Artist Profile · Victor Rendón

Drummer/percussionist Victor Rendón is a highly respected educator, author, and veteran of the New York City Latin music scene. He studied intensively for many years with Jimmy Ramirez, Dr. Rosemary Small, Louie Bauzó, Johnny Almendra, “Little” Ray Romero, Frankie Malabé, Mike Collazo Sr., Pablo Rosario, Changuito, Roberto Borrell, John Amira, Morris “Arnie” Lang, as well as jazz drummers Paul Guerrero, Henry Okstel, & Charli Persip among others. He has worked as a side man with Mongo Santamaria, Chico O’Farrill, Carlos “Patato” Valdés, Ray Santos Orchestra, Grupo Caribe, Latin Jazz Coalition, The “New” Xavier Cugat Orchestra, Grupo Latin Vibe, Los Más Valientes, Rudy Calzado, and many others. 

As an author/transcriber, his work has appeared in Modern Drummer, Percussive Notes, LP Newsletter, Music in Motion Films, DCI Music Video, Drum! Magazine, and Warner Bros. Publications. He is author of The Art of Playing Timbales distributed by Alfred Publishing. For several years Victor also published his own semi-annual magazine, Latin Percussionist. Rendón, who holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of North Texas and a Masters degree in education from Hunter College, has had a lengthy career teaching instrumental music and Latin percussion in the New York City Public Schools. 

Formerly co-leader of the Rodríguez/Rendón Latin Jazz Orchestra, he now leads the Bronx Conexión Latin Jazz Big Band and the percussion group Co-Tim-Bó. Currently, he teaches and directs the Percussion Ensemble and also the Latin Jazz Ensemble at Lehman College in the Bronx. A successful clinician, he conducts workshops in Latin percussion styles. Mr. Rendón is an LP, Sabian, Vic Firth, and Evans performing artist and educator.

The Bronx Conexión is a driving 20-piece Latin Jazz Big Band led by percussionist, composer/arranger, and educator Victor Rendón. The ensemble brings a group of veteran musicians with a wide variety of experience in the field. The Bronx Conexión keeps the tradition of Tito Puente, Chico O’Farrill, Machito, Mario Bauzá, among others. The group has performed at Lehman College, Hamilton College, the Johnny Pacheco Latin Music & Jazz Festival, Hartford Jazz Festival, among others.

The band’s strength and identity lie within its contemporary original compositions and arrangements by various members in the band.

In 2016, the band released its debut CD, True Flight. The band’s second CD titled Mambo Boulevard is scheduled to be released in April, 2021.

Photograph of Victor Rendón at the top by Andrew James [Harlem, Manhattan, NYC]