David Oquendo, Fiebre de Ti - Amor Cubano 8/18/09
David Oquendo, Fiebre de Ti - Amor Cubano 8/18/09 David was born in Havana, Cuba in 1958. Self taught, Oquendo absorbed the essence of the Afro Cuban rhythmical vernacular in the poorest neighborhoods of his native city. At 12 years of age, David started playing guitar and singing in several Rock bands around Cuba. Even though he was not conservatory trained, his passion for music, his discipline and self-criticism, took him to the point where eventually he was considered one of the best guitar accompanist in Cuba. This was evident in his appearances at El Rincon del Feeling, Cabaret Tropicana, Cabaret Internacional de Varadero, Salon Rojo at the Hotel Capri and many more venues. As accompanist, David has worked with artist of the caliber of: Moraima Secada, Elena Burke, Lucho Gatica, Meme Solis, Maggie Carles, Lenny Andrade, and many others. As guitarist, singer, composer, arranger and bassist, David has performed in concerts and recordings in Cuba, Panama, Dominican Republic, Austria, Canada, Greece, Spain, Brasil, Bermuda and the US with names such: Paquito DRivera, Compay Segundo, Marc Anthony, Johnny Ventura, Ray Barreto, Arturo Sandoval, Giovanni Hidalgo Manenguito, Mauricio Smith, Andy Gonzalez, Manny Oquendo, Johnny Pacheco, Gilberto Santarrosa, El Gran Combo, Jose Luis Quintana Changuito, Willie Chirino, Regina Carter, Candido Camero, Patato Valdez, Gato Barbieri, Carlos Ponce, Sergio Vargas, Rudy Calzado, Basilio, Yomo Toro, Anthony Rios, Jose Fajardo, Israel Lopez Cachao, Graciela and Chico OFarril to mention a few. David has a Grammy Award for the album Tropicanas Nights with Paquito DRivera, a Grammy Nomination for Bebop Timba with Raphael Cruz and three Latin Grammy Nominations for Raices Habaneras, 50 Years of Mambo and Paquito DRivera Presenta Las Hermanas Marquez. In 1996 David founded and directed the Afro Cuban folklore group Raices Habaneras, which become known as Domingos de la Rumba (Rumba Sundays), Davids mission, was and still is, to expose the public to a genuine representation of the Rumba genre. David, was musical director and producer for The Cuban Rumba All Stars, a first time, historical collaboration by members of Cubas Rumba groups: Los Munequitos de Matanzas, Yoruba Andabo, Clave y Guaguanco, Obba ILU, Coro Folklorico Cubano, Raices Profundas y Grupo Tata Guines. As a member of Faculty of Harbor Conservatory for The Performing Arts, since 2002, he is teaching guitar, Cuban tres, bass, voice and the Afro-Cuban folklore workshop, the Latin Band workshop, the Guitar ensemble and the Vocal training Group Class. David has appeared in: El Show de Cristina in Univision, the series OZ in HBO, Harmony in the Kitchen in the Food Network, State of the Arts and The Cuban Americans in PBS, The Ivan Acostas films How to Create a Rumba and Candido Hands of Fire, The Heddy Honigmanns film Dame la Mano, Al Rojo Vivo in Telemundo and Orgullo Hispano in Channel 47 Telemundo NYC, Sabado al Mediodia and Al Despertar in Channel 41