Giovanni Hidalgo

Giovanni Hidalgo, also known as "Mañenguito" (born November 22, 1963, in San Juan, Puerto Rico), is a Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz percussionist, widely regarded as one of the greatest conga players in the world. Renowned for his virtuosic speed, precision, and innovation, he revolutionized hand drumming by blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms with jazz, funk, and other global influences.

Hidalgo gained international prominence in the 1980s through collaborations with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri, and Mickey Hart. He was a core member of Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra and co-winner of the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album in 1992 for *Planet Drum* alongside Mickey Hart and other percussion legends.

A dedicated educator, Hidalgo served as a professor at Berklee College of Music and has mentored generations of percussionists around the world. Despite health challenges in recent years, he continues to perform, record, and tour internationally, including recent trio work and upcoming performances across the United States and Europe. Early years Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he received his primary education. His grandfather was a musician, and his father, José Manuel Hidalgo "Mañengue", was a renowned conga player. Hidalgo was raised in a household surrounded by drums, bongos, congas, and timbales. For his eighth birthday, he received a conga which was handmade by his father. As a young child, he practiced and developed his skills on the conga and on other instruments in his house. Hidalgo would drum a tune with sticks and then play the same tune with his hands.

Music career Hidalgo auditioned and was hired by the Batacumbele Band in 1980. In 1981, he traveled with the band to Cuba, where he met a musician by the name José Luis Quintana, a.k.a. Changuito. They created a style of rhythm that ushered in a new era in Latin music.

In October 2016, Giovanni Hidalgo underwent the amputation of his left ring finger due to a health complication. Demonstrating remarkable resilience and creativity, he has since adapted his technique to include the use of sticks and other innovative methods. Despite this challenge, Hidalgo remains active in the music world, performing, teaching, and inspiring a new generation of musicians. In recent years, he has focused on small ensemble projects, including a new trio format that highlights his artistry in intimate and exploratory musical settings. His continued evolution as a musician has only deepened his legacy as one of the most influential percussionists of all time.

Awards and honors In 1991, Hidalgo received a Grammy Award for his contribution to the album Planet Drum (Rykodisc, 1991), performed by an ensemble of the same name led by Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead. He played on another one of Hart's Grammy-winning albums, Global Drum Project and on the album Danzón (Dance On) (GRP, 1993) by Arturo Sandoval which won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance. Hands of Rhythm (RMM, 1997), Hidalgo's album with Michel Camilo, received a Grammy nomination, as did The Body Acoustic (Chesky, 2004), al album recorded by Hidalgo, David Chesky, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, and Andy Gonzalez.

In May 2010, Hidalgo was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music during the sixteenth consecutive year that faculty members from the school visited Puerto Rico for one of its global outreach programs.

Discography As leader 1992: Villa Hidalgo (Pimienta) 1993: Worldwide (RMM) 1995: Time Shifter (RMM) 1997: Hands of Rhythm (RMM) 1999: Best Friends (Sony) 2024: Jubilation (Instituto Cultura Puertorriqueña)

As sideman

With Batacumbele 1981: Con Un Poco De Songo (Tierrazo, TLP-008) 1983: En Aquellos Tiempos (Tierrazo, TLP-0011) 1987: Afro Caribbean Jazz (Montuno) 1988: In Concert: Live at the University of Puerto Rico (Montuno) 1999: Hijos del Tambó (Casa de los Tapes)

With Zaperoko 1984: Still Crazy (Montuno) 1986: Tarde en la Noche (Zap's) 2006: Zaperoko 3 (Libertad)

With Dave Valentin 1987: Mind Time (GRP) 1988: Live at the Blue Note (GRP)

With Kip Hanrahan 1985: Few Short Notes From the End Run (Justin Time) 1990: Tenderness (Yellowbird) 1995: All Roads Are Made of the Flesh (American Clave)

With Airto Moreira 1986: Aqui Se Puede (Montuno) 1989: Samba De Flora (Montuno) 1992: The Other Side of This (Rykodisc) 2000: Homeless 2003: Life After That (Narada)

With Hilton Ruiz 1992: Manhattan Mambo Soundtrack (Telarc) 1992: Live at Birdland (Candid) 1995: Hands on Percussion (RMM)

With Paquito D'Rivera 1987: Celebration (Columbia) 1990: Reunion (Termidor)

With Eddie Palmieri 1984: Palo Pá Rumba (Fania) 1985: Solito (Fania) 1987: The Truth-La Verdad (Fania) 2005: Listen Here! (Concord)

