Cecilio Valdez Washington
Columbus, Ohio, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2015
Music
Press
……….”Cecil Washington is an undisputed virtuoso of the Latin style among his colleagues of the Pittsburgh tradition. He is more commercially oriented and for that matter very eclectic in his approach to the selection of rhythms and their sound sources.
- Willie Anku, SPA Music Department, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
……….“anyway, people were having more fun on the other side by the river Sunday, where the Afro-Rican Ensemble had'em on their feet, thanks to the dynamic playing of conga-thumper Cecil Washington.“
- Lee Brown, The Other Paper (at Columbus Rib Fest)
Cecil Washington is a regular member of Nathan's Tomorrow band and also from Pittsburgh. When Nathan took his band to Guadeloupe a couple of years back for the first Afro-Caribbean Festival, Washington's percussion virtuosity made him one of the stars of the event.”
Review regarding recording titled Faces of Love with Dr. Nathan Davis
……….“For the song titled: "Maritza", Nathan returns to soprano which is heard against a lively Latin percussion backing playing a simple but effective theme. There is some dynamic percussion work from Cecil Washington.”
- Mike Hennessey, International Editorial Director, Billboard
With its (Afro-Rican Ensemble) full spread of Latin Percussion, the band attracted record attendance, absolutely shaking the crowd with its hypnotizing Latin swing.”
- Julie Strand, The Paper, Grand Rapids
Images of America/Pittsburgh Jazz
“Cecil Washington, from Homewood Brushton, has played with every style of band regardless of their music.” "Washington is always on the road playing with artists like Santana and others who demand to have the best."
… - John M. Brewer, Jr
Discography
Rhythm University
Composed by Carolyn & Cecil Washington / CecValdaz Music
Sound Engineer & bass guitar, Bill Berkley; keyboard, Charles Beecham. Bongos, congas, doumbek, hand acessories, Cecil Washington
Brothers From Afar, composed by Carolyn & Cecil Washington / CecValdez Music
Sound Engineer, bass, keyboard and trap drums, Charles Beecham. Guitar, Bill Berkley. Congos, bongos, djembe and hand accessories, Cecil Washington
just a Little Taste, composed by Carolyn & Cecil Washington / CecValdez Music
Sound Engineer, bass, keyboard and trap drums, Charles Beecham. Congos, bongos, timbales and hand accessories, Cecil Washington
Faces of Love, Dr. Nathan Davis
Tomorrow International. Recorded at Sound Heights Recording Studios, Brooklyn, New York.
Nathan Davis - tenor, alto and soprano sax, bass clarinet, flute; Terumasa Hino - trumpet; Idris Muhammed - drums; Mark Gray - piano; Wilber Bascom - bass; Ron Fudoli - bass (Just Like Bari); Billy T - vocals; Cecil Washington - percussion; Larry McGee - guitar; James Johnson - synthesizer; Valette Majors - vocal (Twilight of Our Love)
Be My Guest
Walt Harper & All That Jazz
Walt Harper, piano, vocals; George Green, Todd Preston, tenor sax; Eric Johnson, electric guitar; Scotty Hood, electric bass; Gregg Humphries, drums; Cecil Valdez Washington, percussion. Harper's ensemble is strengthened by the presence of two legendary jazz artists who have since passed away, tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and bassist Ray Brown
Viva CuBop!,Jazz the Afro-Cuban Way!
1. Malanga - Cuban Roots; 2. Asi Son Bronco - Francisco Aguabella; 3. The Last Dynasty - Papo Vazquez; 4. Creator Has A Master Plan - Bobby Matos; 5. Descarga On Las Palmas - Pucho; 6. Sunflower - Johnny Blas; 7. Tierra Va Temblar - Snowboy; 8. Descarga Iyawo - John Santos; 9. Santa Cruz - Har You Percussion Group; 10. Cavalie - Francisco Aguabella; 11. Philadelphia - Bobby Matos; 12. Picadillo - Johnny Blas; 13. Tanga - The Afro-Rican Ensemble, featuring Andy Gonzalez on bass.
