EDY MARTINEZ, THE MUSIC ARCHITECT BEHIND THE PIANO

If you go to New York City and ask any Latin jazz legend about Edy Martínez they will tell you about him. Edy Martínez is a Colombian pianist, percussionist, composer, arranger and musical director who has been living and creating music in New York for over 50 years. You, as a reader or listener, could say that his name does not sound familiar, and you could be right because this artist has not appeared on the majority of the covers of the works he has participated in. Edy Martínez is a humble musician who loves to help other artists create their own magic. Behind the greatest of legends there will always be brilliant people working together around the love for music, and Mr. Martínez is one of those passionate people. His passion for composition and arrangement art goes farther than being the leading protagonist or being noticed on an album cover or in the credit list.

His talent has been translated as a pianist, arranger and director on more than 100 albums of jazz, salsa, and Latin jazz. Many of his arrangements have been nominated for Grammy Awards. As a musical director he has accompanied musical icons like Ray Barreto, Gato Barbieri, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaría and Dizzy Gillespie. As a pianist he has played with almost all the legends and icons of the salsa and Latin jazz world including Rubén Blades, Jerry Gonzalez, Celia Cruz, Alfredito de la Fé, Paquito de Rivera and many others. His story from the beginning has been exciting and full of amazing challenges and magical experiences. Here we go.

A Little Child in Search of His Own Path

Eduardo Martínez Bastidas, better known as Edy Martínez, was born in 1942, in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia. He grew up in a family deeply rooted in music, and was exposed to all kinds of music right from the very beginning. His father was a trombonist and musical director, and his mother, a disciplined pianist.

When he was just a little baby the family had to leave Pasto and decided to settle in Bogota. His father had won a competition to be a trombonist as part of the National Band.

The first instrument Edy had was an accordion; with it his mother gave him the first basic ideas about chords and harmony. He started formally playing an instrument when he was eight years old. In his father´s orchestra little Edy played the conga. By that time Manuel Martínez Pollit, Edy´s father, was already a respectable musician and musical director in the capital. At the age of ten Edy was accepted into the National Conservatory of Colombia where he started studying with a Russian piano teacher. From the beginning he thought that the teacher was too severe and strict for him. One year later young Edy expressed his feelings about the teacher and begged his parents to find another way for him to keep learning music. He promised his parents to do whatever it took to learn music as long as he could have a different teacher. So, Edy’s mother became in charge of his musical learning and his father sat beside him to check his practice of the piano.

A Curious Little One Becoming a Musician

Four years later, after listening, appreciating and studying the basics of music, he became the pianist and drummer of Américo Belloto’s orchestra. Mr. Belloto, an Argentinian violinist, was the director of the famous orchestra Don Américo y sus Caribes, who played tropical music and boleros. During this time Edy also had the chance to play with Pepe Reyes´ band and with the Cuban singer Alex Tovar.

The young Edy was now ready to be part of a record and in 1954 this came to fruition. He played the piano on the album of the Colombian singer Yolima Pérez. He started showing his honest love for music and by the next year was playing the drums with the Chilean pianist Mario Ahumada. The rumors about Edy’s talent were spreading fast and some months later the adolescent appeared as the drummer in a television show with Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velásquez.

The End of the 50´s

Before Edy Martínez, other Colombian musicians had already been playing with international Latin stars. Colombian musicians like Hernando Becerra, an experienced artist who, by the 50´s, had already played with Tito Puente and Machito. For musical reasons Mr. Martínez Pollit and Mr. Becerra had already formed a strong friendship.

