Pedro Arevalo
And Friends Too
Psyco-tropic americana music in all it's various forms, heavily steeped in blues with hints of latin and african roots.
Growing up in Cincinnati in a musical family allowed Pedro many opportunities to experiment with a number of different instruments. At 18 years old, Pedro was doing session work and production in styles as diverse as jazz, funk, reggae and hip-hop.
In 1996, the 20 year old multi-instrumentalist received a performance scholarship to the acclaimed Berklee College of Music. Between the years of 1997 & 2001, Pedro completed his musical studies in Boston, MA, while performing with two popular West African band leaders, Djeli Balla Tounkara and master drummer Sidi “Joh” Camara.
With these well renowned musicians, Pedro played throughout New England and traveled to Mali, West Africa, to perform and study Mande and Bambara music. Upon his return to the states, Pedro ventured south to Florida to join the gypsy fusion group, The Lotus Fire. The summer of 2001 found Pedro touring Europe to support the release of the group’s album, “Dance of the Wicked”.
Pedro’s next endeavor, The Vine Street Rumba Band, brought him together with internationally credited drummer, Paul Cartwright, and the great band leader, Keith Greene, who for three decades was conductor, arranger, and lead trumpeter of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. In 2003, Pedro produced the group’s only album, “Rumba Florida”.
Amidst a steady schedule of performing and recording in Florida, Pedro spent time honing his craft and working with many instruments including a variety of National Reso-Phonic guitars, Contrabass, the Puerto Rican Cuatro, and of course, electric bass and slide guitars. Pedro incorporates many of these instruments in such musical styles as Folk, Ragtime, Jazz, Delta Blues, Country, Rock 'n' Roll as well as the Latin and Caribbean influences that come together to make what Pedro refers to as "Siesta Creole".
During this time Pedro caught the ear of Rock N Roll Hall of Fame member and Grammy winning veteran, Dickey Betts, founding member of the The Allman Brothers Band. Betts soon asked Pedro to play bass for his band, Great Southern. Pedro has filmed a DVD entitled “Back Where It All Begins” with Betts and Great Southern, at The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, appeared on The Carson Daily Show, released a few live CD's and DVD's as well as touring internationally with Dickey Betts & Great Southern and Devon Allman's Honeytribe (on slide guitar), following the 2007 release of Devon's "Torch" LP featuring Arevalo on several songs.
While home on breaks Pedro recorded his (2006) solo album entitled, “Pedro Arevalo & Friends.” The follow up (2009) "& Friends Too" is currently underway for an early March release. These albums features guest appearances by Dickey Betts & Great Southern, T.C. Carr, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's own Jimmy Fadden, Jack Kirkner, Thorson Moore, Berry Oakley, Jr. and many others. The albums are an interesting mix of Blues, Country, and Rock n Roll. With plans to tour in support of the new records, Pedro continues to write, perform, and produce his "Psycho-Tropic" music...
Folk: Psych-folk