Little Johnny Rivero

Legendary conguero, percussionist, producer, composer, bandleader Little Johnny was born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents. As a young child, he was drawn to the rhythms of the rumberos who played at Jefferson and Randall's Island parks.


Little Johnny began practicing percussion at the age ten and played in his school's band.
Soon after, he took dance lessons which eventually led to performances on the stage with the bands of the era at such famous venues as The Manhattan Center, The Colgate Gardens, The Copacabana and The Palladium.


At the fourteen,Little Johnny joined Orquesta Colon, the youngest Latin band in New York City and recorded two albums with them. Johnny moved to Puerto Rico with his parents and joined La Sonora Ponceña.
After playing bongos with the band for a year a half he switched to congas, which rekindled the love affair he began with this instrument as small child.
During the sixteen years Little Johnny played with La Sonora Ponceña recorded eighteen highly respected albums with them.


Currently, Little Johnny is touring extensively with the winner of ten Grammy awards, Eddie Palmieri.
In addition,Johnny continues to work at studio sessions and perform with many of biggest and most respected acts in Latin music including his own band.


Johnny's first solo effort. " Pasos Gigantes Remix " has been very well received by critics and music fans alike. Johnny also wrote and produced every song on this CD, showcasing his arranging and playing abilities.


Rivero's second effort, Music In Me, delivers a Latin jazz grove with underpinnings of traditional Afro- Cuban percussion and rhythms from the relentless, driving bata voicing in "Alambique" to the haunting background tribal chants that color "Africa My Land" to staccato horn runs peppered thoughtout the album's title track "Music In Me" delivers a unified theme of jazzy improvisation with color (CD release to be announced.)


Little Johnny's credits include work with Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, Dave Valentin, Brian Lynch, Conrad Herwig, Tim Ries (Rolling Stones) Donald Harrison, Phil Woods, David Sanchez, Miguel Zenon, Monty Alexander, Jo Locke, Bebo Valdes, Chucho Valdes, Paquito D Rivera, Kenny G, David Murray, Kathy Watson...


In the salsa field with Che Feliciano, Andy Montañez, Ismael Miranda, Ismael Quintana, Adalberto Santiago, Justo Betancourt, Bobby Valentin, Celia Cruz, La India, Ray Barretto, Descarga Boricua All Stars, RMM All Stars, Batacumbele, Domingo Quiñones, Victor Manuelle, and many other artist.