One day, while walking by a downtown street in Bogota, his father bumped into Mr. Becerra. After a warm hug Mr. Becerra invited him to play together at the “Festival de Blancos y Negros” (Black and White Festival) in Pasto. It was during this festival that Mr. Becerra heard young Edy playing the drums. After the concert he, excited, approached the young drummer to ask him about his musical skills. By this time Edy was already reflecting the natural effects of the musical environment that he had grown up in. As a child he had serious exposure to three kinds of music; classical, jazz and Latin music. That pure contact had given him a musical richness that no one in those days could easily obtain.Furthermore his father´s initiative to build a small studio where he could listen, study and play, was the perfect refuge to travel to other worlds and explore new sounds. For Martínez the best teachers were not only in the conservatory, but in that little studio. There were constant meetings with teachers like Tito Puente, Count Basie, Machito and Miles Davis. Martínez started to understand the logic of the two musical worlds which formed in his mind; jazz and Afro Latin music.

 

Edy, as a drummer, with Don Américo y sus Caribes, 1959. Photo Courtesy of Edy Martínez.

Edy, Ready to Leave his Country

The two friends, Becerra and Martínez Pollit, had said bye after that tour in Pasto. Mr. Becerra continued touring in the United States as an international musician and Edy continued in Bogota with his father. In 1959 he received a telegram from Hernando Becerra who was in Aruba at the time. The message was an invitation to temporarily be part of his orchestra because the band’s drummer had suddenly left. This budding artist accepted the invitation. After that tour in Aruba, Hernando offered him an opportunity to go to the United States to play with his band as a permanent drummer. For the Colombian director Edy was the perfect musician for the part; Mr. Becerra had always had to hire two drummers for his group because he had two repertoires: one about Afro Latin music and the other about jazz. No drummers, so far, had been able to play both repertoires, but Edy was the first.The talented Martínez accepted the offer and started what would be the trip that ignited his career as an international musician.

Welcome to the First World!

In 1960 Edy Martínez played with Becerra´s orchestra for three months in Miami. The young drummer could not believe he was playing in the country of jazz. Unexpectedly, Mr. Becerra changed his plans and decided to go back to Colombia. On the contrary Edy was at an exciting age and wanted to experience and explore what he had studied, jazz and Latin music, and he was in the perfect place to do so; the United States. Though alone, the young musician decided to stay. At that point he felt that he did not want to be a drummer but instead wanted to be a full-fledged pianist. In Miami he started looking for a job as a pianist, he wanted to show everybody his talent. During his search he went to a new club where Cuban musicians used to play. There, Edy went straight up to the director and introduced himself and asked him if he could play for a while. That director accepted and listened to the Colombian pianist.

Coincidence or not, this band’s pianist became very sick so the director asked this young pianist to play with them. This was the first job that he got by himself without having any friend to get help from. This was about conviction and passion for music.

After some weeks working in that club, a show started performing in the city where the host was the singer Rubén Gonzales. Mr. Gonzales was already aware of Edy’s work in the club and invited him to tour with other Cuban musicians. Initially the tour was planned for fourteen weeks in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, but the tour actually extended for two years. He was now experiencing a unique period in New Orleans, he was sharing his knowledge and above all learning from all kinds of jazz musicians in the Boom Boom Room Club, a Latin club on Borbon Street, a particular jazz street where the best of the best played for fun, love and money. There was still more to explore in the exciting city of Louisiana, Edy needed to go to a special place where musicians got together to play. In this place Mr. Martínez met Tatara Vasquez. This time the young musician from Pasto knew that the prestigious artist was looking for a pianist so he did not hesitate to show his interest. That night Mr. Vasquez did not pay too much attention to him. Surprisingly, he was called for an audition which consisted of playing Tito Rodríguez, Machito and Tito Puente’s songs, works that he knew very well. Edy started with a brilliant performance of Puente’s song “Mango del Monte” (Mango of the Mount) which was enough to get him the job as a pianist for Tatara Vasquez and the Ritmo Swing Orchestra.

Mr. Martínez started to express his improvisation skills in the middle of a difficult and hard fought field where there were really virtuous Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians. In 1963 Edy returned to Miami and worked with Pupi Campo and Chico Oréfiche. Being involved in this intense musical moment he had all the elements he needed to make a big decision; to go to New York City to settle.

