Enrique Maestre

'Enrique (Jaïme) Maestre' (January 6 1963) is one of the well-known Latin music historians and percussionist.

He started to play “percussion” when he was eight years old on turned up-side-down soapboxes.

When he was ten years old his father send him to a music school to develop his “talents” and he took lessons in Latin percussion. Soon he became interested in the history of Latin music and in time it became his devotion.

He took lessons from Niky Marrero (former Fania All Stars percussionist), studied Latin music and history (Music Academy in Madrid) and visited Cuba several times to participate in lectures and workshops from Odilio Urfé and Helio Orovio.

After this and some researches he did in Africa, South America and Central America he wrote nine books about the history of Latin music and his most resent book “The history of Latin music and percussion” (2004) has been translated in several languages, even Turkish.

During his researches and visits to other countries he had the opportunity to be a guest performer with several artists like: Jose Feliciano, Celia Cruz and Tito Puente he also jammed with other percussionist like: Luis Conte and Steve Boston. Regarding to himself as “the ambassador of Latin music” he is devoted to pass the music and its history to the young generation “to continue the tradition” (seguir la tradición).