NEW YORK CLAVE ON TUMBLR I was born in Brooklyn, New York City, of Puerto Rican parents. My maternal great grandmother, the woman who raised me, was a gringa in loved with knowledge and music; because of her I did nothing but read and study languages during my childhood. I also studied music (piano and violin), but knew very early in life that I wanted to become a writer. While working to get a masters in philosophy and mathematics in Spain, I became a professional reporter. In the mid-80s, and after a year in Portugal, I moved to Salvador da Bahía, where I horned my skills as a reporter/editor for various news agencies. Living in Brazil meant also the discovery of my Luso/Brazilian roots. I am a Lusitano through and through. I lived in Miami for over a decade, and it was there that I became a music critic, although I also worked as a cultural reporter and copy editor. Photography has been a passion of mine since the late 90s. But I never took myself seriously as a photographer until trumpeter Arturo Sandoval opened a jazz club in Miami Beach and, in order to supply photos for my blogging, I bought a professional camera to capture the language of music through images. Sandoval not only opened the doors of the venue for me to hear great music, he also encouraged me to document all shows. I did, and when he closed shop after two years, I had a collection of photos and the knowledge to become a better music photographer. Today, I still consider my photography an extension of my writing. Indeed, I am essentially a frustrated musician who loves reading and writing, but somehow cant live without shooting photos. In the next few years I hope to shoot more than just concerts and musicians. But for now, and as Mingus suggested, I am playing it in the key of my soul. Thanks to all those musicians always willing to put themselves on the line of my lenses. ~EC.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 06:36:01 +0000
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