Visiting Artist Series

Sal Cuevas Legacy
Presented by Ruben Rodriguez

Master Latin Bass player Ruben Rodriguez will present a Clinic about the different innovations by the
legendary bassist Sal Cuevas.

Sal Cuevas was an American electric bass guitarist and upright bassist who was for many years a member of

the salsa music group Fania All-Stars, circa (1978-1985), as well as several other top name salsa groups of the
time such as Johnny Pacheco, Héctor Lavoe, Willie Colon/Ruben Blades, etc. During this time, he was also one

of five bass players in New York City who recorded many of the "Jingles" for T.V. and Radio (The others were
Marcus Miller, Will Lee, Francisco Centeno, and Neil Jason). For his High School years he attended the Fiorello H.
LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts

Sal was born in Manhattan in 1955, and raised in The Bronx, New York City of Puerto Rican parents. He grew up
in the tough streets of the South Bronx where at the age of five, his dad began helping him develop his deep love
of music, and as a result Sal was able to stay away from the negative influences those streets can bring. Musically
speaking, the demographics of the city during the time provided Sal with a tremendous array of musical influ-
ences which he absorbed and later incorporated into his bass playing technique and style.

Ruben Rodriguez was born in New York City and grew up in East Harlem and Puerto Rico. He has been recog-
nized as one of the best and hardest-working Latin music bass players in the United States. Rodriguez, whose
father played classical guitar, taught himself the bass in junior high, then spent some time under the tutelage of
esteemed bassist Victor Venegas.

Since getting his first break playing with Johnny Colon in 1979, he has worked with Grover Washington Jr.,
Roberta Flack, Ray Barretto, Tito Puente, and Machito. His exhaustive discography includes work with Marc
Anthony, Dave Samuels, Dave Valentin, David Byrne, and Eddie Palmieri, just to name a few. Along with his pro-
ducer/friend Sergio George, Rodriguez has been noted as revolutionizing the sound of contemporary popular
salsa.

 

Thursday, October 4
1:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Berk Hall, 1A l I
1140 Boylston Street

LATIN
MUSIC
STUDIES

 

Co-Sponsored by the Berklee Bass Dept and LMS
Coordinated by Oscar Stagnaro
Student Coordinators: Joana Obieta