DRUMMER YISSY GARCIA

Born on May 29. 1987, drummer YISSY GARCIA is a female drummer from Havana, Cuba. Her father, the drummer Bernardo Garcia, is a co-founder of the legendary band, Irakere.

Yissy began formal training at the age of nine. As she grew she had the opportunity to perform with world-renowned percussionists such as Horacio Hernandez “El Negro,’ Giovanni Hidalgo and the trumpeter Roy Hargrove among others.

Also, she worked closely with jazz players such as Alexis Bosch, Bobby Carcasés, and mentor Yasek Manzano, who was instrumental in her development.

From 2006 to 2011 she was a member of the legendary all-female band, Anacaona.

In 2012, she launched her solo career as a composer and bandleader with the project YISSY & BANDANCHA, a quintet whose mainstay is “high-speed Afro-Cuban jazz.”

Currently, Yissy participates in many of the festivals throughout Cuba, including Jazz Plaza, JoJazz, Ellas Crean, Havana World Music, etc.

Aside from her work with BANDACHA, Yissy works extensively with Cuban artists and bands such as Interactivo, Alexis Bosch, and Telmary among others.

In 2014 she joined Kelvis Ochoa, William Vivanco and Yusa to take part in the Festival El Sur Suena a Cubano, held in Argentina. She toured Japan with Yusa; was one of the musicians that played on Gema Correderas’ record Feeling Marta and toured Mexico with Omara Portuondo and the Buena Vista Social Club.

Also, Yissy performs with Maqueque, a band led by the well-known Canadian jazz player, Jane Bunnett. Since joining Maqueque, she has played in some of the most important festivals in Canada and the USA and recorded the album Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, which was awarded a Juno in 2015 for Best Jazz Album.

Yissy is one of the featured artists in a Brazilian documentary film that showcases some of the most outstanding talents of Cuban Jazz today. Also, she performed in the Women of the World concert led by M Alfonso and was invited by drummer Terri Lyne Carrington to teach a Clinic on Cuban rhythms at Berklee College of Music.

Última Noticia is one of the first Cuban recordings to be financed via crowdfunding. At this writing, the album is available

Awards

Drum Festival International Festival – 2005 International Festival of Young Jazz Jojazz – 2005 2nd place at Best Performance Award at the International Festival of Young Jazz Jojazz – 2006 1st place in (Drums) International Jazz Competition Master Jam Festival in Odessa, Ukraine – 2013

ARTIST WEBSITE