He’s worked with many of the greats, including recording with Bruce Springsteen, playing percussion for Camila Cabello, and producing an album with Quincy Jones – but these are only a few highlights from the incredible musical career of Pedrito Martinez.
Born in Havana, Cuba, he moved to New York City in the late 1980s, and while his sound still contains the influence of Latin music, his range is nowadays more diverse. Now based in New Jersey, Pedrito he continues to flout boundaries of genre, and his latest release, ‘Avenida Malecón’, on which he’s teamed up with the international artist collective MOJA, contains more than a hint of jazz, soul, Afrobeat, and R&B.
‘Avenida Malecón’ is a famous street in Havana, known for being the location where all the action takes place. It is here that the Cuban lifestyle is truly embraced, whether it be taking in the nightlife or crusing the Avenida in classic cars.
Martinez’s lyrics are certainly catchy, while the instrumental, with trumpets, saxophones, piano, cowbell, and Martinez’s bongo, ensures that the magic of Cuba is captured perfectly.
In the first 30 seconds of the music video for ‘Avenida Malecón’ we are shown exactly what it is that makes this location so distinctive. Martinez’s smile and almost laissez-faire style are all we know when he rides along, resplendent in his maroon Cadillac, from time to time picking up pretty ladies.
Watch the gorgeous music video for ‘Avenida Malecón’ below, and find out more about Pedrito Martinez online on his official website.
