Jerry Gonzalez is an American-born

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Latino

Latino

The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...

 jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 trumpeter and percussionist, most noteworthy for his contributions to Latin jazz

Latin jazz

Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...

.

Biography

Early life and career

Jerry Gonzalez was born in 1949 in Manhattan, on 58 street and 3ª Avenue, and moved to the Bronx at the age of 4. He was raised in a strong musical atmosphere, with the strains of Latin, Afro-Cuban and jazz music always in his ear, establishing his musical appreciation and molding his future work as an artist. His father, Jerry Gonzalez Sr. was a master of ceremonies and lead singer for bands during the Palladium era and sang with musicians like Claudio Ferrer.
In junior high school he began playing trumpet and congas and jamming with local bands. After deciding this was his calling, Gonzalez completed his formal studies at New York College of Music and New York University.
He started his professional career playing with Lewellyn Mathews in New York State World's Fair in 1963. Then, in 1970, he started playing congas with Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...

. With Gillespie’s support and encouragement, Gonzalez was able to fuse the African based rhythms onto jazz elements without compromising the essence of either.
The next year, Gonzalez joined Eddie Palmieri’s band till 1974, before moving on to work with “Conjunto Libre” the band led by great timbales artist Manny Oquendo and Jerry's brother Andy Gonzalez.
He and his brother the bass player Andy Gonzalez were the fundators of the Conjunto Anabacoa and later of the charismatic Grupo Folklórico y Experimental Nuevayorkino with whom he made three records: Concepts of Unity (1974), Lo Dice Todo (1975) and Homenaje a Arsenio (2011). The band members were: Jerry and Andy Gonzalez, Frankie Rodríguez, Milton Cardona

Milton Cardona

Milton Cardona is a percussionist, vocalist and conga player from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.-Biography:Milton has made over 500 recordings in his career and was highly influenced by Mongo Santamaria. He studied violin during his childhood in Puerto Rico and played bass professionally in New York City...

, Gene Golden, Carlos Mestre, Nelson González

Nelson González

Nelson González , is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer, on loan from Quilmes.-Career:...

, Manny Oquendo

Manny Oquendo

Manny Oquendo was an American percussionist. His main instrument was the timbales, and was strongly influenced by Cuban drumming.Oquendo grew up in New York, and began studying percussion in 1945...

, Oscar Hernandez

Oscar Hernandez

Oscar Hernandez is a Puerto Rican musician, musical arranger and producer.-Early years:Hernandez's family moved to the United States from Puerto Rico in the 1940s, in search of a better way of life. They settled down in the South Bronx, a ghetto, which is a section that is heavily populated by...

, José Rodríguez

Jose Rodriguez

José Rodríguez or Jose Rodriguez may refer to:*José Alfredo Rodríguez, an undefeated Mexican Boxer and current WBA Light Flyweight Champion.*Jose Rodriguez , a Canal Zone-born peace activist*José Rodríguez , Argentine Olympic fencer...

, Gonzalo Fernández

Gonzalo Fernández

Gonzalo Fernández may refer to:*Gonzalo Fernández de Traba, Galician nobleman*Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba known as el Gran Capitán, Castilian general and statesman...

, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Willy García, Heny Álvarez, Virgilio Martí, Marcelino Guerra

Marcelino Guerra

Marcelino Guerra, also known as "Rapindey" was a Cuban singer and songwriter who spent much of his life in the United States. His primary role was as a segunda voz, or harmony, singer....

, Rubén Blades

Rubén Blades

Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...

, Orlando "Puntilla" Ríos and Julito Collazo

Julito Collazo

Julio "Julito" Collazo was a master percussionist.Collazo was born in Havana, Cuba. He began playing the ritual music of Santería on the batá drums at the age of fifteen. He moved to United States in the fifties to join in a world tour with the Afroamerican dancer Katherine Dunham and her Dance...

.

He played with Tito Puente

Tito Puente

Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...

 ensemble (1984 to 1999) McCoy Tyner

McCoy Tyner

McCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.-Early life:...

 band (1984 to 1990) and Jaco Pastorius

Jaco Pastorius

John Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....

 band (1984 to 1987)

The Fort Apache Band

Inevitably, Gonzalez talent led him to form his own band. In 1979, Gonzalez published his first album as a leader: Ya yo me curé. Soon he formed his best-known band: Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band which included his brother Andy and other members as Kenny Kirkland

Kenny Kirkland

Kenneth David “Kenny” Kirkland was an American pianist/keyboardist. He is most often associated with Sting, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Kenny Garrett....

