Nick Herman
Percussionist / Composer / Arranger
(212) 865-0896
email: nick AT quimbombo.com
www.quimbombo.com/nick
www.myspace.com/nikinho
www.youtube.com/jicamo66

INSTRUMENTS PLAYED: Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian percussion including congas, bongos, bells, shakers, chekere, surdo, snare drum, agogô, repinique, timbau, chocalho, tamborim, pandeiro, foot pedals, djembe, guiro, etc.; Thai gongs.

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE:

- Director, arranger, percussionist, Quimbombó. Band formed in 1995 to interpret and combine Afro-Latin music, especially Cuban son, with jazz and blues elements. Arranged, composed and produced recordings, 1996, 2004 and 2008. Group has performed at many venues including Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night's Swing, SOB's, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and the Brooklyn Museum.

- Musical Director/Arranger/Recording Producer for the independent film Corazon de Melon (currently still in production); produced recordings of quartet and 13 piece Afro Cuban Mambo Orchestra.

-Grupo Ribeiro Samba Performance Company--appeared on instructional DVD and audio CD.

- various freelance engagements including : Trey Anastasio, Roberto Poveda, Gary Morgan & Panamericana, Unidos de Lucas Samba School (Rio Carnaval), Son de Brooklyn, Nanni Assis, Dendê, Son de Brooklyn, Las Gardenias, Pupi Insua's Grupo Oriki, Jorge Alabê, Jay Collins, and Mecca Bodega.

- Solo performances of all original music for Thai gongs

- accompany dance classes at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Jose Limón Dance Studio, Joffrey Dance School, Djoniba Dance and Drum Center, Dancespace, Revolution Studios.

COMPOSITION/ARRANGING EXPERIENCE:

- over 80 arrangements of Jazz and Cuban dance music

- original music for Quimbombó

- pieces for percussion ensemble and Thai gongs

- co-composed and arranged Firefishers material (released on CD)

EDUCATION:

- Afro-Latin Percussion: studied in Cuba and Brazil and at Drummer Collective and Harbor Performing Arts Center with members of Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, members of AfroCuba de Matanzas, members of Cutumba (leading folkloric group in Santiago de Cuba), Changuito, Bobby Sanabria, Roberto Vizciano, Los Hermanos Cepeda, Roland Guerrero, Jorge Alabê, Cabello Rolim, Justino Rogers.

- Drumset/Classical Percussion/Marimba/Vibraphone: studied with Claire Heldrich (at Manhattan School of Music), Angelo Miranda, and Hollis Headrick.

- Music Theory/Arranging: studied at Mannes College of Music, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Jazzmobile and Manhattan School of Music.

OTHER: articles on Cuban music have appeared in Aché and the All Music Guide. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.