A North Bergen musician who has found success across the world credits his career to his mother – someone who had at first vehemently fought against her son’s interest in the business, then strived to make sure he would be the best at his trade.
Samuel Torres is a Colombian percussionist and composer who after moving to the United States in 1998 played with Arturo Sandoval, Tito Puente, the Boston Pops, and the L.A. Philharmonic, just to name a few. He also earned success individually.
“[This is] the chance to tell mom how proud I feel of her as my mother.” – Samuel Torres
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Single mom in Bogota
His story starts off by describing his mother has a woman who went against the social norms of 1970s Bogota, Colombia by becoming a single mother.
“Music was the main connection in my family,” said Torres. “I always grew up listening to great music. Then, when my grandparents died, I kind of disconnected a little from it. But when I was around [12 years old] music began to call me again.”
A healing effect
Torres said that after he lost his grandparents to cancer, his mother and he were left by themselves in difficult financial times.
He scoured his home for his grandparents’ old records, which reminded him of his childhood and the love that filled the void of his absent father.
His mother was hesitant about him joining the music business since she knew how difficult it was to be successful and avoid the negative undercurrents of the industry.
Uncle Edy
Still, Torres had an uncle Edy living in New York since the early 1960s, who made several important Latin recordings, giving him hope.
One day he stumbled across Ray Barretto’s “Indestructible,” for which his uncle was the piano player and arranger.
“I felt very curious about it because of the cover – Barretto as Clark Kent turning into Superman – so I began listening and that was it,” said Torres. “I became a Barretto fan. I wanted to be like him. Maybe I couldn’t fly like Superman, but maybe I could play the congas like Barretto. That’s how I became a musician.”
Finally his mother gave in and decided that if he was going to become a musician, he was going to be a good one. She enrolled him at a youth musical program held at Javeriana University in Bogota and accompanied him two to three nights a week when he played at nightclubs throughout the city.
“Even if it was a small concert, maybe if there were only two people in the audience, you have to play like it could be the last time,” said Torres, explaining how this early experience helped prepare him for his career.
New album release
Torres’ career has allowed him to play with some of the artists who are his idols.
“I got the chance to play with [Tito Puente] two months before he passed away,” explained Torres, who said he was a part of Grammy winner Arturo Sandoval’s band at the time. “Tito was one of the most important Latin musicians…and one of my heroes.”
Torres has been on tour in Europe, most recently in Rotterdam, Holland promoting his most recent album, Yaoundé. It is his second release as a leader.
When he is not on tour, he lives with his wife in North Bergen and often performs in New York City jazz clubs.
Thanks for everything
In Torres’ story, he said that his mother helped him navigate through the musician’s world and that even when he feels scared or insecure, the life lessons she taught him make him feel inspired to carry on.
“I think [this story] is one of the best things I can give her,” said Torres. “Sometimes we forget to thank the people that always have been there for us and this project is this, the chance to tell mom how proud I feel of her as my mother.”
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.