Andy González (musician)
Puerto Rican Latin jazz and salsa musician (1951–2020) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Andy González (January 1, 1951 – April 9, 2020) was a jazz double bassist of Puerto Rican descent recognized as was one of the innovators of Latin Jazz.[1] González was a versatile player, as well as an arranger, composer, music historian and producer of other musicians' records. He embraced African, Cuban and Puerto Rican styles, various strains of jazz and other influences, often merging them into something fresh.[2]
Andy González | |
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Background information | |
Born | (1951-01-01)January 1, 1951 Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S. |
Died | April 9, 2020(2020-04-09) (aged 69) The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
Genres | Afro-Cuban jazz, salsa, son cubano, boogaloo, pachanga |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument | bass |
Years active | 1968-2020 |
Labels | Tico, Fania, Columbia Records, Truth Revolution Records |
Raised in The Bronx, New York, Andy González played violin in grammar school and later picked up the bass after taking lessons with jazz bassist Steve Swallow from 5th to 8th grade, and thereafter he attended the High School of Music & Art.[1] "Swallow turned Gonzalez on to Pablo Casals and Scott Lafaro, wrote out the second movement of the Bach Cello Suite in D minor, and helped Gonzalez prepare for his audition at Music and Art."[3] "Andy González came to the public's attention playing for future NEA Jazz Master Ray Barretto's band, while he was still a student at Music & Art High School. Although it was a salsa group in the Cuban conjunto trumpet tradition, Barretto treated the group like a jazz combo, featuring all the players as soloists."[4] While at Music & Art High School, he "play[ed] with other classmates such as Mongo Santamaria's son, Monguito, Jose Mangual Jr., Rene Mcclean, Onaje Allen Gumbs, Stafford Osborne, Nelson Samafiego, a Puerto Rican alto saxophonist, DJ Cousin Brucie, Eric Bibb (son of Leo Bibb), Wilbur Bascomb(son of Ted Bascomb, bassist for Erskine Hawkins), Allison Dean, and Janis Ian, who was in his homeroom and dropped out sophomore year just after recording 'Society's Child.'[3]