, Sonny Fortune

Sonny Fortune

Sonny Fortune is an American jazz alto saxophonist and flautist. He also plays soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone and clarinet.-Biography:...

, Nicky Marrero, Milton Cardona

Milton Cardona

Milton Cardona is a percussionist, vocalist and conga player from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.-Biography:Milton has made over 500 recordings in his career and was highly influenced by Mongo Santamaria. He studied violin during his childhood in Puerto Rico and played bass professionally in New York City...

, Papo Vazquez and the late Jorge Dalto

Jorge Dalto

Jorge Dalto was a pop, jazz and Afro-Latin pianist and the former musical director for George Benson. He also performed with Tito Puente, Grover Washington, Fuse One, Gato Barbieri, Willie Colon and others...

. The ensembles first two albums were recorded live at European jazz festivals, The River is Deep in 1982 in Berlin and Obatalá in 1988 in Zurich.
These were followed by their hit album, Rumba Para Monk, in 1988, earning them recognition from the French Academie du Jazz with the Jazz Record of the Year award. This was the record that caught the ears of the jazz community, and is still considered a stellar project. After that, the 15 members band was compressed into a sextet: Larry Willis

Larry Willis

Lawrence Elliott Willis is an American jazz pianist and composer. He has performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion rock music, Bebop and Avant-Garde...

 (piano), Andy Gonzalez (bass), Steve Berrios

Steve Berrios

Steve Berrios is a jazz drummer and percussionist born in New York, New York. He started playing trumpet, but is not known for the instrument. He often performs in the Afro-Cuban jazz medium, having done stints with Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers, Joe Panama and Mongo Santamaría...

 (Drums) and Carter Jefferson

Carter Jefferson

Carter Jefferson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Jefferson played clarinet and alto saxophone early in his career, playing in the backing bands for The Temptations, The Supremes, and Little Richard in the 1960s. In 1971, he entered New York University, and played with Mongo Santamaría and...

 (sax) and Joe Ford

Joe Ford

Joseph or Joe Ford may refer to:*Joseph Ford*Joseph Dillon Ford*Joe Ford *Joe Ford *Joe Ford *Joe T. Ford, CEO and co-founder of Alltel...

 (sax).

Gonzalez and the band subsequently released Earthdance (Sunnyside,1990) and Moliendo Café (Sunnyside, 1991). These albums again demonstrated the band’s ability to play Latin inspired jazz with genuine sensitivity and virtuosity. After Moliendo Café, Carter Jefferson passed away and was replaced by John Stubblefield

John Stubblefield

John Stubblefield was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, and oboist.Stubblefield was an adaptable musician; he was stationed with the World Saxophone Quartet , Reggie Workman , McCoy Tyner , Freddie Hubbard , and George Russell .-As leader:* Prelude with Onaje Allan Gumbs, Cecil McBee, Joe...

. They then released Crossroads in 1994 and Pensativo in 1995, each of which earned them Grammy nominations. The ensemble was awarded The Beyond Group of the Year by both Down Beat

Down Beat

Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...

 Magazine reader's and critic's polls in 1995 and 1996.

Gonzalez and group continued their creations on the 1996 album Fire Dance, recorded live at Blues Alley, and featuring interpretations of Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...

 as Let’s Call This and Ugly Beauty, as well as original compositions. Their efforts were are compensated by winning a score of awards as; Best Jazz Group in Playboy Magazines Readers Poll for 1997. In 1998 they swept the Latin Jazz category at the New York Jazz Awards winning both the Industry and Journalist Polls. In 1999 the group scored big with the critics and readers polls for Beyond Group of The Year in Down Beat

Down Beat

Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...

 Magazine.

Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache Band offered a tribute to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on their 2005 release Rumba Buhaina. That was their first record as a quintet, without John Stubblefield

John Stubblefield

John Stubblefield was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, and oboist.Stubblefield was an adaptable musician; he was stationed with the World Saxophone Quartet , Reggie Workman , McCoy Tyner , Freddie Hubbard , and George Russell .-As leader:* Prelude with Onaje Allan Gumbs, Cecil McBee, Joe...

