Yamaha silent bass artist Carlos DL Puerto has made a long career out of performing and educating bass players worldwide. DL Puerto has written four books on the techniques of bass playing and has performed with some of the worlds best jazz and Latin musicians. Dl Puerto has spent the last year in Finland and other Scandinavian Countries lecturing teaching and performing, as well as being a bandleader and arranger for several big bands.
For many years Ive got a sound on my mind. Now that sound exits, I found it with my Yamaha Silent Bass.
Bassist, lecturer, composer, arranger and author, Carlos Dl Puerto was born in Cuba in 1951. He comes from a long line of outstanding bass players and after following an extensive classical training at Havanas Amadeo Roldn Conservatory, he began a professional career performing and recording with several renowned orchestras. In 1967 he joined the Cuban Modern Music Orchestra, where he met Paquito D Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, and pianist Chucho Valds. In 1973, they founded the legendary group, Irakere. In 1979, they earned a Grammy award from the U.S.A. Arts Academy for Best Latin Recording and they were nominated again in 1980.
Dl Puerto is credited with literally redefining Cubas musical education by introducing electric bass techniques and Cuban rhythms in the music school system. He has been awarded two of Cubas highest honors: the Order for National Culture, and the Cuban Republics Pedagogical Merit Award for his contributions to the development of art and education. In 1995 he received The Certificate of Appreciation by the City of Los Angeles & Certificate of Honor by the City of San Francisco, USA.
He has written four books for the bass guitar techniques. His book, The True Cuban Bass, published in 1994 by Sher Music Co. (San Francisco CA.) is used by respected conservatories, and is considered by many, as the Latin Bass Bible. He has been the Head Teacher of bass faculty at Cubas National School of Art, Superior Institute of Art, and he is also a faculty member at the Bass Collective in New York City. Mr. Dl Puerto was interviewed in a set of 6 CDs, for the Smithsonian Museums (Washington), Jazz Oral History Program.
Dl Puerto leads extensive clinics and master classes as a Yamaha Artist throughout the world at some of the most prestigious universities and conservatories such as Berklee College of Music, Stanford University, California Institute of the Arts, Duke Ellington School of the Arts (U.S), Banff Centre (Canada) Musician Institute (London) Pop & Jazz Conservatory (Finland) among others.
Throughout his career, he has taken part in all the worlds most famous music festivals, sharing the stage with such noted celebrities as Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Brecker Brothers, etc.
At Manhattan Centre, New York, Dl Puerto performed at the biggest bass event of the year, Bass Day 2000 along with some of the world-renowned bass players as Percy Hearth, Marcus Miller, Gary Willis, Anthony Jackson, Billy Sheehan, Will Lee, Oteil Burbridge, John Patitucci and Joe Osborn.
In January 2001 he introduced at the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Winter Show, the Yamaha Silent bass, performing along with Al Jarreau, Brenda Russell, David Benoit, Tony Bennett & Tower of Power.
At the moment Carlos is living in Finland, developing different projects as a professor, arranger and bandleader.
