Gustavo Ovalles

After 5 years of studies at the conservatory of Caracas, he’s rapidly attracted towards traditional Venezuelan percussions and dance, that he learns with greatest teachers. He continues his investigation in Venezuelan villages to find the root of the traditional music. In his research, he comes to la Havana (Cuba) for working with masters of batas drums (religious drums) in order to be initiated and to become son of the drums ( Omo Aña ).

Since his arrival in France in 1997, this experience allowed him to work with greatest artists of the salsa world, of jazz and to share his traditional music with world music players. He took part to many jazz festivals, as Montreal, Noth Sea Jazz festival in Holland or Saint-Louis in Senegal. He performs on prestigious stages as the Carnegie Hall and the Blue Note of New-York or Tokyo.

G.O. « Welcome on my web site. Through it, my aim is to share my traditional universe with cybernauts around the wolrd ! »

A window from tradition to modernity.

« My project is shared in three parts :
- Share with others my percussionist experience: Gustavo Ovalles ;
- As teacher, transmit my knowledge and my masters one: Oro Iña ;
- For those who would like to discover my country, Venezuela, in another way, I wish to show them my culture through my musical traditions: Maraca Tour. »

« Through this project process, I hope to give a response and contribute to save traditions ; I’m convinced they have a strength linked to our ancestors, to the nature and to the history of each people and each village.

This strength, which is threaten nowadays, stimulates me to appeal reflexion on understanding importance of the traditions, in our society which dive more and more, every day, in globalization. »