With Jazz Hamilton 2008: My Soul (Akoustik)

With The Brian Lynch / Eddie Palmieri Project 2006: Simpático (ArtistShare)

With Tito Puente 1992: Live at the Village Gate (Tropi Jazz) 1993: Golden Latin Jazz All Stars in Session (RMM) 2002: Live at the Playboy Jazz Festival (Playboy Jazz)

With Mickey Hart 1991: Planet Drum (Rykodisc) 1998: Supralingua (Rykodisc) 1996: Mickey Hart's Mystery Box (Rykodisc) 2009: Global Drum Project (Shout! Factory) 2012: Mysterium Tremendum (360° Productions) 2022: In the Groove (Valley Entertainment)

With Flora Purim 1992: Queen of the Night(Sound Wave) 1994: Speed of Light (Meltdown/B&W) 2002: Flora Purim Sings Milton Nascimento (Narada) 2005: Flora's Song (Narada)

With Humberto Ramirez 1992: Jazz Project (Tropi Jazz) 1993: Aspects (RMM) 1999: Best Friends (Sony Discos)

With Michel Camilo 1994: One More Once (Columbia) 2011: Mano a Mano (EmArcy/Pgd)

With Freddie Hubbard 1991: Bolivia (Musicmasters) 1998: God Bless the Child (Musicmasters)

With Dizzy Gillespie 1989: Live at the Royal Festival Hall (Enja) 2007: Live at the Jazz Plaza Festival 1985 (MVD)

With McCoy Tyner 1999: McCoy Tyner & The Latin All-Stars (Telarc) 2007: Afro Blue (Telarc)

With Jerry Rivera 1990: Abriendo Puertas (Discos CBS) 2009: DOS Clasicos (Sony)

With others 1986: Word Up! – Cameo (Mercury) 1986: Llegó el Gavilán – Kim de los Santos (Pa'Lante Records) 1989: Kim de los Santos – Kim de los Santos (Musical Productions) 1992: Pintando Lunas – Domingo Quiñones (RMM) 1993: Heroes – Hilton Ruiz (Telarc) 1993: Danzon (Dance On) – Arturo Sandoval (GRP) 1996: Evolucionando – Johnny Almendra (RMM) 1997: Marching to Mars – Sammy Hagar (Universal) 1998: Larry Harlow's Latin Legend Band – Larry Harlow (Sony Discos) 1998: Antiguo – Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Blue Note) 1998: Havana Blues – Armando Rodriguez (Palmetto) 2000: Rhythms for a New Millennium – Alex Acuña (Tonga) 2000: Best Kept Secret – Ralph Irizarry (Shanachie) 2000: Conga Kings – Candido Camero (Chesky) 2000: Galeria Caribe – Ricardo Arjona (Sony) 2000: Imprint – John Patitucci (Concord Jazz) 2000: Voodoo – D'Angelo (Cheeba/Virgin) 2001: Yo Por Ti – Olga Tañón (Warner Bros.) 2001: TNT (Trombone-N-Tenor) – Steve Turre (Telarc) 2001: Jazz Descargas – Conga Kings (Chesky) 2002: Mondo Head – Kodo (Red Ink) 2002: Together Again – Juan Pablo Torres (MusicHaus) 2002: Lo Bueno De La Vida – Orlando Poleo (Sony) 2004: Body Acoustic – Body Acoustic (Chesky) 2004: Desahogo – Vico-C (EMI) 2004: My Music, My Friends, My Time – Oskar Cartaya (O.Y.E.) 2004: Como Nunca...Como Siempre – Limi-T 21 (EMI Latin) 2005: Sabor Cubano – Alina Izquierdo (Pimienta) 2006: Descarga En California – Rebeca Mauleon (Pimienta) 2006: Masa Con Masa – Millo Torres (Machete) 2006: Codes – Ignacio Berroa (Blue Note) 2006: Telegrafia Sin Hilo – Changuito (Cacao Musica) 2007: De Corazon A Corazon – Team Vip (Union Music Group) 2007: Jazz, Baby! – Doug Beavers (Origin) 2007: En Primera Plana – Issac Delgado (La Calle) 2007: 90 Millas – Gloria Estefan (Solar Music Group) 2008: Canto a America Latina – Andres Jimenez (Cuatro Menguante)

Filmography 1995 - Conga Virtuoso (DVD) Warner Bros. 1996 - In The Tradition (DVD) Warner Bros. 2004 - Traveling Through Time (with Horacio Hernandez) (DVD) Music Video Distributors