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B I O G R A P H I C A L N O T E S
Written by:
John Child in collaboration with Jimmy le Messurier
Jimmy le M & La Clave de Londres
Mid-solo at 'Club Bahia'
LE MESSURIER, Jimmy (Jimmy le M & La Clave de Londres) (b. St.Pierre-du-Bois, Guernsey, Channel Isles, of Guernsey-French parentage) percussionist, composer, arranger, producer; leader of La Clave, the UK's longest established típico salsa band which has featured many key local musicians and backed various important visiting artists, as well as a prominent UK salsa and Latin jazz sideman. Studied piano from age 7 to 12; took up drums at age 14; began semi-pro career at 16 playing a variety of styles.
Attended Berklee College of Music in the US 1980-83 graduating with a Batchelor of Music Degree. Teachers he studied with include Dean Anderson, Joe Hunt, Joe Galeota (drums/ percussion), John Bavicci, Mike Gibbs (composition/ arranging), John la Porta,
Wayne Naus (ensemble work). Importantly, he participated in the Latin Ensembles led by prominent Puerto Rican salsa musicians Tommy Villariny and Edgar Nevarez.
LA CLAVE is born….
In London in 1985 , with conguero Pete Eckford (b. Liverpool, UK, of
Anglo- Panamanian parentage), the idea of forming a Latin combo drawing on the Newyorican sounds of the 60'and 70's was put
forward. The band was assembled and rehearsed at various South London locations in 1986/7. The first performance of La Clave was at the Bass Clef, (a venue which hosted many international Latin groups and musicians, incl. Alfredo 'Chocolate' Armenteros, Charlie Palmieri, Oscar D'León and Bobby Carcasses) in November 1987.The line-up was Jimmy on timbal/coro; Pete Eckford - conga; Dave Pattman - bongo/coro; Roland Perrin - piano; Ruth Bitelli - bass/coro; Paul Taylor - trombone; Mark Bassey - trombone; Luiz
Avendano, Oscar Ruiz - lead vocals/small percussion.
…..meanwhile, the studies continue…….
Throughout the 80's and 90's there were many opportunities to study Afro-Cuban percussion in London due to frequent visits by Cuban and other artists, many of whom stayed in London for several weeks at a time while working at Ronnie Scott's, for example, Irakere, who came to the capital every year for a decade or so. Many other groups came from Cuba because of links with Cuba forged by the Cuba Solidarity Organisation based in London. Jimmy was able to learn (either in workshop situations or private lessons)from percussionists such as: Oscar Valdés Sr. and Jr., Miguel Angá Díaz, Daniel
Ponce, Freddy Santiago, Carlos "Patato" Valdes, Marc Quiñones, José Luis Quintana 'Changuito' and Los Muñequitos de
Matanzas. While on visits to Lima, Peru (Jimmy has family connections there) he has also been able to study with noted percussionists Urbano Collac and Fernando Gonzales.
With ace percussionist and friend
Urbano Collac in Lima, Peru
…….and there was work as a sideman…..
In 1984 Jimmy formed a latin-jazz quartet featuring Courtney Pine but soon decided to move away from jazz and towards Afro-Latin music. First job as timbalero was with the Latin fusion group Bolivar, which developed
its' sound during a year- long weekly residency at the Atlantic, Brixton. Jimmy soon began to work as a sideman in other groups - first as a replacement for Roberto Pla (b.
Barranquilla, Colombia) in El Sonido de Londres (Londons' first típico,
as opposed to latin-jazz group) when he was leading his own band - and then with other local groups: Picante, Tumbaito, Matraca, Sambatucada, The Beaujolais Band, Bombele Orquesta, Septeto Familia, Pa'lante, Ray Martínez y la Explosion, Merengada, La Charanga Rivera (organised by Stan Rivera '97), Los Flacos del Guaguancó, Raices
Cubanas, Omar Puente and Grupo X, led by long-time La Clave trombonist Jonny Enright. Jimmy has worked as a sideman with
Cuban piano virtuoso Alfredo Rodríguez, Rodolfo Pacheco (Paris-based Barranquilla-born percussionist/ vocalist), Adalberto Santiago, Jesús Alemañy's Cubanismo, Jimmy Bosch and Cubop artists Johnny Blas, Jack Constanzo and Dave
Pike. While in Lima, Peru he also appeared with Orquesta la Novel, La Clave del Callao, La Fragua and Los Pakines.
