Michael Spiro on Facebook: “I am usually very hesitant to post things on Facebook about my accomplishments. It always seems a little self-serving. But in this case, I can’t help it. Jose Luis Seluma and I are very honored and proud to have been nominated for a Cubadisco award (the Cuban “Grammies”) in the “Tradicion Afro-Cubana” category for our CD, “Mabagwe—a Tribute to Los Mayores” .
It is hard for us to imagine that we could even be considered in the same group of artists as “Los Munequitos de Matanzas” and “Ochareo”. It is almost embarrassing for us, since Los Munequitos have always been, and will always be our idols. And so for once the cliché is true—just to be nominated in the same category is the honor of a lifetime.
We must of course thank our multi-talented producer, Jesus Diaz, and all the great artists who recorded with us—Lali, El Gato Gatell, Fito Reinoso, Colin Douglas, Genesies Reinoso, Beatriz Godinez, Jesus Gonzalez, Ivan Camblor, and El Rubio, Jason McGuire.
Obviously Seluma and I couldn’t be at the nominating ceremony in La Habana, so we don’t yet have our plaque—As soon as we can get a photo, we’ll share it with you!”
Michael Spiro knows how to surround himself and inspire the world’s best musicians.
Michael Spiro writes, performs, and produces critically acclaimed instructional books and DVDs on percussion, and he launched two ground-breaking educational websites which offer complete instruction on Cuban and Brazilian percussion over the internet: CongaMasterClass.com and SambaMasterClass.com. Michael Spiro continues to be in demand as a guest artist at universities worldwide, and is a frequent presenter at national and statewide conventions of the Percussive Arts Society.
He regularly performs with the reknowned percussionist Karl Perazzo, Wayne Wallace,
“BÁKINI En el Nuevo Mundo” (produced with Joe Galvin) had an official release date of September 21st, 2017. Previously he participated in these Grammy Nominated projects:
2017 – Michael Spiro and Wayne Wallace, Patois Records
2015 – The Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Patois Records
2014 – The Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Patois Records
2012 – John Santos and Grupo Folklorico Kindembo, Machete Records
2010 – The Wayne Wallace Jazz Quintet, Patois Records
2008 – John Santos and Grupo Folklorico Kindembo, Machete Records
2003 – Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge, Left Coast Clave Records (producer and artist)
1996 – Changuito/Patato Valdez/Orestes Vilato, Round World Records
1989 – Mark Murphy/Viva Brasil, Muse Records