ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Michael Mixtacki is a percussionist, vocalist and educator based out of San Antonio, TX. He is currently on faculty at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has performed and recorded with Ritmos Unidos as well as appearing on two Grammy-nominated albums with Wayne Wallace and Michael Spiro. His endorsers include Latin Percussion, Yamaha, Sabian cymbals, Remo drumheads, and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.
ABOUT THE CLINIC: Salsa Percussion FUNdamentals
Our clinic will address the elements of a cohesive and dynamic salsa band’s percussion section. The basic grooves and parts on congas, bongó and timbales are often taught in many books and videos, but it is crucial to understand how these fit into a cohesive salsa percussion section. As a salsa tune evolves, each player must execute specific changes that literally shift “gears” and drive the music forward. Our session aims to demystify these concepts and make them accessible to all attendees. The clinic will begin with an introduction to standard instrumentation, basic tone production, and the fundamental components of salsa music: clave, montuno and tumbao. After these are established, we will move on to detailing the “gear” system. Each of these “gears” will be explained piece by piece, and then added together to create a unified percussion section for all stages of the music. The final portion of the clinic will feature demonstrations of this system in various contexts.