Congas / Bongos / Timbales / Hand Percussion / Drum Set / Vocals
Luis Orbegoso (known in the latin recording industry as “Luisito”) was born in Lima, Perú in 1971 and moved to Canada in 1972. He became an honoured graduate of the Humber College music program in 1994 and has been a member of the Toronto Musicians Association since 1993. Luisito was a student of Memo Acevedo (professor of percussion at New York University) and jump-started his career as a professional bongo player with Memo’s ground breaking salsa band “Banda Brava” in 1993. Anyone who has ever heard Luisito never forgets him. He has performed and/or recorded with Alex Cuba, Luis Mario Ochoa & Cimarrón, Dominicanada, Jerry Gonzalez, Hilton Ruiz, Oscar de León, Hilario Durán, David Virelles, Nick Ali, Jane Bunnett, Diego Marulanda & Pacande, Chucho Valdéz, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Changuito, Giovanni Hidalgo, Ralph Irrizarry, The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Nelly Furtado, Kenwood Dennard, Stevie Wonder, Alfredo de la Fe, Luisito Carrion, Cheo Andujar, Jimmy Bosch, Horacio Hernandez, Mark Quiñones, and far too many more to list here. Luisito is one of the most in-demand percussionists in Toronto.
Luisito is also the percussionist with two Canadian and award-winning outfits: Latin jazz/funk ensemble “Nick Ali & CRUZAO” the winner of the Montreal Jazz Festival’s coveted 2001 “Grand Prix du Jazz” Award and the 2001 CBC Galaxie “Rising Star” Award, as well as Cuban jazz piano player, David Virelles and his quintet, who received the same awards in 2006.
He currently leads the groundbreaking band SalsAfrica as well as the band Moda Eterna.
Luis is a highly sought after teacher, and has worked with students and professionals at universities, schools and festivals across Canada and in Germany, Korea and Peru. He has also been a record producer for Lady Son & Articulo Veinte (www.tridha.org/ladyson); Ventura Brothers feat. Jerry Gonzalez; Cache for both cds Blended and Toronto Sessions; Orquesta Bestial – Johan Aguirre and currently for Patricia Cano’s Latin folk fusion band (new band).
Selected discography
CACHE-Looking from the top-2011-Indie – Salsa
HILARIO DURAN- Motion – 2010 – Alma Records – Latin Jazz
PATRICIA CANO- This is The New World – 2010 – Indie – Fusion: Afro Peruvian – Brazilian – Jazz
PAUL NEUFELD – Chunked – 2009 – Indie – Jazz
LADY SON & ARTICULO VEINTE – “Semillas” – 2009 – Indie – Salsa
BOMBA – “Cuatro Caminos” – (2008) Indie Latin Jazz
ELIANA CUEVAS – “Vidas” – (2007) Indie Latin
RALPH IRIZARRI & SON CAFE, “Tributo“, BKS (2006) Salsa
NELLY FURTADO, “Loose”, Geffen (2006) Pop
DIEGO MARULANDA & PACANDE, “K’MA”, Indie (2005) Salsa
BOMBA – Entre Sol y Luz – (2005) Indie Latin Jazz
RALPH IRIZARRI & SON CAFE, “Bailando Con Azucar“, BKS (2004) Salsa
LUIS MARIO OCHOA & CIMARRON, “Luis Mario And Friends”, (2004) indie Latin
ELIANA CUEVAS, “Ventura”, Indie (2004) Latin
CACHE, “Blended” MRP records (2004) Salsa
NICK ALI & CRUZAO, “Shades Of Brown”, Justin Time (2002) Latin-jazz
JAKE LANGLEY, “The Latin Sessions”, Indie (2001) Latin-jazz
NELLY FURTADO, “Wow Nelly!”, Sony Dreamworks (2001) Pop
ELIANA CUEVAS, “Cohesion”, Indie (2001) Salsa / Brazilian
ROB THALLER, “Ritmo Azul”, Indie (2001) Salsa
BLAIR PURDY & GRUVORIA, “Gruvoria”, Indie (2000) Groove
DIEGO MARULANDA & PACANDE, “Por El Sol”, Indie (2000) Colombian folkloric
ALEX CANTERO, “Luces de mi Tierra”, Indie (co-producer) (2000) Latin-rock
LUIS MARIO OCHOA & CIMARRON, “La Fiesta”, Indie (1999) Salsa
JOHANN AGUIRRE & ORCHESTA BESTIAL, “Saborigen”, Indie (1998) Salsa
DOMINICANADA, “Subiendo”, Indie (1996) Merengue
LUIS MARIO OCHOA & CIMARRON, “A La Cubana”, Indie (1995) Salsa
VENTURA BROTHERS FEAT. JERRY GONZALES, “Ventura Brothers”, Indie (1993)
