Featured in Episodes 118 and 119
Andrés Forero plays drums for Hamilton on Broadway.
Biography
“Over the past 18 years, I have had the same sound,” said Forero. “When I was asked to be apart of the Broadway show, Hamilton, earlier this year, I knew it was time to explore all of myoptions. I spent several months trying different drums and each time I kept going back to SONOR drums. The drums offer me a whole new way to express myself making them theperfect fit for my work on Hamilton and studio work.” Andres currently uses SONOR ProLite drums for the Broadway show Hamilton and the SQ2 series drums for his studio work. “I am looking forward to a long relationship with the entire SONOR team.”
TONY, GRAMMY and EMMY award winning Andres Patrick Forero is considered to be one of the best “Crossover” Drummer/Percussionists in the industry. Hailed by many as a music prodigy; by the age of 12 Andres was playing over 13 instruments.
Early in his music career, Andres was asked to take the prestigious title of jazz ambassador to the United States through the United Nations. Andres has traveled to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on several occasions as a peace leader where he is actively involved today.
Over the past twenty three years, Forero has traveled the world and has performed and / or recorded with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Paquito D’Rivera, Ron Carter, Alejandro Sanz, Tito Puente, William Cepeda, Sean Kingston, Ne-yo, Wyclef Jean, Jimmy Fallon, Alicia Keys, Rolando Morales-Matos, Luis Bonilla and Adam Ray.
Throughout much of his career, Andres has spent a number of years performing with William Cepeda at Jazz festivals throughout the world. He has played the Heineken and Montrose Jazz festival on many occasions and much of the material has been recorded live.
In 2002, Andres connected with Tony award winning composer-lyricist Lin Manuel Miranda and Grammy award winning orchestrator and arranger, Alex Lacamoire. Andres played a key role in the development of the drum book for In the Heights. The musical initially spent time off Broadway before moving to Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre for over a three year run. In the Heights was the winner of 4 Tony awards including Best New Musical. Andres can be found on the original cast recording that was released in 2008. This amazing musical partnership would be rekindled a few years later when Andres was asked to join Lin and Alex again in the musical development for another Tony Award nominated musical; Bring it On.
In 2011, Bring it On began as National Touring Act and finally settled on Broadway in 2012 for its year and a half run. Andres can be found on the original cast recording playing both drums and percussion. In 2013 the musical Bring it On was nominated for 2 Tony awards. When Bring it On ended its year long run on Broadway, Andres was immediately asked to take the drumchair for the First National Tour of the multiple award winning musical The Book of Mormon. Andres has toured with show for over fifteen months.
Earlier this year, Andres joined Lin Manuel Miranda and Alex Lacamoire during the off Broadway production of Hamilton. This critically acclaimed musical was sold out during its entire off Broadway run. While off-Broadway, HAMILTON garnered multiple awards including 10 Lucille Lortel awards, 3 Outer Critics Circle Awards and 8 Drama Desk Awards just to name a few. On July 13th, Hamilton took its place on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater. Andres has been busy playing 8 shows per week and working on the original cast recording that is being produced by the Roots. The recording is scheduled to be released on September 25th, 2015.
In addition to his busy performance schedule, Andres enjoys teaching at school programs, performing clinics and studio recording work. During the summer of 2013 Andres was asked to participate in a summer Jazz program in Grožnjan, Croatia with acclaimed trombonist, Luis Bonilla. The program, Jazz is Back, provided teaching and performances sessions with student musicians. The performance was such a success that he has been asked to come back the next time his schedule permits. Andres has also put on various drum clinics at both high schools and music stores where he enjoys educating students and musicians on what it takes to be a Broadway performer and touring musician. Andres is also the studio drummer for the #1 rated children’s television show, The Electric Company, a Sesame Street Production. He has been working on the show since 2009 and in 2010, the show took home 5 Emmy awards. (source)