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Wikipedia / Luis Conte

Luis Cristóbal Conte (born 16 November 1954) is a Cuban percussionist best known for his performances in the bands of artists including James Taylor, Madonna, Pat Metheny Group, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart and Shakira. He began his music career as a studio musician for Latin Jazz acts like Caldera. Conte's live performance and touring career took off when he joined Madonna's touring band in the 1980s. Neil Strauss of The New York Times describes Conte's playing as "grazing Latin-style percussion".

Conte immigrated to Los Angeles in 1967, where he attended Los Angeles City College studying music, and entrenched himself in the music community. Conte's career includes composing and playing in ABC TV's Dancing with the Stars band, along with many TV and film projects.

Early life

Conte was born in Santiago de Cuba. As a child, Conte began his musical odyssey playing the guitar. However, he soon switched to percussion, and that has remained his primary instrument ever since.

He was sent to Los Angeles by his parents in 1967, in order to prevent him from being forced to serve in the Cuban military. This was a turning point in Conte's life, as the musical community in Los Angeles during this period was quite vibrant. It was during this period that he studied at Los Angeles City College.

Musical career

Conte proved himself versatile musically, and by 1973 he was playing regularly in local clubs. He quickly became a busy studio musician, and throughout the 1970s he played in the Latin jazz band Caldera.

In the 1980s, Conte toured with several different musicians including Madonna, guitarist Al Di Meola, and Andy Narell. His debut as a bandleader came in 1987 when he released La Cocina Caliente, which included a Latinized version of Chopin's "Susarasa". Conte also played percussion on the Pat Metheny Group release 'We Live Here' in 1995, on the Pat Metheny album 'From This Place' in 2020, and Side-Eye III+ in 2026, as well as I Mother Earth's first two albums Dig (1993) and Scenery and Fish (1996).

Conte has toured as part of James Taylor's "Band of Legends." He has also played alongside musicians including Alex Acuña, Jaguares, Larry Klimas, and David Garfield, both as a bandleader and a sideman.

Luis Conte was part of Phil Collins' 1997 "Dance into the Light" tour and 2004 "First Farewell Tour", performing Afro-Cuban percussion in both of them and adding more depth into the concert songs. He also performed during The Phil Collins Big Band tours in 1996 and 1998, and again during the Phil Collins Not Dead Yet tours in 2017–2018.

In 1999 Conte collaborated in the Maná MTV Unplugged project.

In 2009, Conte worked together with Sergio Vallín in his Bendito Entre Las Mujeres album.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

  • La Cocina Caliente (Denon, 1987)

  • Black Forest (Denon, 1989)

  • The Road (Weber Works, 1995)

  • Cuban Dreams (Unitone Recording, 2000)

  • The Latin Jazz Trio (AIX Records, 2000) AIX website

  • En Casa De Luis (BFM Jazz, 2011)

As sideman (in alphabetical order)

With Peter Allen

With Anastacia

With Angelica

  • Angelica (Arista Records, 1997)

With Paul Anka

  • Rock Swings (Verve, 2005)

With Patti Austin

  • On the Way to Love (Warner Bros. Records, 2001)

  • Sound Advice (Shanachie Records, 2011)

With George Benson

With Michelle Branch

With Michel Jonasz

With Jackson Browne

With George Cables

With Glen Campbell

With Belinda Carlisle

With Steven Curtis Chapman

With Cher

With Chicago

With Toni Childs

With Joe Cocker

With Natalie Cole

With Phil Collins and The Phil Collins Big Band

With Rita Coolidge

  • Behind the Memories (Pony Canyon Records, 1995)

With David Crosby

With Gavin DeGraw

With Céline Dion

With Lara Fabian

With Clare Fischer

  • 2+2 (Pausa Records, 1981)

  • And Sometimes Voices (Pausa Records, 1982)

With John Fogerty

With Aretha Franklin

With Nelly Furtado

  • Loose (Interscope Records, 2006)

With Charlotte Gainsbourg

  • IRM (Elektra Records, 2009)

With Goo Goo Dolls

With Josh Groban

With Thelma Houston

With Al Jarreau

With Jewel

With Elton John

With Gregg Karukas

  • Sound Of Emotion (Positive Music Records, 1991)

  • Summerhouse (101 South Records, 1994)

  • You'll Know It's Me (Fahreheit Records, 1995)

  • Blue Touch (i.e. music, 1998)

  • Nightshift (N-Coded Music, 2000)

  • Heatwave (N-Coded Music, 2002)

  • GK (Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records, 2009)

With Chaka Khan

With Patti LaBelle

With David Lasley

With Julian Lennon

With Kenny Loggins

With Madonna

With Ziggy Marley

With Richard Marx

With Christine McVie

With Bette Midler

With Kylie Minogue

With Michael Nesmith

With Jennifer Paige

With Bonnie Raitt

With Emily Remler

With LeAnn Rimes

With Linda Ronstadt

With Brenda Russell

  • Kiss Me with the Wind (A&M Records, 1990)

  • Soul Talkin (EMI, 1993)

  • Between the Sun and the Moon (Dome Records, 2004)

With Boz Scaggs

With Selena

With Shakira

With Vonda Shepard

  • Vonda Shepard (Reprise Records, 1989)

With Lisa Stansfield

With Rod Stewart

With Curtis Stigers

  • Brighter Days (Columbia Records, 1999)

With Barbra Streisand

With James Taylor

With Terence Trent D'Arby

With Julieta Venegas

With Roger Waters

With Tony Joe White

  • Lake Placid Blues (Remark Records, 1995)

  • One Hot July (Mercury Records, 1998)

With Deniece Williams

  • Special Love (MCA Records, 1989)

With Paul Young

With Carlos Santana (Supernatural) BMG 2000

With Warren Zevon

References

Notes