Manolo Badrena

The track record of Puerto Rican percussionist Manolo Badrena goes back to jazz drummer and bandleader <a href="spotify:artist:6QQuESLtKhAOcLW2TeWC2t">Art Blakey</a>'s experiments combining percussionists from varying ethnic backgrounds. In the '70s, Badrena not only worked for several years with <a href="spotify:artist:162DCkd8aDKwvjBb74Gu8b">Weather Report</a>, at that point one of the top modern jazz attractions, but also toured with <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">the Rolling Stones</a> as a supplemental percussionist. Although he continued to work with rock artists, the former did more for his career; it led to sunny days with players such as <a href="spotify:artist:59SNrXVA519VMDpAktiSk3">Steve Khan</a> and to participation in <a href="spotify:artist:1Be36RHAlqJpfUt3tsmUQD">Spyro Gyra</a>. During the '80s, Badrena collaborated with <a href="spotify:artist:2PyoC81N6Uz8xs5Lzaquje">Bill Evans</a> (the saxophonist, not the pianist), and a stint with eccentric pianist and composer <a href="spotify:artist:4Byg6TGm4z9TEkUDvEJBGO">Carla Bley</a> lasted somewhat longer. Active through the 2000s, he performed and recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:3uyrv9nQfrgPEmArBeTye2">the Zawinul Syndicate</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5aPjR8RvE9JLdy8ywsBYLc">Trio Mundo</a>, and appeared on albums by <a href="spotify:artist:29LTr6jvpwHAul8510Tcor">Pete Levin</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0hEurMDQu99nJRq8pTxO14">John Mayer</a>, and longtime associate <a href="spotify:artist:6gc6oo3u2f7SqTd4mhe81O">Ahmad Jamal</a>. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, Rovi