José Luis Quintana, or 'Changuito' is a world class percussionist. By age twelve he was regularly appearing at ‘Morocco’ nightclub on Havana’s Prado Boulevard in Old Havana.

In 1970 Changuito joined Los Van Van, who soon became one of the most popular Cuban bands in the world, achieving international recognition and fame. Changuito stayed with them for over twenty-three years before leaving to go solo and pursue his popular teaching interests, or as he puts it, "helping the hands of those who wish to study Cuban percussion". In 1992 he made his first solo recording which led to work across the world as a musician and maestro of percussion.

This Cuban master conga and timbales player contributed to Flora Purim’s album, ’Speed of Light’, in 1994. The following year, in November, Robert Trunz embarked upon the second leg of the Melt 2000 Meltdown recordings in South Africa inviting Changuito to join him. During these recordings Changuito fell in love with yet another vast array of African percussion instruments, which transformed with his guidance into new sounds. A few months later he went to England to work with Amampondo and Airto Moreira at Brownhill Farm, and decided to record a solo album two days prior to his departure, leaving instructions for overdubs with friends such as Chucho Valdés. This highly original album, Syncopation was produced by Tony Thorpe and is an interpretation of what can happen when Havana, London and Johannesburg collaborate.

Syncopation ( MELT 2000 BW2095, 2000)