized by producers.

Waldo's in-depth knowledge of Dominican/Brazilian/Afro-Cuban rhythms on percussion, which he augmented with drumset, endeared him to Ricky Martin, with whom he has worked with since 1993.

In 1995, Waldo's first solo album was widely released on BMG. Plans are afoot for a second CD in the near future. However, time is a scarce commodity for Waldo Madera. He is no casual or club date drummer. Rather, he relentlessly tours the world with Juanes, Ricky Martin and Ricardo Arjona. Consequently, when he sets foot on home turf, Waldo enjoys spending quality time with his family.

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