A Big Apple for Edy

In New York, in 1965, Mr. Martínez played with a musician named Louis Barcelo, Joe Quijano’s flautist. In the middle of one of Barcelo’s shows in the Bronx neighborhood, Edy played passionately without any knowledge that moments later he would meet a man named Ray Barreto. Mr. Barreto, had been waiting close by for a meeting with his own band members to play on another stage, when he happened to catch Edy’s performance. After the concert Mr. Barreto came up to Martínez, introduced himself and asked for his phone number. Some days later the percussionist called Edy to ask him if he wanted to work as a pianist and arranger because in two weeks the pianist of La Charanga Moderna, Barreto’s band, would be leaving the group. The Colombian pianist had no doubts about answering positively, so Mr. Barreto gave him the two weeks to study the musical arrangements for his album. The reality was that he did not have any knowledge about arranging music at that time but he decided to take a risk and told Barreto that he could collaborate with part of the arrangements. From that day on, Edy went to Lincoln Center Library everyday to study musical arranging theories. He was prepared to do anything to demonstrate his love and passion for music. After long study sessions, he showed Mr. Barreto his work and very soon the Colombian pianist was recording his first album in North America, called “Señor 007”, in which he played the piano and arranged six songs.

 

Mr. Martínez with Ray Barreto’s Orchestra, Maracaibo, Venezuela, 1966. Photo Courtesy of Edy Martínez.

That same year, Edy participated in another of Barreto’s projects, the album “El Ray Criollo”, where he was the pianist, arranger of many songs, and composer of the song “Rareza en Guajira” (Rarity in Guajira). In 1967 Barreto produced a new album, “Latino con soul” (Latin with Soul) where Mr. Martínez played the piano and wrote some arrangements.

The 70’s Coming, a Good Feeling

With the experience he had acquired from working on Barreto’s albums, the musical doors in New York City opened for Mr. Martínez. In 1970 he was the pianist for the icon of Afrolatin music, Mongo Santamaría. Together they recorded the work “Feeling”. He continued to gain more and more experience and a good reputation. The next year Martínez would be part of an expressive live album with Santamaría’s band called “Mongo at Montreaux” recorded at the prestigious Montreaux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland. The same day, after this tremendous concert, the well-known Argentinian saxophonist Gato Barbieri went to Edy’s dressing room to meet him and congratulate him on his piano performance. Behind the stage, in a very short time, the two musicians were laughing and having fun, realizing that Barbieri’s uncle was the saxophonist who participated in the same band where Edy had played as a teenager in the Grill Paris Club, in Bogota. That first meeting was the beginning of an inseparable friendship and musical union. But it wasn’t until 1974 when they officially started working together.

In 1972 he participated in another album for Mr. Santamaría; “Up From the Roots”. A year later Edy reunited with Barreto again and worked together to create a jazz album, an unusual work from Barreto and one of the most brilliant albums Barreto would create, “The Other Road”. This album was produced by Fania Records and garnered a Grammy music award. In this work Edy composed the main title demonstrating his capacity to create melodic music lines. By this time he was making big strides and sharing recording studios with exceptional musicians like Artie Webb and Billy Cobhan. This same year, at the top of his career, Barreto with his help launched “Indestructible”.

As his experience increased more challenging projects continued to emerge. In 1974 Edy participated in four albums. He played the piano for Justo Betancourt (“Justo Betancourt”), Menique (Soy Hijo de Changó), and Monguito Rivera (“Es Una Nota”). During this year Edy recorded his first album with Gato Barbieri called “Viva Emiliano Zapata”.

