ABOUT
Me
CRISTINA MORALES
Percussionist / Singer / Composer / Creative Art
Cristina Morales is one of the most recognized percussionists of her generation and of the present time in Spain. A percussionist who brings with her an exciting musical influence due to the diverse cultures that converge in the Canary Islands, her place of origin. He started playing percussion at the age of 14 in various cultural groups, batucadas and groups of young musicians. Self-taught. He studied dance and percussion in the Canary Islands, Brazil and Cuba (CNSEA Centro Nacional de Escuelas de Arte de La Habana). In Madrid he studied Classical Percussion at the Arturo Soria Professional Conservatory of Music. He shares the stage from an early age with different musicians of the current Canarian Jazz. Instrumentalist in formations of different musical genres, Jazz Avant-garde experimental, Pop, Brazilian Music, Jazz Funk, Soul, Cuban Music, Latin, Flamenco Fusion, World Music, Orchestras and even new electronic trends. She is part of groups such as "María María" (New Jazz Samba & Latin Jazz) where she accompanies the prestigious Nicaraguan percussionist and pioneer in the Canary Islands María Fernández (1946) (Orquesta Deliciosa, Orquídea Robinson), her first percussion teacher, her godmother and a great musical influence in her career.
He also accompanies the band "Abrasca" by Saulo Douglas (Recife, Brazil), former member of the northeastern group Os Caretas. He begins to experiment with the Afro-Reggae Fusion band "Saidon Train", a band with a strong projection and with whom he records a studio demo at the age of 19. In 2004 she travels to Brazil where she lives for a while and in one of her musical experiences, she is invited by the Nordestina band "BRASÁFRICA" in PÔLO AFRO during the Carnival of Recife 2004, Pernambuco; Brazil, also participating in Maracatú groups formed by the prestigious Brazilian master of world percussion, Naná Vasconcelos.
He has worked as a percussionist and chorus singer in different musical genres in Madrid. Official percussionist of the Ethnic Jazz and World Music group BLACK MARKET formed by guitarist and composer Angel Rubio and flutist/saxophonist Patxi Pascual with whom he worked for several years. He has played alongside such renowned musicians as Jorge Pardo, José El Francés, the great Cuban percussion master Tata Güines, the Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos and has toured Formentera and Ibiza with the quintet of the virtuoso jazz pianist Joachim Kühn, one of the forerunners of the "free jazz" movement in Europe and the USA, and who has recorded more than 400 albums with the biggest names in jazz for Impulse! RECORDS - https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_K%C3%BChn
In Havana, Cuba she is part of several formations of experimental Latin jazz together with excellent Cuban musicians and from different countries of the world with whom he makes a musical tour in outstanding places of Cuba like the International School of Cinema of San Antonio de los Baños or the HISPANOAMERICAN Center of Havana. Afterwards he toured Europe with several artists: Italy (Rome, Milan, Florence, Perugia, Turin, Bologna, Cortina D 'Ampezzo, Venice), Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Brazil (Recife, Salvador da Bahia, Rio de Janeiro), Belgium, Casablanca (Morocco) ... and much of the Spanish territory in the course of some years. In 2011 she was nominated for the NATIONAL DEEJAYMAGS'2010 AWARDS as best club instrumentalist. She receives the 3rd National Award as BEST LIVE PA of Club in the "National Gala of Deejaymags Awards 2010".
Together with jazz guitarist Angel Rubio and saxophonist Patxi Pascual, they compose the original soundtrack for an animated short film directed by his brother Pablo Morales de los Rios www.moralesdelosrios.com "LADYBURKA" awarded internationally www.ladyburka.com
He worked as a percussionist and singer between Ibiza and Formentera for 7 years in a row, performing at prestigious venues on the islands. He has played several times at the National Auditorium of Spain and has also worked with POP artists such as Chenoa, Luz Casal, Laura Pausini, Coti, Cristian Castro, Malú on TV. He works sporadically for CINEMA, TELEVISION and COMMERCIALS SPOTS, participating in spanish TV series such as "Tiempo Entre Costuras" ANTENA 3, "Cuéntame Cómo Pasó", "Acacias 38" TVE. In advertising he has made some SPOTS for ADIDAS and FORD FOCUS (2018).
