Walfredo Reyes Jr. (born Walfredo de los Reyes Palau IV; December 18, 1955) is a

Cuban American Cuban Americans ( or ) are Americans who immigrated from or are descended from immigrants from Cuba. As of 2023, Cuban Americans were the fourth largest Hispanic and Latino American group in the United States after Mexican Americans, Stateside ...

musician who is an expert in

drum set A drum kit or drum set (also known as a trap set, or simply drums in popular music and jazz contexts) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and sometimes other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The drummer ty ...

and

auxiliary percussion The percussion section is one of the main divisions of the orchestra and the concert band. It includes most percussion instruments and all unpitched instruments. The percussion section is itself divided into three subsections: * Pitched percus ...

, and a

music educator Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do origina ...

and

clinician A clinician is a health care professional typically employed at a skilled nursing facility or clinic. Clinicians work directly with patients rather than in a laboratory, community health setting or in research. A clinician may diagnose, treat a ...

. He has performed with many

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

World music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

World fusion "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical category pose obstacles to a u ...

Afro-Cuban Afro-Cubans () or Black Cubans are Cubans of full or partial sub-Saharan African ancestry. The term ''Afro-Cuban'' can also refer to historical or cultural elements in Cuba associated with this community, and the combining of native African a ...

, and

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

bands as a touring, session recording, and full-time player/performer. Reyes is known for his fusion of many of the world's percussion techniques, including the ability to play a drum set with his hands in addition to the traditional use of drumsticks; it was said that he can "sound like a drummer and a percussionist at the same time" He was a member of

Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer * Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp ** Santana 20 ** Santan ...

and joined

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

as the percussionist from 2012 to 2018, at which point he took over the drum seat. He also performed in the band of former

Nazareth Nazareth is the largest Cities in Israel, city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. In its population was . Known as "the Arab capital of Israel", Nazareth serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic and ...

guitarist

Manny Charlton Manuel Charlton (25 July 1941 – 5 July 2022) was a Spanish-born Scottish musician and record producer, best known as a founding member of the influential Scottish hard rock band Nazareth; he was the band's lead guitarist from 1968 to 1990. H ...

. Reyes is the title character of the

Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and keyboardist Page McConnell, all of whom perform vocals, with Anastasio being the ...

song "Walfredo".

Biography

Walfredo Reyes Jr. was born on December 18, 1955, in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Walfredo Reyes, Sr.; one brother is

world music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

percussionist Daniel de los Reyes; another brother is actor

Kamar de los Reyes Kamar de los Reyes (November 8, 1967 – December 24, 2023) was a Puerto Rican actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Antonio Vega on the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'', primary antagonist Raul Menendez of the 2012 video game '' C ...

; and his grandfather is trumpeter and Cuban orchestral organizer, Walfredo de los Reyes II. Leading up to his current role with the band

, Reyes had a connection as a lifelong fan of the band, as a long-time friend of and collaborator with former drummer

Tris Imboden Gregory Tristan "Tris" Imboden (born July 27, 1951) is an American rock and jazz drummer. As a performer, he has been in studio sessions and on tour with some of the most notable and highest-selling musicians of all time. He was the drummer fo ...

, and as brother of Chicago's previous percussionist Daniel de los Reyes. The first album Reyes purchased as a youth was with his own money was ''

Chicago Transit Authority The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of public transport, mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago "L" and List of Chicago Transit Authority bus routes, CTA bu ...

'' Walfredo Reyes Jr. and his wife Kirsten were married on March 21, 2020, and live in

Greater Cincinnati The Cincinnati metropolitan area (also known as the Cincinnati Tri-State area or Greater Cincinnati) is a metropolitan area with its core in Ohio and Kentucky. Its largest city is Cincinnati and includes surrounding counties in the U.S. states ...

. For the 2021 movie ''

Being the Ricardos ''Being the Ricardos'' is a 2021 American biographical drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, about the relationship between ''I Love Lucy'' stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star as Ball and Arnaz, w ...

'', Reyes coached and mentored

Javier Bardem Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (born 1 March 1969) is a Spanish actor. In a career spanning over three decades, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, tw ...

in learning the conga drums performed in the film. Reyes has globally toured and/or recorded with countless international acts, including the following:

Discography

Videography

Equipment

Reyes uses and has used the following equipment: * DW Drums * Vic Firth Zildjian * Beato Bags *

Mapex Drums Mapex Drums (Music And Percussion EXcellence) is a Taiwanese brand of musical instruments established by KHS Musical Instruments in 1989. Instruments manufactured with the "Mapex" name include drum kits, snare drums and hardware. Products Map ...

Sabian Cymbals Sabian ( ) is a Canadian cymbal manufacturing company based in New Brunswick. It was established in 1981 in the village of Meductic, which is now part of Lakeland Ridges, where the company is still headquartered. Sabian is considered one of the ...

Latin Percussion {{for, the company, Latin Percussion Latin percussion is a family of percussion, membranophone, lamellophone and idiophone instruments used in Latin music. Instruments Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican styles Folkloric and Santeria * Trap drums * Abaku ...

Remo Drumheads Remo Inc. is an American musical instruments manufacturing company based in Valencia, California, and founded by Remo Belli in 1957. Products manufactured include drum kits, drumheads, drums, and hardware, and various percussion instruments. ...

Regal Tip Regal Tip is one of the world's largest manufacturers of drum sticks and other percussion mallets. They produce a range of beaters, but are particularly noted as a manufacturer of premium steel brushes and nylon tipped drumsticks. In 2003, the c ...

: Walfredo "''El Rockero''" Reyes Jr. signature series drumsticks. Reyes designed his own signature series of drum sticks, earning him Regal Tip's unique nickname of "''El Rockero''" (lit. "The Rocker" in English.) *Audix microphones *Protection Racket drum cases

Notes

References

External links

* *
Official Chicago website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reyes, Walfredo Jr. 1955 births Living people American performance artists Cuban jazz percussionists American jazz percussionists Cuban jazz drummers American jazz drummers 21st-century American composers American male composers Chicago (band) members 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians American jazz composers Cuban jazz composers

Walfredo Reyes Jr. Walfredo Reyes Jr. (born Walfredo de los Reyes Palau IV; December 18, 1955) is a Cuban American musician who is an expert in drum set and auxiliary percussion, and a music educator and clinician. He has performed with many jazz, Latin, World musi ...

Musicians from Havana American male drummers