http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx2faHEtuKI
BABY! JOTAN AFANADOR II playing the drums @ 2years old playing the shout beat! etc.
PETER CINCOTTI AND JOTAN AFANADOR ON DRUMS IN EUROPE LIVE! 7AM 10-21-07 @ RADIO 3FM BIJ GIEL!
Jotan Afanador was born on July 14, 1981, in Bronx, New York. He inherited his musical talent from his parents, a drummer, his mother, a gospel singer, and an aunt, a singer, guitarist and composer. With such a background, it is not surprising that Afanador discovered his musical ability at a very early age. He was only two years old when he began playing drums! At fourteen, Afanador had his first paying gig and began to play at churches, theaters, clubs and studios. At sixteen, he participated in the Saint Benedicts Fife & Drum Corps and the Latin Knights Drum & Bugle Corps. Although he was a self taught drummer, during his high school years Afanador studied at Boy' s Harbor Conservatory of Music in Manhattan, New York, where he was awarded the prominent Tito Puente scholarship. Around this time, he played in the Broadway show Bring Out the Noise, Bring Out the Funk. He also played for figures like Dave Valentin, Nestor Torres, Norah Jones, and for the inauguration of Japan Airlines in New York City. At the age of 20, Afanador began a clinic tour in the U.S. He had a new discovery: his love for teaching. This discovery led him to release a drum clinic on DVD called Power Speed Dynamics for beginner students as well as more advanced students.
At the age of 21, in August 2002, Afanador participated in the competition for the World's Fastest Drummer for the Hands. On that occasion, Afanador set a record, playing an amazing 1,123 single strokes in 60 seconds at Randall Island, New York at the 2002 Vans Warped Tour. Shortly thereafter, Afanador began to work with Boo McAfee, the CEO and founder of the WFD (World Fastest Drummer). Sometime later, Afanador was featured in The Wayne Brady Show on CBS, in California. He was also invited to appear at Fox Sports Tom Arnold's Best Damn Sports Show, and Cold Pizza. Jotan Afanador's record has been featured in shows like XSTV-Xtreme, VH1 Music First, and As Seen on TV. On 2004, Afanador appeared playing a drum solo at the most popular, highest-rated Spanish language show in Univision, named Sabado Gigante, with its host, Don Francisco. In addition, he appeared on numerous Puerto Rican television talk shows like Anda Pal' Cara and No te Duermas, all promoting the island's prestigious drumming event, Drummer' s Choir Day. It was during this event, on April 9, 2005, where Afanador once again set a new world record of 1,219 single strokes in 60 seconds before 20,000 viewers. In addition to his many television appearances, Jotan Afanador has had the opportunity to play at well-known venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Jacob Javis Center, Shea Stadium, The Blue Note and the MCI Center. He has played in presidential campaigns for former U.S. President George W. Bush, and the current President of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez.
In 2005, Jotan Afanador performed at the World Class Athlete and Coaches Conference held in Los Angeles, California. Here his audience consisted of the sports world's most talented athletes and coaches from baseball's major league, the NFL, and the NHL. He has also played in events such as Calle 8 Latin Festival in Miami, Florida, the JVC Jazz Festival and for Project Dance, an event featuring New York's top dancers. In 2006, Afanador was invited to play for New York Yankees' All-Star Catcher, Jorge Posada at The Jorge Posada Foundation. Throughout the years, Jotan Afanador has brought his creativity and different styles of playing to the stage with renowned and musically diverse artists and bands such as Peter Cincotti, Roselyn Sanchez, Zap Mama, Sergio Mendes, Frankie Jay, Don Omar, Wisin y Yandel, Nina sky, Tito Puente' s Big Band, Victor Manuel, Alexander Pires, Alejandro Montaner, Nelson Ned, Jerry Rivera, Olga Tanon, Yolandita Monge, Ana Barbara and Julio Sabala, among others. To add to his musical versatility, he has also played with world-known gospel artists like Juan Carlos Alvarado, Danilo Montero, Jocelyn Arias, Renee Gonzalez and Sound of Praise, just to name a few.
Most recently, Afanador played with the bachata music group, Aventura. In 2006, Jotan played with this band before one million fans, the group's largest crowd yet. Aventura is, without a doubt, the most acclaimed Sony Music Latin boy band today. They are Latin Grammy winners as well as Billboard record breakers. Such is their popularity, that Aventura also broke the record for most sold out concerts in 2008. They are, moreover, the most heard band on Spanish radio stations in the U.S. and Latin America. Afanador has toured and recorded on the most recent Aventura albums called K.O.B Live, Sold Out at Madison Square Garden- Kings of Bachata, and their 2009 album, The Last. Jotan Afanador is by all means an international artist, not only because of the diversity of his musical background and expertise, but also due to his linguistic abilities. Being bilingual with English and Spanish and also being able to speak some Portuguese has helped him expand his career at the international level. He has toured extensively in Canada, Central and South America, the Netherlands, France, and England. The year 2009 marks a new beginning: ''the year of birth and the year of promise'' in Jotan Afanador's career. He will be producing his wife's first solo album in the fall of 2009 from his home studio. He is currently performing at local and national venues, touring in the U.S. and abroad, as well as doing studio work, clinics, and teaching privately. Jotan Afanador' s main goals are taking his drum playing all over the world and to inspire and touch the lives of many, both drummers and non-drummers alike.
TV credit's : THE WAYNE BRADY SHOW,
THE BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD : TOM ARNOL
SABADO GIGANTE: DON FRANSICO
FOX SPORTS
COLD PIZZA
VH 1 MUSIC FIRST
XTREME XSTV
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
MORE TO COME!!!!