, who passed away in 2005.
The band is still alive and functioning.

In 2008, the Heineken Festival paid tribute to Jerry Gonzalez and his brother Andy, the first Puertoricans to be honored by the Heineken Festival.
In October 2011, the Grammy awarded Arturo O'Farrill

Arturo O'Farrill

Arturo O'Farrill is a pianist, the son of Latin jazz musician and bandleader Chico O'Farrill. He formerly worked with Carla Bley and eventually took over his father's band. Arturo went on to form the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, which played at Lincoln Center. Under his direction the group recorded...

's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra payed tribute to Jerry and Andy at the Symphony Space

Symphony Space

Symphony Space is a multi-disciplinary performing arts organization at 2537 Broadway on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Performances take place in the 760-seat Peter Jay Sharp Theatre or the 160-seat Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater. Programs include music, dance, theater, film, and literary readings...

 Theater.

His years in Spain

Gonzalez popularity rose after his contribution to the movie Calle 54

Calle 54

Calle 54 is a 2000 documentary film about Latin jazz by Spanish director Fernando Trueba. With only minimal introductory voiceovers, the film consists of studio performances by a wide array of Latin Jazz musicians. Artists featured include Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Cachao, Eliane Elias, Gato...

, directed by the Oscar awarded Fernando Trueba

Fernando Trueba

Fernando Trueba is a Spanish book editor, screenwriter, film director and producer.Between 1974 and 1979 worked as a film critic for Spain's leading daily newspaper EL PAIS. In 1980, founded the monthly film magazine CASABLANCA, which he edited and directed during its first two years...

, where the main names of Latin jazz participated: Tito Puente

Tito Puente

Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...

, Paquito D’Rivera, Gato Barbieri

Gato Barbieri

Leandro Barbieri , better known as Gato Barbieri , is an Argentinean jazz tenor saxophonist and composer who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and from his latin jazz recordings in the 1970s.-Biography:Born to a family of musicians, Barbieri began playing music...

, Chucho Valdes

Chucho Valdés

Chucho Valdés is a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger. In 1972 he founded the group Irakere, one of Cuba's best-known Latin jazz bands. Together with pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Valdés is revered as one of Cuba's greatest jazz pianists...

, Dave Valentin

Dave Valentin

Dave Valentin is a jazz flutist.He learned latin percussion first when he was a teenager, and then switched to flute. Valentin's teacher, Hubert Laws, suggested that he not double on saxophone because of his attractive sound on the flute. He studied at the Bronx Community College...

, Israel López "Cachao"... This has not been the only collaboration of Gonzalez in movies, he participated in Crossover Dreams (León Ichaso, 1985) with Rubén Blades and Virgilio Martí, Piñero (León Ichaso, 2001) and chapters of Sesame Street.
After the premiere of Calle 54

Calle 54

Calle 54 is a 2000 documentary film about Latin jazz by Spanish director Fernando Trueba. With only minimal introductory voiceovers, the film consists of studio performances by a wide array of Latin Jazz musicians. Artists featured include Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Cachao, Eliane Elias, Gato...

, in 2000, Gonzalez relocated to Madrid. The trumpeter went there for just one day during the tour with Calle 54

Calle 54

Calle 54 is a 2000 documentary film about Latin jazz by Spanish director Fernando Trueba. With only minimal introductory voiceovers, the film consists of studio performances by a wide array of Latin Jazz musicians. Artists featured include Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Cachao, Eliane Elias, Gato...

 and ended up living there. He immersed himself in the flamenco scene and started to develop a new concept with the genre that would blossom in the future.

His hiatus in Madrid resulted in the production of Los Piratas Del Flamenco (2004) a band and album that included the flamenco guitarist Niño Josele

Niño Josele

Niño Josele is a Spanish guitarist, and exponent of the New Flamenco style.His first two albums show a vibrant, pure, modern flamenco style....

, the percussionist Israel Suárez "Piraña" and the singer Diego El Cigala

Diego El Cigala

Diego Ramón Jiménez Salazar, known as El Cigala , is a famous Spanish Romani Flamenco singer...