Percussionist in Trío Flamenco Fusión with Lucía Espín, singer and actress daughter of the master flamenco singer CARMEN LINARES. Percussionist and vocalist in Iñaki Arakistain Band, MUNIJAZZ Jazz Festival 2015 , La Rioja and other Jazz festivals, venues and concerts in different cities since 2015. Percussionist with "MEHSTURA Mujeres del Flamenco" in the prestigious TEATRO ROMANO DE MÉRIDA for the Live Gala of the EXTREMADURA DAY 2017.
Since 2014 she is the official percussionist and singer in the band of the versatile saxophonist Iñaki Arakistain with whom she has collaborated in her latest album entitled "ANOTHER ROAD" (2018) under her brand MALAX RECORDS. www.arakistainmusic.com . Semifinalist BEST JAZZ ALBUM 2018 "PREMIOS MIN 2019" . Some presentations of the latest album at the Festival Internacional Canarias Jazz & Más HEINEKEN 2018 Iñaki Arakistain Band, CAFÉ CENTRAL, BOGUI JAZZ, Ámbito Cultural El Corte Inglés CALLAO, Madrid, MIRAJAZZ FESTIVAL 2019, JAZZ CÍRCULO Circulo de Bellas Artes, JAZZ FESTIVAL MADRID` 19.
She has collaborated as a percussionist in the recording of the last album of the singer Juan Valderrama (Juanito Valderrama) "Mujeres de Carne y Verso" (2019), in which great names of women artists like the great CARMEN LINARES, CARMEN PARIS, CRISTINA PATO, SOLE GIMÉNEZ, MARIA DEL MAR BONET, LAS MIGAS stand out.
She is invited to her homeland (Canary Islands) to the II International Percussion Festival 'Ritmos Handmade 2019', which is held for the second consecutive year on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands). She gives a masterclass and a final concert as a leader in the wonderful Castillo de San Felipe in Puerto de la Cruz, which was a great success and was very well received by the Canarian public as part of the 'Ritmos Handmade' International Percussion Festival. He also shares the bill with two great masters of percussion and drums, Juanjo Guillem (NEOPERCUSIÓN, Orquesta Nacional de España), and with the jazz drummer Marcelo Gueblón (MUSICA CREATIVA), during the Festival.
"FLAMENCO CHRISTMAS 2019" at the prestigious CASA PATAS Flamenco Temple, Madrid.
With Iñaki Arakistain Band in the first edition of JAZZ PALACIO REAL 2020, sharing the bill with ARA MALIKIAN, ZENET, DULCE PONTES, Etc... and organized by PATRIMONIO NACIONAL, BERLANGA JAZZ FUSION 2020, Jazz Cycle in the emblematic Sala Berlanga, Madrid, directed by Iñaki Arakistain. Series at MONCLOA Cultural Center.
"Special Music 2020" on Andreu Buenafuente's MOVISTAR + TV program LATE MOTIV. Playing live with MANOLO GARCÍA & NACH + La Banda de LATE MOTIV.
He has also recorded Iñaki Arakistain's new and 5th Album, entitled 'The Sun Shines Again' released in 2022. Live presentations in RTVE 'Las Noches del Monumental' for La 2TVE . Presentation at CAFÉ CENTRAL, QURTUBAJAZZ Córdoba Jazz Festival 2022...
She has been the official Percussionist for the Summer Tour 2021 throughout Spain performing in the most important Festivals and stages, with the band of the Mexican singer CARLOS RIVERA, one of the most important singers in Latin America, presenting his new album "Leyendas" (SONY Music) and the continuity of his GUERRA TOUR, suspended during the pandemic.
Cristina is ENDORSER of the artisan brand of Flamenco Brand 'Cajones Flamencos Al-Andalus 'in Spain and has been included as Endorser in the family of GEWA DRUMS EUROPE in Spain for the brand TOCA PERCUSSION from USA.
CAJONES AL ANDALUS
https://cajones-alandalus.com/percusionistas/cristina-morales/
HIT LIKE A GIRL International Contest
https://drumsummit.com/artists/
