Joe Santiago

One of the top bassists in the Latin music world, Joe Santiago is a freelance performing and recording artist in New York City for Latin jazz, jazz, and salsa. He is currently performing in the Eddie Palmieri Orchestra, where he is known as “El Bajista con Timba.”

His prior performing experience, which has taken him on tour throughout the United States, Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Japan, includes work with Joe Quijano, Larry Harlow, Ismael Miranda, the Machito Orchestra, Mario Bauzá, Hilton Ruiz, Paquito de Rivera, Jorge Dalto, Carlos “Patato” Valdés, the Tito Puente Orchestra, Latin Jazz Ensemble, Celia Cruz, Willie Colón, Rubén Blades, Héctor Lavoe, Xavier Cugat Orchestra, Tito Puente & Max Roach, Bebo Valdés, Chucho Valdés, and La Sonora Ponceña, among other top artists.

Santiago recorded as a trombone player for the first and last time in El Malo and The Hustler LP with Willie Colón (1966-67). After becoming a bass player, Santiago recorded in Larry Harlow’s La Oportunidad (1971), Ismael Miranda’s Asi se compone un son (1973), the Machito Orchestra’s Grammy award album Fireworks (1974), the Tito Puente and Celia Cruz Grammy award album Tribute to Beny Moré (1983), Afro Cuban Jazz (1985) with the Mario Bauzá Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Carlos “Patato” Valdés’ Patato’s Masterpiece (1985), Mario Bauzá’s My Time Is Now (1993), Steve Turre’s Sanctified Shells (1993), and Ritmo y Candela (1995) by Patato, Cándido, and Changuito.

Among his other recordings are Jammin’ in the Bronx (1996) (a live concert tribute to Machito), Charlie Santiago’s Son Primero (1996), Chucho Valdés Live (1997), Patato Valdés’ Live (1997), Eddie Palmieri’s Rumbero del Piano (1999), Paquito de Rivera’s Grammy award winner Tropicana Nights (1999), the Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri Grammy award album Masterpiece (2000), Sonora Ponceña’s Into the 90’s (2000) (Santiago arranged “El Tiempo”), and Único y Diferente (2000).

Santiago’s motion picture soundtracks include Calle 54, Golden Men of Latin Jazz (Tito Puente Latin Jazz), Our Latin Thing (Fania All Stars), Radio Days (Woody Allen; Tito Puente Orchestra) and The Thomas Crown Affair (The Chico O’Farrell Orchestra).

His musical education began with viola studies and trumpet at the New York School of Music. Santiago studied classical bass at the Manhattan School of Music, and took courses in composition and jazz arrangement at the Berklee School of Music.

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