1975 was a fantastic time for Mr. Martínez in terms of production and creation. He continued working with Mr. Barbieri playing the piano on the album “Chapter Four”. After this work a series of salsa albums came dancing into Edy´s life. He collaborated as an arranger in another two albums for Barreto (“Barreto” and “Barreto Live”), and for the first time shared his talent with the innovative pianist Larry Harlow, the Wonderful Jewish, in the albums “El Jardín del Amor” (The Garden of Love”) and “Salsa”. The creativity process this year could not have finished better than having the opportunity to participate in two musical pieces that later would be mandatory acquisitions for any music lover: the first one, as a co-producer of “Un retrato de Tito Rodríguez”, a compilation of one of the most remarkable gems that latin music has ever had in history. The second, as an arranger of the piano line for the song “Resemblance” in the album “Unfinished Masterpiece” by the piano master Eddie Palmieri.

By now he had made his distinctive mark as a versatile musician. He could infuse intensity in Afro Latin styles but also in the most progressive of jazz pieces as he demonstrated in 1976, in the album “New Worlds” by the legendary drummer Joe Chambers. Here Edy contributed with his wonderful Fender Rhodes playing some heavy grooves as well as lighter and melodic compositions. Three more albums with Gato Barbieri completed his busy agenda: “Caliente”, “Ruby Ruby” and “Passion Fire”.

In 1977 the rhythms of salsa music were calling him again insistently; they would never leave him and wanted to be very close to him. Edy invited these rhythms in, as he always had. This year he participated in five salsa albums with great artists including Pete Conde Rodríguez (“A Touch of Class”), Luo Peres (“De todo un poco”), Raúl Marrero (“Romántico y Salsero”), Ray Barreto (“Eye of the Beholder”), and Larry Harlow (“La raza latina”).

More Latin Music

Another album with his inseparable music partner, Gato Barbieri, was produced; in 1978 the Colombian musician was the pianist and arranger of “Trópico”. Given that Edy had played with Barcelo and Barreto in the early 70’s, many growing and prominent salsa musicians started recognizing him in the Latin music scene. This was enough to be called years later by Fania, to participate in an album with Vitín Aviles, nicknamed “El Cantante del Amor” (“The Singer of Love”).

His commitment to unique interpretation afforded him the chance to have a meeting with Tito Puente, the famous timbalero, to collaborate as an arranger in a magnificent album which paid tribute to the unforgettable Benny More, “Homenaje a Benny More”. This tribute was awarded a Grammy music award.

Edy was in the right place, at the right time and with the right people. Immersed in the multicultural city of New York, Martínez, in a natural way, felt he wanted to look for new sounds, musical fusions and experiments, alternative ideas which would allow him to enter into yet undiscovered territory. This is how he came to work as a pianist with the talented Puerto Rican trumpeter, arranger and composer Luis Perico Ortiz, settled in the Big Apple.

Ortiz’s band was composed of artists that later turned into legends in the salsa music scene. For his album “My Own Image” Ortiz had qualified musicians like Eddie Montalvo, Rubén Blades and Edy, who played the piano and the synthesizer. This experience, along with his musical works with Gato Barbieri, was another clue of what Martínez was searching for, new sounds and of course the true silhouette of Latin jazz music. In this first work on Ortiz’s album, mentioned above, one can see that the musical concept was rather advanced for that period, for example, in the song “Viva Martínez” you find a symbiosis of gipsy, montuno, jazz and groove where Edy plays a magical, funky and bluesy synthesizer solo.

 

Edy Martínez and Gato Barbieri, playing in New York. Photo Courtesy of Edy Martínez.

Just Like Magic

Edy lived in three places: his apartment, the studio, and on the stage. In 1979 he participated in a total of seven albums: Two for Barreto (“Ricanstruccion” and “Gracias”), and one for Barbieri (“Euphoria”), Típica 73 (“Record in Cuba”), Federico Crespo (“De NY para el Caribe”) and Pete Conde Rodríguez (“Soy la ley”).

