Chembo Corniel Quintet

Hery Paz – tenor sax / flute
Carlos Cuevas – piano
Alex “Apolo” Ayala – bass
Joel E. Mateo – drums
Chembo Corniel – congas / percussion
Percussionist & GRAMMY nominee Wilson “Chembo” Corniel was raised in the humble streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn. It was during these years as a quick-witted youngster that he had the privilege and honor to study with luminaries of the Afro-Caribbean percussion tradition, such as Tommy Lopez Sr., “Little Ray” Romero, Louie Bauzo and Cachete Maldonado. Chembo honed his skills at The Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts in New York and at the prestigious La Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana, Cuba under the direction of the great Chucho Valdés.
His intense studies with such legends channeled his energy onto a path where he has now created a reputation for himself among musicians and the public. Today, he is considered as one of the best hard-hitting, versatile percussionists around. Chembo has toured with many major artists throughout Europe, Asia, North & South America, and the Caribbean. He received a GRAMMY nomination for “Best Latin Jazz Album” for his CD release Things I Wanted To Do.
As a part of this evening’s program, a long-time collaborator and friend, poet and spoken word artist David Gonzalez will join the group on stage.