LA CLAVE goes international…..
In '89 Jimmy took over the day to day running of La Clave. In '91 vocalist Lino Rocha (b.
La Guaira, Venezuela) was drafted in. At this stage the band was making a reputation as
Londons' premier salsa group as much for its choice of danceable material as for its quality. This made the group especially sought after for the Latin social events, festivals and dances which kept the band busy. In December '92 La Clave started its international career at New Morning, Paris; appearances in Italy, Holland, Germany,
Switzerland, Rep.of Ireland, Greece and Turkey followed. In '93 Jim added trumpeter Jesús Alemañy (b. Guanabacoa, Cuba; joined top son group Sierra Maestra '78; relocated to London '92) to the line-up. Jesús was a member of La Clave for five years. Many of La Clave's musicians have played in his band including Richard Exall (saxophones), who toured with Cubanismo in Europe,
U.S. and Caribbean in '97/98.
……and accompanies visiting 'soneros'......
La Clave with Orlando Watussi
In '94 La Clave had its first experience backing an international name sonero in the form of Orlando Castillo 'Watussi' (b . Marín, Yaracuy State, Venezuela; a member of Los Satélites, Porfi Jiménez y su Orquesta, Federico y su Combo Latino and other bands before relocating to NYC '79 to pursue a freelance/ solo career; recorded solo albums: Ustedes, Mi Rumba y Yo '81 on Vaya, Echale Watusi! '87 on Tibiri, Siempre Pa'lante '92 on Cali; made UK debut with Tito Puente '90). Orlando's repertoire was learnt for this, the first of three subsequent collaborations. The first tour included appearances at the Fridge in Brixton, South London, and El Cubanito, Zurich, Switzerland. The second stint in 1996 comprised two dates at the popular south London venue Club Bahia, while the third, several months later, comprised six dates in Italy, including the Festival LatinoAmericano in Milan. Soon the manager of Bahia,
Nacho Galvez, was persuaded to bring over visiting soneros that the band could accompany. A few months later Tito Allen (b.
Puerto Rico. vocalist who recorded w/ Ray Barretto; Tito Puente; La Tipica
'73; recorded 7 solo albums) appeared at the club with the band for a two night stint. La Clave accompanied Tito Allen on two more occasions, at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration '97/98 in front of 10,000 people and on a tour of England organised by the Latin Promoters Network in Dec. '99, culminating in an acclaimed gig at London's Jazz Café.
La Clave with Sonero Tito Allen
other projects beckon……
Since '98, aside from working as a jobbing timbalero and arranger, Jimmy has taken time to contribute material to other projects. These include compositions for UK Latin-jazz group Snowboy and the Latin Section (which features two La Clave alumni - percussionist David Pattman & trombonist Paul
Taylor) one of which, Mambo Rage, became the title track of the 1998 Cubop release and El Campeon del Mambo for Snowboy's Cubop follow-up Afro-Cuban Jazz '00. He composed the instrumental Guaguancó en Chicago Chico and co-wrote the cuts X-Posure,
Eye 2 Eye & Brand New Love for the London-based Grupo X, ( on the debut album X-Posure released Feb.
2001, Loft records) and these tunes have so far attracted three different licensing deals in the UK, Germany and Japan. He
also worked on material for Jack Constanzo's second album for the Cubop label.
…..while the debut album "SALSA FEELING" is recorded….
The "Salsa Feeling" debut album by Jimmy le M y La Clave de Londres was finally completed in early 2001. Tito Allen guests on two of the eight tracks, both originals. The remaining cuts feature performances from the group's top UK-based singers, Lino Rocha and Carlos Peña (b.
Caracas, Venezuela; corista with Oscar D'León y Orquesta '90-2).
Written by John Child in collaboration with Jimmy le Messurier
© John Child and Jimmy le Messurier
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- Jimmy
Le M and La Clave De Londres - SALSA BAND -