With Pete Conde Rodríguez, Edy was off to Holland to play for a week. Every night while in Holland an unknown man would sit very close to him, in the first row of the auditorium. The man always watched Edy’s performances, very interested. On the fourth night, he could not continue without asking the man who he was and why he had attended every concert and sat so close to him. The man introduced himself and told Edy that he was very interested in knowing more about what he was playing. That mysterious man was Jan Laurens Hartong, a Dutch pianist, who wanted to learn about Latin music. The Colombian artist shared all his knowledge about montunos, tumbaos and guajeos. A few days later Martínez left Holland.

Years later he would travel to Holland and meet Mr. Hartong again to see how he had created what had become known in the Latin scene as Nueva Manteca, considered by critics to be the most important Latin jazz band in Europe.

In those days, the King of Timbal, Tito Puente, had decided to temporarily halt concerts with his orchestra. So the American-Jewish Martin Cohen, owner of the prestigious Latin Percussion LP Company, proposed an idea to Mr. Puente, to form a band and start what would be one of the most extraordinary bands of all times. After scoring the participation of the conga-playing symbol, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, other musicians were called: Sal Cuevas as a bass player (replacing Andy González), the trumpeter René López, the drummer Steve Berríos, the percussionist Johnny “Dandy” Rodríguez, and the singers Nancy O´Neill and Jeanette Rodríguez. Cohen and Puente almost had the full band but one instrument was missing.

Very early in the morning, before the group started recording this project, Edy received a call from Tito Puente telling him that they were waiting for him to record an album that very same day. The first question Martínez asked was about the material he had to play, but Tito’s answer was that they did not have any material, all they had was a huge desire to play, to create, to “jam”. With Edy as the final missing link, the Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble was finally formed and its album “Just Like Magic” was composed and recorded with great doses of pure improvisation, feeling and talent. For this album Mr. Martínez wrote the songs “The Opener”, “Martínez Blues” and “Afro Mood”.

Cohen’s idea was a hit. With this project the sextet toured Asia and Europe, but because of contracts and others tours the original members of the band could not always play, so other musicians joined the band like the virtuous violinist Alfredito de la Fé, the guitar player Toots Thielemans, and the pianist Jorge Dalto, keeping up the level that characterized the project.

The Conexión Latina of the 80’s

The following years were full of more albums and unforgettable concerts. Edy was the arranger of “Libre Increíble” for Many Oquendo and “Into the 80’s” for Típica 73. He never stopped playing with Barbieri, and two more albums were produced with the Argentinean saxophonist, “Para los amigos” and “Apasionado” in 1983.

Among scores, arrangements, rehearsals and shows, Edy made his headquarters wherever anything in terms of music could happen. There was one such place called El Corso, where Latin stars like Machito, Johnny Pacheco and Orquesta Broadway played. In El Corso Edy was part of the in-house band conducted by the vibraphonist Louie Ramírez. It was also here that Mr. Martínez met the elite of salsa and Latin jazz including Arsenio Rodríguez.

Edy got a contract to play in some concerts in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While there he met up with Wito Rodríguez, the singer of Conexión Latina, who wanted him to be involved in that project lead by trombone player Rudi Fuesers. One week later Edy was on his way to Munich, Germany to work as a pianist and arranger. From the beginning the orchestra was formed of artists from different Latin American countries which ultimately gave the band a unique sound. In 1984 their debut album, “Calorcito”, was a wonderful display of energy and swing. An example of Mr. Martínez’s contribution in terms of playing can be noted in the song “Latin Groove” a delight with the powerful and soul stirring sound of the piano.

While in Germany, Edy received a call from Ray Mantilla to play in Paris. He fell in love with the French capital and after his concerts with Mr. Mantilla, he lived in Paris for three years. Two trombones, two trumpets and a full percussion set were enough to have his band playing with American musicians who were also serving in the military service. These musicians had asked for military permission so that they could perform with the band. Edy never wanted to leave Paris, but destiny made him do it.

