Chago
Martinez began playing timbales professionally
more than twenty years ago and still has
the wooden LP bongos his father bought
him when he was fourteen.
Currently,
he is the timbalero and musical director
for one of Puerto Rico's hottest young
salseros, Victor Manuelle. Chago has been
working with Manuelle since the outset
of the singer's career and has recorded
six albums in as many years. A first-call
session player in Puerto Rico, Chago has
worked with many of that country's major
artists, including Gilberto Santa Rosa,
Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz, Tito Nieves,
Cheo Feliciano, Jose Feliciano, Danny
Rivera, Domingo Quiñones, Jose
Alberto, and Perico Ortiz.
In
addition, he records advertising jingles,
and is a longtime teacher of percussion
at Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music Middle
School. Chago cites as influences the
music of Tito
Puente, Nicky Marrero, and Jimmy
Delgado.
