Bembe Conversations

An accomplished musician, author, teacher, and DJ, Arturo Rodriguez has performed worldwide, sharing the stage with such music legends as Tito Puente, Dave Valentin, Paul Horn, Pete Escovedo, Brandi Carlile, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and many more. Never one to stand still for very long, Arturo is both a familiar face and a powerful force on the local Seattle music scene. While moving through the musical boundaries of jazz, pop, rock, and even folk music, Arturo has an amazing talent for bringing people together in a social setting. Arturo grew up in Los Angeles, in a household where his mother was a passionate mambo and salsa dancer, and his father was an avid conguero who played with the Hispanic Music Association and formed the group Salsa Express. They made certain music integral to everyday family life. Arturo admits it is no surprise that he wound up in a career so completely reflective of his childhood experiences. "Each morning, my mother would wake us up for school with the music of Celia Cruz and Ismael 'Cortijo' Rivera, and a lot of soulful footwork in the living room." Arturo's early love of percussion led him to study with several prominent ethnomusicologists, and eventually became the genesis of his own company, Interact and Learn, which offers self-study courses, workshops, and public and private training for beginner through advanced students. Now, with three books in his Ethnic Percussion Series (published by Mel Bay Publications), and a growing online training business, Arturo's teaching style stresses the importance of community.