Edy’s piano playing talent had surpassed borders and countries. In 1989 Edy was invited to be part of “Pianos Latinos” a huge concert where some of the most prestigious pianists would play together. This show brought together Michel Camilo, Ricky González, and Amuni Nacer, under the direction of Eddie Palmieri.

 

Edy Martínez rehearsing with Eddie Palmieri. New York, 1989. Photo Courtesy of Edy Martínez.

A Privilege to Go Back Home

In the decade of the 90’s Edy worked as a pianist and arranger with Corina Bartra, Raulín, Many Oquendo, Cecilia Zaid and Ray Mantilla. He met Tito Puente again to work together, but this time as a composer and arranger in his album “Royal T”. “Encuentro” was the song that he wrote for Puente, a classical bolero.

There is a Colombian saying that says “La tierra hala” (you are homesick) and that was what Edy felt all over again. In 1993, Martínez went to Colombia to start his own band and create a Latin jazz musical album. In those days even thinking about a Latin jazz project was crazy but he found people who wanted to sponsor his initiative so he decided to do it. This project took almost two years to complete. “Privilegio” was the decided name of his album, Edy played the role of composer, arranger, pianist and producer. He had gathered a dynamic group of musicians including Tico Arnedo, Orlando Barreda, Luis Díaz, Edilberto Liévano, Joaquín Cuervo, Diego Valdés, Ernesto Simpson, Samuel Torres, Jorge Naranjo, and José Vásquez. Mr. Martínez had been the architect of many musicians for more than 30 years and now it was time for him to be the guy who appeared on the cover of the album. The only just thing was to have the maestro Edy as the absolute protagonist of his own talent. The result of this long musical preparation was an exquisite work full of descarga, lyric and powerful lines where each instrument played a profound role giving the listener a pure, harmonic and unique Latin sound. Some of these musical arrangements include, “Iron Jungle” and “Tower of Inspiration”.

Even living in Colombia, there was a constant flow of people who sought his talent as an arranger. In 1995 the American alto saxophonist, David Sanborn, asked Edy to be part of his arrangement on his album “Pearls”. Edy traveled a lot and worked with Johnny Mandell (Sanborn’s arranger), one of the legends of arrangements in the United States, who had worked for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennet, Count Bassie, and Nat King Cole.

By the end of the 90’s Mr. Martínez recounted all that he had accomplished during his time in Colombia and the landscape of it all, was amazing. He had gotten married; his two sons were born, produced his own album and taught in prestigious universities. His intentions were to stay in Colombia but his passion and curiosity for music everywhere were stirring and once again he left his homeland. In 1998 Lucas Van Merwijk called Edy from Holland to express the emotions that both albums “Privilegio” and “Pearls” had made him feel. He packed his bags and went to Holland where he prepared ten arrangements and played them on the album “More and More”, a project headed by Mr. Merwijk and the Cubop City Big Band.

 

Edy and the Cubop City Band, Holland, 2000. Photo Courtesy of Edy Martínez.

A Midnight Jazz Affair

At the insistence of his former stage partners in New York, Edy later returned to the Big Apple to work on new ideas and musical projects. Ray Mantilla and Gato Barbieri were some of those who were waiting for him. It was in this multicultural city, the place that had given him the possibility to create his second great Latin jazz production; the album “Midnight Jazz Affair” came to life in 2008. This work could be considered his best production as a result of years and years of experience in the Latin jazz and salsa scene. He filled the compositions with an array of colors that shined, spread with contrast, and clearly illustrated his profound musical perspective. This album was characterized by a variety of stylistic elements that broadened the landscape and a careful integration of styles that stirred the senses of any Latin jazz listener. Deep and rich harmonic progressions were the perfect ingredients used in this album. The piece “Suite for Piano” is a good example, a powerful song with a subtle layer that invokes motion and emotion. “Guaneña” is a song that clearly reflects an integration of styles. This piece was based on a traditional Colombian song, but with Edy’s hands involved it was transformed into a splendid composition full of flavour and melodic voices. Perhaps his best song on this album is “Celebration” a composition that starts with an expressive piano intro followed by touching wind instrument lines that lead up to an explosion of descarga.

