Earl Rush
CEO and founder of Stuckonsalsa
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| HERBERT MARTINEZ |
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Herbert "Herbie" Martinez:
Where would the DC Salsa Community be without it's Pioneers? Before there
was Salsa Fuego, Clavekazi, Son Mulato or Melao there were the Orquestas
and it's musicians. Herbie Martinez is one of those pioneers. A member
and Musical Director of the Metro Area's Award winning, number one Orquesta
"La Romana", he believes they are out there to serve the public. And along
with so many other local musicians, keeps the music playing....like Lionel
sang....ALL NIGHT LONG! He also emphasizes the dedication of these
musicians. Music is not their bread and butter, rather una pasión for them
all. Not to mention....they have to be pretty intelligent to read music.
Any of you who have ever taken music lessons can relate to this. Reading
music is comparable to learning a foreign language. An abstract language!!
Mmmmm Brains and Musical.....muy caliente' and mucho romantico.
Betcha Didn't Know....Herbie is a Mechanical Engineer at Johnson's Controls
but proclaims music is not his part time job rather it's his "other
career"!! He began playing the trombone in Junior High School at age 12.
In music class he and his classmates were given a selection of instruments
to choose from. He was ultimately "stuck with" a trombone and wasn't too
pleased. THEN...as fate would have it, he saw Willie Colon in concert that
very weekend and was blown away. That Monday morning in school he was
proud to carry that trombone to music class and couldn't wait to master
this strange looking instrument. A native New Yorker....Herbie has played
with many bands in New York, Puerto Rico and Miami. Some of these groups
are The Willie Colon Orchestra, Lalo Rodriguez, Luis "Perico" Ortiz,
Roberto (El Caballo Viejo) Torres, The Bad Street Boys, Alex Leon, Charlie
Rodriguez, Hansel y Raul,
and Eddie Santiago.He lived for awhile in Miami, finally settling here in
the Metro area for the past 15 years.
Aside from music his special interests include watching sports....the usual
football, baseball and basketball. His favorite teams...of course....the
New York Giants, the Mets and the Nics. Herbie is also involved in
community service. He provides instruments/trombones to kids in DC (he
loves helping kids), that are interested in learning to play. He says at
any given time there could be up to 8 trombones in his home.....but he only
uses 3.
His proudest achievement however is being a Papa. His son Herbie III (a
little cutie on dutie, well his Mom is muy Hermosa) is alreadly following
in his Dad's musical footsteps. A chip off the block 'H the Third' plays
the piano, maracas, congas, bongos, trombone AND has a Black Belt in
Karate'. Herbie promises his son will be an awesome musician and has a
muscical surprise in store for us soon.
Herbie also has a dream. A dream home planned in the Pacific Northwest.
He owns property in Kalaloch, Washington overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
His plan is to retire, build his house....sit on his huge front porch,
watch the whales swim up and down the coast with his Grand kids on his
knees and at his feet. Wow....close your eyes.....can't you just see it.
It's a wonderful life. Verdad?
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