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He is the touring drummer for 2 times GRAMMY & BILLBOARD Awards Winner Juan Luis Guerra & 440 (Bachata Rosa 92'/ No es lo Mismo ni es Igual 2000 / Para Ti 2005’). Also the drummer in Chichi Peralta's "De Vuelta al Barrio" Latin GRAMMY Winner 2001.
Born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Guy’s affection to music became an a early age through his parents records collection. They were serious “jazz listeners”, ranging from Miles Davis different outlet’s to the more “out there” Keith Jarret's ECM recordings.
And of course, a huge variety of latin music and singers of the era.
But probably his biggest influence was in the family itself….
His uncle Billo Frometa was a big star in Venezuela’s latin music scene and his fame spread all over Latin America and United States.
His uncles were also part of Billo’s Caracas Boys.. (Guy's father played guitar and most of his cousins are musicians too!!)
Growing up in a musical environment it’s the perfect recipe for anyone who desires “music” as a life commitment….(not always!!)
Guy pick up the drums at 5, and has been his main instrument since..
When he was a child, he studied with Luis Alberti (author of famous merengue “ Compadre Pedro Juan ”)
After that, he took music as serious as can get.. playing with different bands, TV shows,.etc.. All this while on his teens!
At 16 he was playing with Luis Dias & Transporte Urbano, a group that mixed rock with Dominican folcklore…from that band, Guy got his life’s motto… to become a “Dominican Drummer”.
In 1988 at 23, he move to New York to study Jazz Improvisation at Manhattan School of Music (1 year) and Drummers Collective (2 years).
It was the 1st time that he took formal drum lessons in his life (he took music classes in Sto.Dgo, but never drum lessons!!)
When arrived at the lesson, his teacher (Kim Plainfield) could not believe what he saw.. Guy held the sticks in a very ackward way.. Traditional, but his left hand hold the stick between his index & middle finger!!
And, his right hand palm down..!
From there he went on to perfectioning his craft, thanks to a lot of people who help him out through those years… Joel Rosenblatt took him under his wing, and became one of his closest friends and his idol!!
Guy also studied with Zack Danzinger, Marvin “smitty” Smith and Sam Ulano.
92’ thru 96’ while living in New York, opportunity “ knocks the door ” and he got to play with very well known musicians.
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Michel Camilo, Gato Barbieri, Leni Stern, Arturo O’farrill, Dave Moreno, Eddie Palmieri, Don Cherry, Mongo Santamaria, Wayne Krantz, Michael Katz, David Mann, Josh Workman, Daniel Ponce, Howard Prince, Kip Hanrahan, Tony Strong, Andrew Wyatt, The Interns.
In 1996 he move back to Dominican Republic to pursuit a long awaited dream of “Dominicanize” his drumming…..
Right away he began to submerge one more time in the folkcloric movement.. shedding an investigation…and lots of playing!
He’s from the generation of dominicans musicians that puts “his” culture first..
Since then he has performed / make TV appearances / recorded & toured with diferent bands & artists, among these are :
Arturo Sandoval, Luis Dias, Xiomara Fortuna, Patricia Pereyra, Tribu Del Sol, Miguel Bose, Spyro Gyra, Giovanni Hidalgo, Nestor Torres, Victor-Victor, Alejandro Sanz, Ana Belen, David Sanchez, Manuel Tejada, Negro’s, El Bule, Los Hombres Calientes, JLS, Pavel Nuñez, Ruben Blades, Papolosonoro, Amparo Sandino, Chichi Peralta & Son Familia, Oscar Micheli Trio, Jose Ant. Rodriguez, Sandy Gabriel & PP Jazz Emsenble, Eddy Herrera, Ilegales, Sergio Vargas,
Jandy Felix, Diego Torres, Luis Enrique, and many more.
During Summer 2005 Guy traveled worldwide with Juan Luis Guerra & 440
“ 20 Años Tour" .
The beggining of 2007 reunited him with longtime friend and virtuoso bass player Ramon Vazquez.. "He called me out of the blue, and says, Guy we're here at the studio waiting for you with Chucho Valdez!.." This recording will be out soon in Ramon's new cd "TRIOS"..
He also records the new Marteovenus cd, and he'll be doing some live dates with the group.
Recently,JLG & 440 has been hitting the road thru Colombia, Spain, Mexico and USA promoting their new cd “ La Llave De Mi Corazon “.. Be ready for the 2007 tour! Right now Guy it's an international clinician & endorser for MEINL Cymbals, VIC-FIRTH Sticks, FACTORY METAL PERCUSSION, ATTACK Drumheads and MAPEX Drums. Performs in different Jazz Festivals & venues with his own jazz group, and records his drums for local & international artists at his home studio in Santo Domingo.
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