 

Edy Martínez on his album “Midnight Jazz Affair”

In New York Edy is an obligatory reference for dozens of musicians. In 2011 he was called to form an orchestra to play in the Harlem Week Celebrations. He was part of the Harlem Afro-Cuban All Stars with legends like Dave Valentin and Jerry Gonzalez.

The lines written in this report aim to draw an overall portrait of Edy Martínez’s musical life. The discipline that he developed even from a young age, seems to only strengthen over time, one of his most notable qualities. What is absolutely remarkable about him is his passion for music. His more than 50 years of career playing, arranging, composing, directing, and producing, most of the time staying behind the music and the acclaimed artists, is a testament to Edy as one of the best examples of humbleness, dedication, talent, and love for music. For many reasons, this article could have omitted other albums and a few other artists with whom he worked, but beyond this what I will not omit is the uncanny connection between the attitude Mr. Martínez had when he first settled in Miami 50 years ago and the same genuine attitude he had when I met him last year, in Jazz al Parque 2011. I met a musician still full of wishes to learn everything that he could from other musicians, trying to share all that he could with the piano – it seemed to be a message to all of us, that music is a love in action. At present, while you read this report it is possible that in his apartment, in New Jersey, NY, Edy is studying some form of classical, jazz or Latin music, perhaps dreaming about coming back to his beautiful country, Colombia, where it all began.

Acknowledgement

Special gratitude to the maestro Edy Martínez for his great patience, to Vilma Rincón for her help providing all the information and graphical material available.

Source: Oscar Montagout
http://latinjazznet.com/2012/05/27/features/edy-martinez-the-music-architect-behind-the-piano/
 
Edy Martínez´s Discography

Abbreviations: Pianist (P), Arranger (A), Composer (C), Producer (PR).

