Candido Camero
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Oral History Information
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Musician, Percussionist
Candido Camero was born in Cuba on April 22, 1921. By the age of four he was already interested in percussive instruments--a field he would revolutionize by blending Latin beats with jazz. Working with other pioneers on the concepts of Latin Jazz, such as Dizzy Gillespie, Candido opened up the endless possibilities of jazz percussion. Candido performed with an incredible list of music greats, recorded 15 solo albums and worked with Marty Cohen at Latin Percussion as an inspiration for and endorser of Marty’s innovative products. A documentary on Candido’s life was released in 2008 entitled “Hands of Fire.” He passed away peacefully in his New York home on November 7, 2020 at the age of 99.