Oscar Hernández

Oscar Hernández (born March 22, 1954) is an American pianist, arranger and producer of Puerto Rican descent.

Life and career Early years Hernández's family moved to the United States from Puerto Rico in the 1940s, in search of a better way of life. They settled down in the South Bronx, a ghetto, which is a section that is heavily populated by latinos in New York where Hernández was born. Hernández who was the youngest of eleven siblings, received his primary and secondary education in the city's public school system.

Early musical influences As a child he was exposed to the music of Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez and Willie Colón among others. He would also sneak into nightclubs to watch and listen to the music of Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri and Richie Ray. Hernández was determined to leave the ghetto after witnessing the death of one of his brothers. In 1966, he took trumpet playing classes at a local Boys Club. Two years later someone gave his brother a piano, which he kept in the basement of the apartment building where the family lived. Some of the local musicians, who would get together and jam in the basement, showed Hernández the basics of piano playing; the rest was self-taught.

Recording debut Hernández began playing with some local bands, among them was Joey Pastrana and La Conquistadora, with whom he made his recording debut with "Don Pastrana". In 1972, he was hired by Ismael Miranda and after playing with Miranda he went to work for Ray Barretto. With Barretto, he gained experience in musical arrangements and was introduced to the jazz music of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Hernández played an instrumental role in the recording of "Rican Struction", which is considered as a Latin classic. After six years with Barretto, he met Rubén Blades and joined his group Seis Del Solar. In 2012, Shepherd University (Cornel School of Contemporary Music) awarded Hernández with an “Honorary Doctorate in Music Arts” for his lifelong work and commitment in the field of Afro-Latin music.

Discography

Hernández has participated in the following recordings: Africando "Balboa" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Africando "Gombo Salsa" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros - Oscar Hernández, Piano Roberto Torres & Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ray Barretto "Fuerza Gigante" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ray Barretto "Rhythm of Life" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ray Barretto "Rican/Struction" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ray Barretto "Tomorrow" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ray Barretto "Tremendo Trío" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades "Agua de Luna" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades "Buscando América" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades "Caminando" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades "Escenas" - Óscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades "Rubén Blades y Son del Solar...Live!" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades "Amor y Control" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades "Nothing But The Truth" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rubén Blades/Willie Colón "Tras La Tormenta" - Oscar Hernández, Producer Richie Cabo "Paisaje Musical" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Carabali "Vol. 1" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger Carabali "Vol. II" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger Conjunto Libre - Oscar Hernández, Piano Conjunto Libre "Con Salsa Con Ritmo" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Conjunto Libre "Libre Increible" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Rafael DeJesus "Twice As Good" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger Linda Eder "It's No Secret Anymore" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Flex "Flex Y La Rumba" - Oscar Hernández, Piano 4 Guys Named Jose - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger Grupo Folklorico Experimental "Vol. I & II" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Juan Luis Guerra - Oscar Hernández, Piano Juan Luis Guerra "Areíto" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Illegales "Dame De Eso Remix" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Earl Klugh "Midnight In San Juan" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Steve Kroon "In My Path" - Oscar Hernández, Arranger/Piano Latin Broadway - Oscar Hernández, Music Director/Arranger Latin Jazz Highlights "Messidor Records Vol. 5" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ricardo Lemvo y Maquina Loca "Mambo Yoyo" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ivan Lins "Love Affair" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Kirsty MacColl "Electric Landlady" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ismael Miranda "Así Se Compone Un Son" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Ismael Miranda "No Voy Al Festival" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Luis "Perico" Ortiz "Breaking The Rules" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Luis "Perico" Ortiz "In Tradition" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Johnny Pacheco "Sima" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Daniel Ponce "Chango Te Llama" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger Domingo Quiñones "Quien Mato a Héctor Lavoe Cast Recording" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez "Esté Negro SÍ Es Sabroso" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez "Pueblo Latino" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Tito Rodríguez "Eclipse" - Oscar Hernández, Arranger/Piano Mongo Santamaría "Mongo Returns" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Seis Del Solar "Alternate Roots" - Oscar Hernández, Co-Leader/Producer Seis Del Solar "Decision" - Oscar Hernández, Co-Leader/Producer Paul Simon "Songs of the Capeman" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger Paul Simon "The Capeman Original Cast Recording" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger James "J.T." Taylor "A Brand New Me" - Oscar Hernández, Piano The Bronx Horns "Catch The Feeling" - Oscar Hernández, Piano The Bronx Horns "Silver In The Bronx" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Eddie Torres "Dance City" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger Dave Valentin - Oscar Hernández, Piano Dave Valentin "Mind Time" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Dave Valentin "The Hawk" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Dave Valentin "The Pied Piper" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Dave Valentin "Tropic Heat" - Oscar Hernández, Piano Orlando "Watussi" "Como Nunca" - Oscar Hernández, Producer/Arranger