An NYU faculty member since 1997, Memo Acevedo directs the Latin Jazz/Brazilian Ensemble, the Batucada Ensemble and teaches a class on Afro-Cuban drumming and drum set. Born in Bogotá, Colombia he made his mark there during his early teens as one of the pioneers of Rock in Spanish with two albums recorded.

He is regarded as a specialist in Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Colombian music. His self- produced CD “Building Bridges” (with mostly original compositions) features his mentor, Tito Puente, Dave Valentín on flute and Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano. His “Building Bridges” tune is included in the classic “Latin Real Book” (Sher Publishing).

Also in charge of the Education Department at LP & TOCA, Memo taught for seven years at the prestigious Drummers Collective in NYC and he’s co-author of the “Afro-Caribbean & Brazilian Rhythms for the Drumset” (Carl Fischer Publishing).

Memo Acevedo is the recipient of the KoSA “Lifetime achievement award 2007” and he’s one of the featured artists on the recently released KoSA Eleven DVD (Hudson Music). A JUNO Award winner in 1991 (Canadian equivalent to a Grammy), Percussionist of the Year awards in 1994 and 1995 by the Jazz Report Magazine and Best TV Ad’s Award 1989 for Rubbermaid’s “Unbeatable” commercial, both as a composer and a performer.

Memo holds numerous credits as a session musician and performer including albums and performances with brand new Rock band The Urgency, Jazz singer Mark Murphy, the late artists Gregory Hines, Hilton Ruiz, Tito Puente, Cachao and Moacir Santos; also Toshiko Akiyoshi, Tom Scott, Stephen Stills, Irakere, Yana & Flora Purim, Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass, Ed Bickert, Ann Murray, Betty Buckley, Louis Bellson and Broadway shows, The Lion King and Civil War.

He endorses SABIAN cymbals, TAYE drums, EVANS drum heads and PRO-MARK sticks which distributes a timbale stick he created and named “Revolution”.