Francisco Aguabella


Francisco Aguabella was an Afro-Cuban percussionist whose career spanned folk, jazz, and dance bands. He was a prolific session musician and recorded seven albums as a leader.
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Biography

In Cuba

Aguabella was born in Matanzas, Cuba. He demonstrated a special aptitude for drumming at an early age, and was initiated into several Afro-Cuban drumming traditions, including batá, iyesá, arará, olokún, and abakuá. Aguabella also grew up with rumba.

In the United States

In the 1950s, he left Cuba to perform with Katherine Dunham in the Shelley Winters film Mambo filmed in Italy. He immigrated to the United States in 1953 and performed and toured with Peggy Lee for the next seven years. Francisco Aguabella is one of a handful of Cuban percussionists who came to the United States in the 1940s and 50s. Other notable Cuban percussionists who came to the U.S. during that time include Chano Pozo, Mongo Santamaria, Armando Peraza, Julito Collazo, Carlos Vidal Bolado and Modesto Durán. During his long career Aguabella performed in Europe, Australia, South America, and all over the United States. Francisco enjoyed an extensive music performing and recording career and delighted many audiences with his masterful and powerful rhythms.
Francisco performed with many great jazz artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Eddie Palmieri, Cachao, Lalo Schifrin, Cal Tjader, Nancy Wilson, Poncho Sanchez, Bebo Valdes, Carlos Santana, and numerous others. He is featured in the 1995 documentary Sworn to the Drum by filmmaker Les Blank, and is featured in a documentary titled Aguabella currently in production, directed by actor/filmmaker Orestes Matacena. He has also appeared with his ensemble on television programs including the Orlando Jones Show on FX.
During the 1970s he was a member of the Jorge Santana Latin rock band Malo. Francisco was a widely recognized master conguero and bata artist, a caring and knowledgeable instructor. Aguabella was a faculty member at the annual Explorations in Afro-Cuban Dance and Drum workshop hosted by the Humboldt State University Office of Extended Education in Arcata, California. He lived in Los Angeles, California, where he taught Afro-Cuban drumming to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Aguabella died in Los Angeles on May 7, 2010, of a cancer-related illness.

Instruments

Aguabella played congas, bata, quinto, coro, shekere, drums, claves, bongos, timbales, cajon and other assorted percussion instruments.

Awards and honors

Francisco received numerous awards including a 1992 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Durfee Foundation's Master Musicians' Fellowship, and recognition by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

Discography

As leader

Dance the Latin Way Hitting Hard Oriza: Santeria Religion Afrocubana H2O Agua de Cuba Cubacan Cantos a los Orishas
  • ''Ochimini''

As sideman

With CachaoMaster Sessions Volume I Master Sessions Volume II
With Peggy LeeMink Jazz In Love Again! In the Name of Love Pass Me By Guitars a là Lee Big $pender
With MaloDos Evolution Ascención
With Eddie PalmieriJusticia Lucumí, Macumba, Voodoo Sueño Champagne
With Tito PuenteTop Percussion El Rey
With Mongo SantamariaYambu Afro Roots
With Carlos SantanaThe Swing of Delight
With SantanaSpirits Dancing in the Flesh
With Lalo SchifrinGone with the Wave More Mission: Impossible Mannix Che!
With others

Filmography

  • 1954 — Mambo
  • 1995 — ''Sworn to the Drum: A Tribute to Francisco Aguabella''