Jose Bermudez

Jorge Bermudez from Managua, Nicaragu  What is the answer to the TV trivia question? (Who was the bongo player that you heard at the beginning of the immensely popular syndicated TV show "Judge Wopner's People's Court"?) The correct answer is . . . Jorge Jose Bermudez!

Most recently Jorge's percussion work can be heard on the films "Kill Bill" and "Once Upon A Time In Mexico." Jorge also recently completed a year of touring and performing all over the U.S. and Canada with the gorgeous and talented film actress Ann Margret.

Jorge was born naked in Managua, Nicaragua and was raised on rice and beans in San Francisco, California. He now resides in Los Angeles where he is involved in various musical endeavors.

It was an exciting musical time in San Francisco during the late 60's and early 70's. During this era much musical magic manifested itself in San Francisco. It affected how music was felt and played on the planet earth forever. Jorge Jose enjoyed soaking up all of these varied musical flavors. 1972 found Jorge recording with guitarist Jorge Santana's Latin rock group Malo at the impressionable age of 17. He played on the now historic "Dos" album on the Warner Bros. record label. Bermudez laid down rhythmic accompaniment while veteran Cuban conga player Francisco Aguabella played a fiery conga solo on the song "Oye Mama." 32 years later the track still sounds great. Jorge sat in on percussion with the late great Latin music icon Tito Puente at a venue in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf area. This early musical baptism fueled a desire that helped inspire the young Nicaraguan musician to a lifetime in music.

Since then, through hard work and fierce dedication to his craft, Bermudez has toured, and or recorded with artists like Crowded House, The Grateful Dead, Tower of Power, Pablo Cruise, Jose Feliciano, Jefrey Osbourne, The Escovedo Family including the early historical days with the late Phil and Coke Escovedo, Joe Sample, Peter Case, Dusty Springfield, Johnny Mathis, The Temptations, The Gipsy Kings, Rod Stewart, David Baerwald, Santa Esmeralda, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Benise, Angela Bofill and many more.

In 1996 he co-led a percussion-Samba-Rumba dance ensemble with Chalo Eduardo named Samba Nova that was added to the legendary Santana band for a series of dates that lasted into 1997. Visualize the already powerful Santana band expanded with 12 percussionists, 6 sultry dancers and you get the picture of what Santana was looking and sounding like at the summer Olympics in Atlanta that year. Carlos Santana's beaming smile on stage was a testimonial to what a good time was had by all!

Those performances were a dream come true for Jorge, as he had always admired the Santana sound. This Latin sound gave fruit to a myriad of opportunities for percussionists in the U.S. You now hear percussion on everything!Jorge is the percussionist on the worldwide smash hit single "Don't Dream It's Over" by multi-platinum selling recording artists, Crowded House this album was produced by Mitchell Froom. The song was featured in the Stephen King film "The Stand." It is a Rock and Roll classic that is constantly heard on radio.

Mickey Hart, one of the original members of The Grateful Dead invited Jorge to record percussion parts on 2 Planet Drum CD's, "Mystery Box" and "Supralingua." These recordings featured an amazing cast of world-renowned percussionists like Giovanni Hidalgo and Zakir Hussein. This was an honor that Jorge Jose Bermudez will never forget! This amazing cast of drummers recorded the drum anthem that was heard on NBC for the opening ceremonies of the 96 Olympics. The piece included 296 percussion parts produced and written by Mickey Hart and recorded at his ranch studio in Northern California.

In 1986 Jorge founded the group "Bermudez Triangle" with the help of recently deceased sax player Cornelius Bumpus. He will always be remembered for his stellar work with The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. In 1988 the Bermudez Triangle recorded a bilingual dance single for Warner Brothers entitled "Bongoland." The song was chosen Billboard Magazine's Dance pick of the week for the week ending November 28, 1988. Jorge Bermudez and The Bermudez Triangle performed "Bongolandia" for a national TV audience in the spring of 1989 on the Telemundo network. Their performance took place at "Calle Ocho" the biggest street festival in the U.S., held in Miami annually. That year the featured act was the Gipsy Kings. They invited Jorge and his background singers onstage to help perform their classic hit "Bamboleo" to finish the broadcast.

The Bermudez Triangle songs have found their way onto television and film. "The Shield" on the F/X network and "10/8" on ABC are two of the most recent TV shows to have used Bermudez Triangle music. More of Jorge's music was heard on the CBS show "Robbery, Homicide Division" in 2002. "The Elian Gonzales story" which aired on The Fox network in 2001 used 2 of his songs. The tune "Cu-Cu-Cumbia" opened the Columbia Tri-Star film "Broken Hearts Club" in 2000. In 2004 you will hear Bermudez Triangle music throughout the independent film "American Reunion."

Jorge's passion for the creativity found in composition and production is by far his favorite endeavor. His continuing vision dwells in creating original music that will be memorable to audiences throughout the world. He loves the serendipity of collaborating with talented musicians.

Senor Bermudez has diversified over the years wearing many hats as a Composer/Producer, educator, columnist (Drum Magazine-Latin Beat) and musician. His instructional DVD "Conga Drumming-A Beginner's Guide" features a cameo performance by high school percussion brother Raul Rekow of Santana fame. It can be bought all over the globe. He has done several percussion clinics with the Cuban conga, bongo legend Armando Peraza. In the summer of 2004 Jorge considers it an honor to be invited to teach percussion at The University of Taipei in Taiwan. Also this summer Jorge will be scoring all of the music for the Independent film short "The Thief and The Pinata" for HBO Latino. It will air on HBO Latino in 2005. Jorge will appear in the film performing a Bermudez Triangle song.

Jorge is endorsed by Remo Drums, Sabian cymbals and Pro-Mark sticks.

El Beat Muy Grande goes on and on!

Jorge Jose Bermudez still enjoys his rice and beans!

For a more information, visit Jorge's website.