Sandy Perez Class - SF

(Sandy demonstrating a bembe part, Photo Credit: Geordie)

Ever since Geordie mentioned taking classes with Ramon "Sandy" Perez, I have been bugging him to send me some pics. Sandy probably plays one of the best quintos (if not the best) on the West Coast. I hope the guys in SF know how lucky they are to be able to sit down with such a player (I know Geordie does). If you didn't know, Sandy comes out of the much respected Villamil family tree and it goes something like this. (Info from Afrocubaweb.com)

Ñobla Cardenas, a babalawo and Omo Oggun who came from Oyo, capital of Yorubaland, tierra lukumi

Mauricio Piloto, a musician who also came from Oyo

Juan Villamil, son of Mauricio Piloto, married Tomasa Cardenas,daughter of Ñobla Cardenas

Alfred Villamil Cardenas

Julia Gonzalez Villamil married Felix Tapanez

Pedro Pablo "Pello" Tapanez Gonzalez, founder of the cabildo Zarabanda Briyumba Congo, percussionist, founder of Afrocuba de Matanzas

Edubije Villamil, daughter of Juan

Armando Matinez Villamil

Vasilio Villamil(Chango Dele), son of Juan

Fernando Villamil

Regina Villamil, daughter of Juan

Osvaldo Carmita (omo Obatala)

Cukita Augustina "Tinita" Villamil, daughter of Juan married Francisco Herrera ("Pancho Camaján")

Juana Herrera Villamil

Jesús Gonzalez Herrera

Daniel Elias Alfonso Herrera (master percussionist, teacher)

Oldani Alfonso Isquierdo (percussionist, Rumba Caliente)

Sara "Mima" Herrera Villamil (Afrocuba, wife of Francisco Zamora, director, Afrocuba)

Elias Villamil Cardenas (he didn’t take his father’s name)

Reynaldo "Naldo" Gove (Afrocuba)

Juan Carlos Gove (Afrocuba)

Israel Gove Villamil

Sara (Mima) Gove Villamil (singer, dancer with Afro Cuba married to Francisco "Minini" Zamora Chirino)

Olga Gove Villamil (only true child of Octavio Gove Tuscano, Tinita’s 2nd husband - the rest just took his name)

Eugenio Herrera Villamil

Dulce Maria Herrera Villamil married Pedro Morales

Lazara Morales Villamil

Luis (Luisito) Cansino Morales (percussionist with Los Muñequitos, formerly with Afro Cuba de Matanzas)

Lazaro Herrera Villamil

Laudelina Herrera Villamil married Filomena Perez Domínguez

Ana Perez (singer, los Muñequitos, omo Babaluaye) married Cipriano Nilo García Alfonso

Luis Enriques Garcia Perez (percussionist, Rumba Son, omo Obatala)

Ramón García (Sandy) Perez (percussionist, was with Afro Cuba now in US, omo Oya)

Jurien García Perez (percussionist, singer, dancer, was with Los Muñequitos, now with Afro Cuba)

Yasmani Alfonso Perez (son of Ana and Jesus Alfonso Miró, percussionist (quinto) with Los Muñequitos) singer, dancer, percussionist since age 3

Yurien (Obba Ile, Varadero)

Danilo Perez Herrera (percussionist, quinto, Muñequitos)

Danilito Perez Fernandez (formerly of Afrocuba, now choreographer for los Reyes del Tambor)

Maria Dolores (Dolores) Perez Herrera (singer, Afro Cuba)

Omara (translates, teaches English)

Dolores Regla (Paula) Perez Herrera (dancer with Afrocuba, omo Ochun, married Israel Berriel)

Israel (Puchito) Beriel Perez (percussionist with Afro Cuba de Matanzas, omo Elegua)

Teresa Perez Gonzalez

Teresa (Teresita) Dome Perez (dancer, singer, was with Afro Cuba, now in the US)

Odali Fuente

Tomasa Villamil, born in 1901 (recently deceased at age 97, daughter of Juan, 4 descendants in Rumba y Son) married Bernino García Beba

Teresa Pollero Noriega (Conjunto Foklorico) Claridad

Felipe Garcia Villamil (founder of Emi Keke, now in CA, where he teaches and plays)

Betina García Villamil (singer, Afro Cuba)

So if you are in the SF area and want to learn from "la mata" so to speak, then, "ya tu sabe".

Here are the details:

Sandy Perez - Afro-Cuban Percussion Workshop - (762 Fulton Street San Francisco) 8-10pm Thursdays $20

Thanks Geordie for keeping it going.

**Sandy also teaches a class in Berkeley at the La Pena Cultural Center at 1:15-3:00 on Saturdays.