Daniel Ponce

A star percussionist and one of the finest to come from Cuba since the heyday of Chano Pozo, Candido Camero, and Armando Peraza, Daniel Ponce displayed rhythmic mastery of both traditional Cuban sounds and contemporary African-American rhythms. Ponce's grandfather was a famous bata drum player and gave his grandson his earliest training. Ponce played cowbell with Los Brillantes in Havana at 11. He switched to congas as a teen, and played with Comparso Federacion Estudiantil Universitario. He came to America in 1980, and soon moved to New York. Andy and Jerry González invited P...