PERCUSSIONIST, COMPOSER

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Gerardo Rosales was born the 6th of july in Caracas, Venezuela. Since 1993 he is living in Europe. At the age of 8 he starts studying the piano but at the same time he is interested in playing the congas and bongo. In 1977, at the age of 13, he gets to know Orlando Poleo, who invites him to study Afro Caribbean percussion at the "Taller de Arte" In the suburb Sarria in his native town Caracas. From 1977 till 1980 he studies congas and bongo with Orlando Poleo and timbales with Alberto Borregales. In 1985 he studies Afro Venezuelan percussion with Alexander Livinali at the "Fundación Bigott". In 1987 he starts making his career with important figures like Soledad Bravo, Cecilia Todd, Canelita Medina, Alberto Naranjo y el Trabuco Venezolano, Maria Rivas, Joe Ruiz, Ilan Chester, Orquesta Café, trina Medina y Yarake, Victor Cuica and many more. At the same time he founds his own orquestra named "Salsa 70" and with this band he does performances in all the suburbs, theaters and dance halls of the capital. In 1992 he is invited to participatie in the Expo Sevilla in Spain with the band "Caracas Son 7". From this moment he decides to stay in Europe. In 1993 he releases his first cd titled "Gerardo Rosales y su Salsa Pa'lante", this cd is recorded in Venezuela and released in Spain. He starts getting invitations to work in France with Alfredo Rodriguez and Orlando Poleo; in Germany with Conexión Latina and Nicky Marrero, in Holland with Saskia Laroo, José Avila y su Quimbombo and Cedric Dandaree. In 1995 he is invited by Paquito D'Rivera to participate in the recording of the CD "Bebo rides again" together with the legendary Cuban piano player Bebo Valdés. From 1996 till now, he is touring through Europe with his own projects of salsa and Latin jazz. With his concerts and recordings he has managed to spread and project the rhythms of Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Perú, Curaçao, Surinam and the Antilles. Herewith he has gained the respect and admiration of a big audience all over the world. In 2002 the song "La Salsa es mi Vida" of his so-called cd from 2002 was used as soundtrack for the movie "Madame Jeanette" directed by Dutch director Paula van der Oest. The year before she had been nominated for an Oscar for her movie "Zus en Zo" Gerardo also composed the song "Perdón". The titles of his recordings are: "Salsa pa' lante" (1992), "Venezuela Sonora" (1996), "Señor Tambó" (1998), "El Venezolano" (1999), "Ritmico y Pianistico" (2001), "La Salsa es mi Vida" (2001), "Tribute to Fania All Stars" (2003), Charanga La Crisis "Salsa Antigua" (2005), Mongomania "Tribute to Mongo Santamaria (2005).........

GERARDO ROSALES - SALSA MUNDIAL (2008)

many thanks to Marc Walboomers

Hermán Olivera, Prisca Dávila, Marcial Istúriz, Paulina May, Leonard Garcia, Astrid La Holandesa, Cheo Valenzuela,

Magda Méndes, Yumarya, Alberto Caicedo, Maria Weber, Yeci Ramos, Rafael Pino Lead vocals
Gwerardo Rosales Congas, bongo, timbaes, cajón, percusion menor
Thomas Böttcher Piano, Fender Rhodes, vives, organ
Randy Winterdal Bass
Nicole De Zabala Trombones
Jose Pérez Baritone sax
Jorge Glem Venezuelan cuatro
Ulas Aksunger Darbuka, bendir, riq
Rudi Albano, Daniel Delgado Saxes
Ramón Valle Melódica
Leonard García Guitars
Franco Seijas, Armando Vidal, Richie Gajate-García Timbales
Elena Gonzalez Flute
Daniel Reposo Portuguese guitar
Aleix Di Gisperti Viola
Isaac Narváez Piano
Jorge Villarroel Tambor campana
Cheo Valenzuela Coro
Marcial Istrúriz Coro

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