. A novel approach is evident, as it was done without bass, without drums or piano, a radically new sound, a fusion of jazz and flamenco but with a twist. The album was nominated to the Grammy Awards as best Latin jazz album and won the Critics Award in New York as best Latin-jazz album of the year. He has also played with other flamenco musicians such as Enrique Morente

Enrique Morente

Enrique Morente Cotelo, known as Enrique Morente, was a flamenco singer and a controversial figure within the world of contemporary flamenco...

, Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía, born Francisco Sánchez Gómez , is a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist and composer. He is considered by many to be one of the finest guitarists in the world and the greatest guitarist of the flamenco genre...

, Javier Limón

Javier Limón

Javier Limón is a record producer, singer and songwriter born and raised in Madrid, Spain. Limón has worked with several artists, mainly from Spain, since he incorporates elements of flamenco rhythm to his work. Besides his work as producer has also dabbled as an interpreter and has released three...

 and Jorge Pardo, copla musicians like Martirio

Martirio

Maribel Quiñones or María Isabel Quiñones Gutiérrez in full, known under her stage name as Martirio is a Spanish singer born in 1958 in Huelva, Spain....

 and pop musicians living in Spain like the Argentinean Andrés Calamaro

Andrés Calamaro

Andrés Calamaro , is an Argentine musician, composer and Latin Grammy winner. His former band Los Rodríguez was a major success in Spain in the 1990s. He became one of the main icons of the Argentine rock in the last two decades and has sold over 1.3 million copies.-Abuelos de la Nada:Calamaro was...

.
Gonzalez latest albums have been A primera vista (duet with Federico Lechner, 2002), Music for Big Band (Youkali/Universal, 2006) and Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo (Cigala Music, 2010), recorded with El comando de la clave, Jerry's quartet in Spain, which includes the Cubans Alain Pérez (bass), Javier Massó "Caramelo" (piano) and Kiki Ferrer (drums). It was nominated as best Jazz album to the Spanish Music Awards. The American edition of this album was called Jerry Gonzalez y el Comando de la Clave (Sunnyside, 2011).

In 2010, he is given the "Latino of the Year Award" in the 100 Latinos Awards-Madrid.

His next projects are an album with the Spanish contrabass player Javier Colina, a duet live album with the flamenco guitarist Niño Josele

Niño Josele

Niño Josele is a Spanish guitarist, and exponent of the New Flamenco style.His first two albums show a vibrant, pure, modern flamenco style....

, a live album with his Fort Apache Band and a tribute album to Los Muñequitos de Matanzas

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas is a Cuban rumba and Folkloric group. It has been described by many as one of the most important groups in Cuba.The group formed under the name "Guaguancó Matancero" in 1952, in Barrio Marina, Matanzas, Cuba. Among their first recordings was the song "Los muñequitos" ...

.

Collaborations

In the long run of his career, Gonzalez has been playing with musicians such as Jaco Pastorius

Jaco Pastorius

John Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....

, Tito Puente

Tito Puente

Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...

, McCoy Tyner

McCoy Tyner

McCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.-Early life:...

, Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...

, Chet Baker

Chet Baker

Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...

, Eddie Palmieri

Eddie Palmieri

Eddie Palmieri , is a Grammy Award winning Puerto Rican pianist, bandleader and musician, best known for combining jazz piano and instrumental solos with Latin rhythms.-Early years:...

, Cachao López

Cachao López

Israel "Cachao" López , often known as Cachao, was a Cuban musician and composer who helped popularize mambo in the United States in the early 1950s....

, Wood Shaw, Tony Williams, Larry Young

Larry Young

Larry Young may refer to:* Larry Young , jazz organist* Larry Young , baseball umpire* Larry Young , Olympic racewalker* Larry Young , author of Astronauts in Trouble and publisher, AiT/Planet Lar...

, Freddie Hubbard

Freddie Hubbard

Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...

, Brooklyn Philharmonic

Brooklyn Philharmonic

The Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, commonly known as the Brooklyn Philharmonic, is an American orchestra based in the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City...

, Archie Shepp

Archie Shepp

Archie Shepp is a prominent African-American jazz saxophonist. Shepp is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late 1960s, which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by the African-Americans, as well as for his work with the New York Contemporary Five, Horace Parlan, and...

, Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía, born Francisco Sánchez Gómez , is a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist and composer. He is considered by many to be one of the finest guitarists in the world and the greatest guitarist of the flamenco genre...

, George Benson

George Benson

George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....

, Chico O'Farill, The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...

, Papo Vázquez, Ray Barretto

Ray Barretto

Ray Barretto was a Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican jazz musician.-Early years:Barretto was born in New York City of Puerto Rican descent...

, Bobby Paunetto

Bobby Paunetto

Bobby "Vince" Paunetto was a vibraphonist and composer associated to Latin jazz and salsa. He did not start on vibraphone until age 17, but went on to befriend Cal Tjader and study at the Berklee College of Music from 1969 to 1973. He had at least three albums by 1976 before becoming ill. In 1979...

, Chocolate Armenteros, Hilton Ruíz

Hilton Ruiz

Hilton Ruiz was a Puerto Rican American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player....

, Chico Freeman

Chico Freeman

Chico Freeman is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman...

, Don Moye

Don Moye

Famoudou Don Moye, is an American jazz percussionist and drummer. He is most known for his involvement with the Art Ensemble of Chicago and is noted for his mastery of African and Caribbean percussion instruments and rhythmic techniques.- Early life and Detroit Free Jazz :Moye was born in...

, José "Chombo" Silva, Rashied Ali

Rashied Ali

Rashied Ali, born Robert Patterson was an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz drummer best known for playing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life.-Biography:...

, Paquito D'Rivera

Paquito D'Rivera

Paquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist. The winner of multiple Grammys and other awards, D'Rivera has lived in the United States since the early 1980s. He has worked in a variety of contexts, but is perhaps best known for playing Latin...

, Kenny Vance

Kenny Vance

Kenny Vance is an American singer and music producer who was an original member of Jay and the Americans....

, Diego El Cigala

Diego El Cigala

Diego Ramón Jiménez Salazar, known as El Cigala , is a famous Spanish Romani Flamenco singer...

, Enrique Morente

Enrique Morente

Enrique Morente Cotelo, known as Enrique Morente, was a flamenco singer and a controversial figure within the world of contemporary flamenco...

 and Steve Turre

Steve Turre

Steve Turre is a trombonist, recording artist, arranger, and educator. In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2006 he won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for best trombonist....

.

Discography

As a leader:

• Ya Yo Me Cure (American Clave/Sunnyside, 1979)
• The River Is Deep (Enja, 1982)
• Rumba para Monk (Sunnyside, 1988)
• Obatalá (Enja, 1988)
• Earthdance (Sunnyside, 1990)
• Moliendo Café (Sunnyside, 1991)
• Crossroads (Fantasy, 1994)
• Pensativo (Fantasy, 1995)
• Impressions with Afro Blue Band
  Afro Blue Band
  -Personnel:*Arthur Barron*Steve Berrios *Lionel Cole*Glen Cronkhite*Jerry Gonzalez *Mark Levine *Dave Liebman *Mel Martin*Melton Mustafa *Steve Neil*Phoenix Rivera*Hilton Ruiz *Papo Vasquez...
  
  , (Fantasy, 1995)
• Fire Dance (Fantasy,1996)
• Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache Band Live (1996)
• Calle 54 (Calle54, 2000)
• Jerry González & Federico Lechner: A primera vista (2002)
• Jerry Gonzalez & Los Piratas del Flamenco (Lola Records/Sunnyside, 2004)
• Rumba Buhaina (Sunnyside, 2005)
• Music for a Big Band (Youkali/Universal, 2006)
• Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo (Cigala Music/Warner, 2010)
• Jerry González y el Comando de la Clave (Sunnyside/2011)

As sideman:

