Today we’d like to introduce you to Otto Santana.
Hi Otto, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Otto Santana Selis, I was born on December 24, 1988. I am a musician by profession. At the age of 10, I began my musical training in art schools in Havana, Cuba at different levels until graduating in classical percussion at the ISA (Higher Institute of Art).
In schools in Cuba, the main training is in symphony orchestra instruments (Timpani, Marimba, Vibraphone, etc.) so I became interested in Afro-Cuban percussion in parallel, looking for information outside of school and my teacher was Justo ¨Pelladito¨ whom I owe much of my knowledge of Cuban percussion. Art came as a translation in the family. My grandfather Raúl Selis was a radio and television actor and my mother Maylin Selis graduated in guitar from Amadeo Roldan in Havana.
She was a drummer for the Cuban orchestra ¨Las Anacaonas¨ and later a guitarist for the Septeto ¨Café¨ and other music orchestras… traditional Cuban. I started on stage with a Latin jazz band that we created at the Amadeo Roldan school around 2003 called ¨Evolución¨ with which we participated in various jazz festivals and competitions in Cuba. At the age of 16, we started working professionally with the singer-songwriter Kelvis Ochoa, and from then on we began my path as a percussionist in various bands in Cuba.
I was part of ¨Cesar Lopéz and Habana Emsemble¨ for 10 years (2008-2018) and along with this I was part of Descemer Bueno and his group, Amadito Valdés (The golden drumstick of the Buena Vista Social Club) and his group, Jose Maria Vitier and his group, Isaac Delgado and his orchestra, Ruy Lopez-Nussa, Jorge Luis Pacheco, etc. I also collaborated with other projects such as Alexander Abreu Habana De Primera, Alain Perez, and his Orchestra, Dayme Arocena. I also recorded multiple Grammy-nominated and winning albums such as Visualísate by Gente de Zona in 2016 and Orquesta Akokan in 2018, etc.
During all this time, I participated in many festivals around the world doing more than 40 international tours through America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia With live bands also with musical theater with shows such as ¨Cuba Vibra¨ by Ballet Lizt Alfonso and with the show ¨Carmen la cubana¨, a Latin adaptation of the famous Opera ¨Carmen¨ by Georges Bizet with orchestration by Alex Lacamoire. In 2019, I moved to the United States to the city of Miami, I have been here for 5 years and I continued to develop as a musician. I have also recorded several Albums with Latin Grammy nominations such as Acústica by ¨Albita Rodriguez¨ 2019, the album ¨Canten¨ by Leoni Torres 2022 and Café con Cariño by Renesito Avich 2022, etc.
Here, I am part of many musical projects in the city such as the Banda ¨Palo¨, an original band from Miami and I also have my Jazz trio and my musical project in general. In August of last year 2023, I released my first album called Otto Percussion
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My most difficult moment since I arrived in this country was the year 2020 when the covid pandemic stopped the entire artistic movement and the world in general. It was a time of much reflection and real proof of how much focus I could have on my art and being an artist.
It was the most difficult year of my career and at the same time it was the year I studied the most, I made a lot of progress mentally and in that year I began to upload my first singles to digital platforms and release my music.
The first single was called “Rutina Provocada” released on November 20, 2020, and has a video on YouTube produced, directed, and edited by me, which is a parody of the current commercial videos of today’s artists.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My main objective is focused on the execution and development of Cuban percussion (tumbadoras, timbales, bongoes, etc.). I worry about defining the language of each of these instruments and perfecting their technique.
I have my band which is a trio made up of electric bass, piano, or guitar, and a percussion set made up of elements of drums, congas, bell, flamenco Cajon, and cymbals, with the latter I try to differentiate my sound and have an original percussive stamp.
I compose my music where the influence of Afro-Cuban elements and traditional Cuban music stands out. I released my first album “Otto Percussion” in August 2023. I am currently mixing and mastering my second album.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think the music industry is getting simpler every day. Well-crafted music has less and less audience.
Musicians and artists in the industry are going to have to transform themselves into a show or an unforgettable experience, which is capable of creating a great sensation in the public regardless of the musical message or the quality of the music, to have acceptance.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://ottosantanamusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otto_percussion/?hl=es
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottosantanaselis/?locale=es_LA
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCVYKJnsqcTnGUXXXxWSIjA
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2i1tBZ2rwmRnWadSO1DSZc
Image Credits
Claudia Millares @Dimillash