Latin-Soul-sa & Jazz
Afro-Rican Ensemble. Rolando Matias, band leader/timbales, Ed Moen (keyboards), Keith Newton (flute, sax), Greg Loughman (bass), Jose Nelson (drums), Cecilio Valdez Washington (congas, bongos).
Jazz & Blues from The Biltmore Estate
Afro-Rican Ensemble, Jamlet Records,
Songs #6 titled Abstraccion Cubana (featuring Christian Howe on violin), and Song #11 titled Graciosa).
Photos
Bio
Independent Artist/Clinician/Studio Musician
Email: cecvaldez@hotmail.com
Cecilio Valdez Washington started playing bongos at an early age. He is a self-taught percussionist (bongos, congas and timbales) with an extraordinary ear for timing.
Cecil has performed with/or opened for legends such as Claudio Roditi, James Moody, Curtis Fuller, The Harper Brothers, Mark Whitfield, Dizzie Gillespie, Andy Madadian (aka ANDY - Prince of Persian Music) Pamela Williams, Larry Coryell, Alabama, Rusted Roots, Mimi Fox, Barbara Eden, Monty Alexander, Jimmy McGriff, Modern Jazz Quartet, Michael Brecker, Benny Golson, Rufus Reid, Jimmy Ponder, John Alexander, Kenny Blake, Roy Ayers, Peaches & Herb, Nancy Wilson, Jon Faddis, Marcels, Slide Hampton, Modern Jazz Quartet, Stanley Turrentine, Steve Lawrence & Edie Gorme, Eddie Harris, Geri Allen, Zakir Hussain, Herbie Mann, Herbie Hancock, Jim Rupp, Melvin Lewis, Jerry Lewis, Nat Adderly (Cannonball Adderly’s brother), Dakota Stanton, The Lettermen, Donald Byrd, Bob Mintzer, Andy Gonzalez, David Valentin, Eddie "Gua Gua" Rivera, Flora Purim & Airto Moreira, Greg Abate, Othello Molineaux, to name a few. He was billed with music giants such as Mary J Blige, Lou Rawls, Rick James, Tony Bennett, Bobby McFerron, George Benson, Sarah Vaughn, Bobbie Short, Tower of Power, Neville Brothers, Giovanni Hidalgo, David Sanchez, Chucho Valdez, Adela Dalto, Christian McBride, Toots Thieleman, Steve Reid, Los Hombres Calientes, Bill Summers, Kevin Eubanks, Tito Puente, Terence Blanchard, Cassandra Wilson, to name a few.
He performed with drummers Baba David Coleman, Chief Bey, Eli Kihonia & Willie Anku at various dance and drum classes. Also served as percussionist for Martha Miller Dancers, Pittsburgh Ballet, YMCA, and Columbus BalletMet, to name a few
For over five years Cecil performed at various country clubs with the Mike Carney Orchestra (son of the late Art Carney, Jackie Gleason’s neighbor in “The Honeymooners”). Cecil performed with George Gee and the Make Believe Ballroom Band in the made-for-TV movie called “Stuck with Each Other", starring Tyne Daley. He also performed at the Blue Note and Apollo Theater in New York with the George Gee Band, featuring singer Sandy Dowe.
Since the 1980’s until 2013, Cecil has performed with Dr. Nathan Davis (the music professor at University of Pittsburgh, PA ). He toured overseas in Guadeloupe and at the Middleheim Jazz Festival in Antwerp, Belgium with Dr. Nathan Davis & Tomorrow.
From September 1998 until April 2004 Cecil toured with the internationally known latin-jazz group, Afro-Rican Ensemble.
Presently Cecil performs as a sideman and studio musicians for various groups in the tri-state area.
Band Members
Links
