Jimmie Morales was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on September 10, 1957. Both his parents are Puertoricans. Mr Morales spent his early childhood years listening to popular American music on the radio, and it was not until 1967, when his family moved to Puerto Rico, when he became fascinated by Caribbean music, particularly what is generally known as salsa.
Mr Morales first dabbled in music with the guitar, but soon enough his father gave him a cowbell as a present, and later a conga drum, the mastering of which would become his main artistic pursuit. Initially he learned by listening to records, and there was plenty to listen to: salsa abounds with Cuban, Puertorican and New York congueros, including Milton Cardona,Eddie Montalvo, Patato Valdez, Candido Camero, Mongo Santamaría, Johnny Rodriguez and Mr Morales'favorite: the late Ray Barretto.
Within a few months, Mr Morales was playing with local bands, sharing his talent with the renowned singer Tito Allen, who would later on record with Barretto and Tipica 73 in New York.
In 1978, Morales joined the rhythmically tight and very popular band of Mr. Willie Rosario, who had, and still does, always featured a strong conga drummer. Morales spent the next 8 years in what he considers his formal training in music and music business. At this time, he also started an impressive career as a premier studio musician, performing outstandingly in sessions for almost every major artist in the Salsa genre, such as Roberto Roena, Oscar D'Leon, Lalo Rodriguez, Frankie Ruiz and Eddie Santiago. Mr Morales's consistent sound, impeccable rhythm fills and solid drive have defined him as one of the most influential congueros of the last 30 years.
In 1986 Morales joined a young Gilberto Santa Rosa, who left Mr Rosario's band to become the most prolific singer in salsa during the last 20 years, and since has traveled the Americas, Europe and Japan in a continuously successful career.
You may hear Jimmie Morales as a sideman with the artists previously mentioned as well as with Willie Colón, Ismael Miranda, Tito Nieves, Juan Luis Guerra, Grupo Niche and Jerry Rivera, to name a few.
