Percussionist David Sandoval was born into a family of musicians and raised in Santurce, Puerto Rico, where he performed in several local salsa bands. His father played bongó for famous Puerto Rican trumpeter Mario Ortiz, and David has played with such greats as Jose Justo Canales and Nacho Sanabria.
David’s styles range from Afro-Cuban to Latin jazz to merengue to salsa beats. His stepfather Ray Coen, a well-known pianist/arranger/composer, afforded him the opportunity to learn from such musical talents as Roy Rosario, Papo Pepin, Roberto Rohena (his godfather) & Rafael Cortijo.
David strives to foster ethnic diversity and cross racial and ethnical barriers, using his talents as a percussionist. His diverse percussion skills bring a highly spirited flavor to the already-spicy rhythm section. Sandoval can be as smooth as sugar cane, or as fiery as sazón!