Year	Album/Artist	Label	Martínez´s Participation
1954	Yolima Pérez	Vergara Record	P
1955	Música internacional	SV	P
1964	Señor 007/Ray Barreto	United Artists	P, A
1965	El Ray Criollo/Ray Barreto	United Artists	P, A, C
1967	Latino con Soul	United Artists	P, A
1970	Feeling/Mongo Santamaría	Atlantic	P
1971	Ray Rivera/Ray Rivera Orchestra	MGM	P, A, C
1971	Mongo at Montreaux/Mongo Santamaría	Atlantic Records	P
1972	Up From the Roots/Mongo Santamaría	Atlantic Records	P, A
1973	The Other Road/Ray Barreto	Fania Records	P, A, C
1973	Indestructible/Ray Barreto	Fania Records	P, A
1974	Justo Betancourt/ Justo Betancourt	Fania Records	P
1973	Soy hijo de Chango/Menique	Cotique	A
1974	En una nota/Monguito Santamaría	Inca	P, A, C
1974	Viva Emiliano Zapata/Gato Barbieri	ABC	P
1975	Chapter Four/Gato Barbieri	ABC	P
1975	Un retrato/Tito Rodríguez	TR Records	PR
1975	Barreto/Ray Barreto	Fania Records	A
1975	Barreto Live/Ray Barreto	Atlantic Records	A
1975	El jardin del amor/Larry Harlow	Fania Records	A
1975	Salsa/Larry Harlow	Fania Records	A
1975	Montara/Bobby Hutcherson	Blue Note	C
1975	Unfinished Masterpiece/Eddie Palmieri	Musical Product.	A
1976	New World/ Joe Chambers	Finite Records	P
1976	Cuban Roots	Mark Weinstein	P
1976	Introducing/La Sonora Borinquen	TR Records	PR
1976	Caliente/ Gato Barbieri	A&M Records	P, A
1976	Ruby Ruby/ Gato Barbieri	A&M Records	P, A
1976	Passion & Fire/Gato Barbieri	A&M Records	P
1977	La raza latina/Larry Harlow	Fania Records	A
1977	Eye of the Beholder/Ray Barreto	Atlantic Records	P
1977	A Touch of class/Pet Conde Rodríguez	Fania Records	P
1977	De todo un poco/Luo Peres	Tico	P
1977	Romántico y salsero/Raul Marrero	Sony Discos	P, A
1978	Con mucha salsa/Vitin Aviles and Fania	Alegre Records	A
1978	Homenaje a Benny More/Tito Puente	Tico Records	A
1978	Tropico/ Gato Barbieri	A&M Records	P, A
1978	My Own Image/Luis Perico Ortiz	Turnstyle	P, A, C
1979	Euphoria/Gato Barbieri	A&M Records	P
1979	Ricanstruction/Ray Barreto	Fania Records	A
1979	Soy la ley/Pet Conde Rodríguez	Fania Records	P
1979	Gracias/Ray Barreto	Fania Records	A
1979	Típica 73 Record in Cuba/Típica 73	Fania Records	A
1979	NY para el Caribe/Federico Crespo	Divemer	P,A,C,PR
1979	Just Like Magic/Tito Puente	LP Ventures Inc.	P
1981	Para los amigos/Gato Barbieri	Dr. Jazz	P
1981	Libre increible/Many Oquendo	Salsuol	A
1981	Típica 73…Into the 80´s/Típica	Fania Records	A
1982	Tiros bailables	CBS	P, A
1983	Apasionado/Gato Barbieri	Polydor	P
1984	Calorcito/Conexión Latina	Enja	P, A
1986	Hard Hands/Ray Mantilla	Red Records	P, A
1986	Mambo/La Manigua	Melodie	P
1986	Un poco loco	Enja	A
1986	Zaperoco II/Zaperoco	Montuno	P, A
1988	Soundtrack: Married to the Mob	FILM	A
1988	L´Opera Triangulaire	Messidor	A
1989	Dark Powers/Ray Mantilla	Red Records	P, A
1991	Travel Log/Corina Bartra	Blue spiral	P
1992	Que se cuiden los soneros/Raulín	DMS	P
1993	Royal T/Tito Puente	Condord	A, C
1993	Mejor que nunca/Many Oquendo	Milestone	A
1993	Es bolero/Cecilia Zaid	Sisar	P, A
1993	Manhattan by Numbers/G. Barbieri	FILM	C
1994	Synergy/Ray Mantilla	Red Records	P, A, C
1994	Ritual de la salsa	Discos Fuentes	P, A
1994	Tiempo de carnival	Atriz Music	P
1995	Privilegio/Edy Martínez Orchestra	Nuevo Milenio	P,A,C,PR
1995	Pearls/David Sanborn	Electra	A
1996	Madera/Mauricio Smith	Wenmar Records	P
1998	More and More/Lucas Van Merwijk	Tam Tam	P, A, C
1998	Apuesto a todo/Gustavo Rodríguez	FM Records	P
1998	Su majestad el piano/Edy Martínez	FM Records	P,A,PR
1998	Live in the Hague/Cubop City Big Band	Tam Tam	P, A
2000	Edy Martínez Big Band	Nariño Dept.	C,A,PR
2000	Rítmico y pianístico/Gerardo Rosales	A Records	P, A
2001	La salsa es mi vida	Javaanse Jonges	A
2002	Arsenio/Cubop City Big Band	Tam Tam	A
2005	New York Salsa/Orquesta Universal	One Soul	P
2006	Good Vibrations	Savant	P
2008	Midnight Jazz Affair /Edy Martínez	Jogal Music	P,A,PR
2010	Acción de Gracias/Carlos Zagarra	Disc Maker	P
2012	Chico Alvarez – El Montunero: Country Roots/Urban Masters	Mafimba Records	P,A,C