Biography

Pedro Pablo “Pedrito” Martinez was born in Havana, Cuba, Sept 12, 1973 where he began his musical career at the age of 11 with a deep foundation in the rumba and Afro Cuban Yoruba traditions. Since settling in New York City in the fall of 1998, Pedrito has recorded or performed with Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Paquito D’Rivera, Chucho Valdez, Bruce Springsteen, Ruben Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Matthews, Elton John, James Taylor and Sting, and has contributed to well over 100 albums. Pedrito was a founding member of the Afro-Cuban/Afro-Beat band, Yerba Buena, with which he recorded two albums and toured the world in the mid- to late-90’s. His career as a leader began in 2008 with the formation in NYC of the The Pedrito Martinez Group. The group’s first album was nominated in 2013, for a Grammy, and was among NPR’s Favorite Albums of the Year. Habana Dreams, their second album, released in 2016, included, Ruben Blades, Isaac Delgado, Wynton Marsalis, Angelique Kidjo. In February of 2019, Pedrito and Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, released Duologue with Quincy Jones as Executive Producer. Eric Clapton and Pedrito teamed up in July 2019 to record a newly arranged version of Clapton’s song, My Father’s Eyes, for a Martinez album set for release in early 2021. On September 22, of that year Pedrito and Clapton performed the song together at Clapton’s, Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, Texas.