Biography
Carlos Caro was born in Havana, Cuba in 1967. He grew up in a little town call Guanajay at the west of Havana. From an early age, he was strongly drawn to Cuban music, and, in particular, to percussion. From playing as a child at the World Youth Festival in Havana , to being a member of school bands, his teenage years were filled with experiences that would foment his interest in percussion as well as put him on the path to success.
He began his professional musical career with the group Clave. Among the note-worthy musicians who played with him in Clave were "Puly" Hernandez, the current lead singer of Dan Den as well as the sons of the revered Cuban trombonist, Juan Pablo Torres. His experience in Clave was important in his development as a percussionist; it was during this time that he experimented with using a third bongo head, or the "Tri-bongo".Clave also acted as a springboard to other musical opportunities.
Exposure was beginning to get him the attention of other respected bands in Cuba. 1990 saw him begin a new stage in his career as the first bongocero for Opus 13, a band which eventually metamorphosed into Paulo y Su Elite. During his two and a half year involvement with the band, he recorded two albums. The band was headed by Paulo Fernandez Gallo, one of the most well recognized and respected artists in Cuban music. Central American, European and Asian tours followed. The band also formed part of singer Jackeline Castellanos 1990-1991 tour and recorded the album, La Dama Del Son. The recording was nominated for the "EGREM" award given by the Music Recording and Editing Association of Cuba.
In late 1993, he emigrated to Mexico. Taking up residence in Mexico City, he played with groups such as 40 Grados, La Ley, La Rumbantela and various other Cuban ensembles. During his stay in Mexico , he was introduced to other genres of music.He also performed a work in the Danzon style with the Mexico City Philharmonic.
He has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1996 and has become a much sought-after percussionist, working with established Bay Area musicians such as Rebeca Mauleón,Anthony Blea y su Charanga, Jesus Diaz and his QBA,Grupo Malo,Jorge Santana,Karl Perazzo's Avance, Orquesta Ritmo y Armonia,and Orquesta La Moderna Tradicion among many others. He also has played with Eddie Palmieri, Armando Perazza, Rey Ruiz, Pedro Brull, Luisito Carrion,Anthony Cruz, Nino Segarra,Danny Lozada,Ommy Cardona,Nachito Herrera,Pepito Gomez,Adonis Puentes and Omar Sosa, the great Paraguayan Harpist Ramon Romero among others. In 2004 released an album entitled: Kitikimba Pa’ti with his own band Vission Latina debuting as a composer. The second album titled Sonado Como un Cañon was be released last June of this 2010.
His desire to bring his music to students of music resulted in his recording of an instructional CD, Muy Caliente, with the aforementioned Mauleón, Orestes Vilató, Oscar Stagnaro and Edgardo Cambón. He was also nominated by the website timba.com as the best bongosero from Cuba in the timba style.
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