Frank Colon

Frank Colón—long celebrated for his commanding presence as a percussionist—has, over time, expanded that identity into a formidable compositional and lyrical voice. Having made his name as a world-class performer, Colón went on to surprise audiences and critics alike with a Latin Grammy-nominated body of work that revealed a sophisticated, narrative-driven musical mind. Known for his collaborations with icons such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Aretha Franklin, The Manhattan Transfer, and Harry Belafonte, he brings decades of Afro-Caribbean, Brazilian, and jazz mastery into a fluid, cinematic soundscape. His rhythms do not merely accompany—they articulate, shape, and now, increasingly, author the music itself. In Brazil, Frank has also performed and/or recorded with Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, Eddie Motta, João Bosco, Chico Buarque, Wagner Tiso, Ney Matogrosso, Elba Ramalho, João Donato, Toninho Horta, Roberto Menescal, and Marcos Valle. As a sideman with the Manhattan Transfer for 12 years, he collaborated on their creative sound for two of their Grammy Awards and was voted in 1988 as one of the top three “Most Influential Percussionists of the Year” by the readers of Modern Drummer Magazine! Frank’s other collaborations in performances, TV specials, DVDs, and/or CD recordings include Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, George Clinton, Gato Barbieri, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, George Benson, Thalia, Mickey Hart, and DJ Gilles Peterson, among many others.