• George Benson: The other side of Abbey Road (A&M, 1969)
• Bobby Paunetto: Commit to Memory (Pathfinder/Tonga, 1970)
• Dizzy Gillespie: Portrait of Jenny (Perception, 1970)
• Clifford Thornton: Communications Network (Third World, 1972)
• Huston Person: Island Episode (Prestige, 1973)
• Eddie Palmieri: Sentido (1973)
• Clifford Thornton: Gardens of Harlem (JCOA, 1974)
• Eddie Palmieri: Unfinished Masterpiece (Coco/MPL, 1974)
• Bobby Paunetto: Paunetto's Point (Pathfinder/Toga, 1974)
• Charlie Palmieri: Impulsos (Coco/MPL, 1975)
• Grupo Folklórico Experimental Nuevayorkino: Concepts of Unity (Salsoul, 1975)
• Bobby Paunetto: Commit to Memory (Pathfinder/Toga, 1976)
• Grupo Folklórico Experimental Nuevayorkino: Lo dice todo (Salsoul, 1976)
• Paquito D'Rivera: Blowin (Columbia, 1981)
• Totico: Totico y sus rumberos (Montuno, 1981)
• Kip Hanrahan: Coup de tête (American Clavé, 1981)
• McCoy Tyner: Looking out (Columbia, 1982)
• Kip Hanrahan: Desire Develops an Edge (American Clavé, 1981)
• Tito Puente: On Broadway (Concord Picante, 1982)
• Abbey Lincoln: Talking to the sun (Enja, 1983)
• Kirk Lightsey: Isotope (Criss Cross, 1983)
• Jaco Pastorius: Jaco Pastorius live in New York Vol. I & III (Big World, 1985)
• Carlos "Patato" Valdés: Masterpiece (Messidor, 1984)
• Virgilio Martí: Saludos a los rumberos (Caimán,1984)
• Jaco Pastorius: Punk Jazz (Big World, 1986)
• Franco Ambrosetti: Movies (Enja, 1986)
• Soundtrack of the movie Crossover Dreams (Electra/Asylum1986)
• Hilton Ruiz: El camino (RCA/BMG/Novus, 1987)
• Steve Turré: Viewpoints on Vibrations (Stash, 1987)
• Santi Debriano: Obeah (Free Lance, 1987)
• Kip Hanrahan: Days and nights of blue luck inverted (American Clavé, 1987)
• Steve Turré: Fire and Ice (Stash, 1988)
• Kenny Vance: The Performer (Rockaway/Gold Castle, 1988) http://www.kennyvance.com/vid13performer.html
• Larry Willis: Heavy Blue (Steeplechase, 1989)
• Kirk Lightsey: Everything is changed (Sunnyside, 1989)
• McCoy Tyner: The Turning Point (Birdology, 1991)
• Charles Fambrough: The proper angle (CTI, 1991)
• Kenny Kirkland: Kenny Kirkland (GRP, 1991)
• Don Byron: Music for six musicians (1992)
• Dave Valentin: Tropic Heat (GRP, 1993)
• Bobby Hutcherson: Acoustic Masters II (Atlancic, 1993)
• McCoy Tyner: Journey (Birdology, 1993)
• Hilton Ruiz: Heroes (Telarc, 1993)
• David Sanchez: Sketches of Dreams (Columbia, 1994)
• Sonny Fortune: A Better Understanding (Blue Note, 1994)
• Afro Blue band: Impressions (1995)
• Chico O'Farrill: Pure Emotion (Milestone, 1995)
• Giovanni Hidalgo: Time Shifter (Tropijazz, 1996)
• Bobby Matos: Footprints (Cubop, 1996)
• Abbey Lincoln: You and I (Jazzfest, 1997)
• Deep Rumba: The music of Marlon Simon (K-Jazz, 1998)
• Arturo O'Farrill: Blood Lines (Milestone, 1999)
• Batacumbele: Hijos de tambó (Batá, 1999)
• Rumbajazz: Tribute to Chombo (Sunnyside, 1999)
• Abbey Lincoln: Over the years (Verve, 2000)
• Diego "El Cigala": Corren tiempos de alegría (2001)
• Andrés Calamaro: Tinta Roja (2001)
• Martirio: Mucho Corazón (2001)
• Enrique Morente: Pequeño Reloj (Virgin/Emi, 2003)
• Paco de Lucía: Cositas Buenas (2004)
• Diego "El Cigala": Picasso en mis ojos (2005)
• Niño Josele: Paz (2006)
• Diego Amador: "El aire de lo puro" (2006)
• Javier Limón: La tierra del Agua (2007)
• Javier Limón: Son de Limón (2008)
• Andrés Calamaro: Obras Incompletas (2009)
• Andrés Calamaro: On the Rock (2010)
• Alain Pérez: Apetecible (2010)