An Interview with Percussionist Wilson ‘Chembo’ Corniel: art is an improvisational expression

At first there was the heartbeat then came the drum.

Worldwide known percussionist Chembo Corniel talks about how he uses the drum to paint his expressions of the world. In talking about the drum, he says it was the first “AT&T … our first transmitter,” that sent messages across the continent.

Corniel is an award-winning musician and arranger who crosses genres from Latin and jazz to pop and world music. In the industry for over four decades, he has played with Tito Puento to Angela Bofill. For him, the drum is sacred and connected to the soul.