Descemer Bueno is a composer, double bassist, percussionist, and music producer. He is one of the most important and popular Cuban musicians of the moment. A proponent of a contemporary urban sound with strong vibrations, he is a musician destined to make history.
He studied classical guitar at the Manuel Saumell and Amadeo Roldán conservatories, which also provided him with the credentials to teach music. He had his first professional concerts playing with Santiago Feliú, one of the best troubadours in Cuba. In this band, he composed his first songs and discovered that he also had a gift for writing lyrics.
In the 1990s, he led Estado de Ánimo, a jazz combo group with Roberto Carcassés, X Alfonso, and Elmer Ferrer, and performed concerts in Spain, Bolivia, Uruguay, Germany, and Argentina. He then joined Columna B with Yosvany Terry, Dafnis Prieto, Miguel (Anga) Díaz, and Roberto Carcassés, recording the album Columna B with Mas y Mas Records. This was followed by a series of tours in the American cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. He also became a part of Grupo Fula, based in the Spanish city of Barcelona.
In 1999, he co-founded the now-legendary Latin hip-hop group Yerba Buena, alongside producer Andrés Levin, Xiomara Laugart, and Cucu Diamante. Descemer produced and composed the majority of the songs for President Alien, Yerba Buena's debut album, which earned him a Grammy nomination in 2005.
He later created his band Siete Rayo and recorded his first album Descemer Sieterayo with Universal Latin, where he blended Cuban rhythms such as chachachá, timba, and changüí, “with sound touches from the Caribbean like reggae, calypso, or reggaeton, combined with a certain dose of rap and even a bit of Colombian cumbia”; guitarist George Pajon from the Black Eyed Peas collaborated on this album.
Since 2012, a series of concerts began to promote the release of his album Bueno, referencing his surname and honoring the quality of his music, produced by Maykel Bárzaga and Omar Hernández. The album is based on duets: Haila, Alain Daniel, Kelvis Ochoa, Baby Lores, X Alfonso, the duo Buena Fe, Gema Corredera, Omar Hernández (Omi).
But Descemer is multifaceted, a "true monument to versatility." His musical talent has led him to venture into production, arrangement, and composition. He has collaborated—in any of these roles—on recordings such as Trampa del tiempo by Pavel and Gema (Spain, 1995); Náuseas de un siglo and Futuro inmediato by Santiago Feliú (Cuba, 1997); Jazz timbero by Bobby Carcassés (Cuba, 1998); Mambo&Co by Francis del Río (Cuba, 1999); Haydée by Haydée Milanés (Cuba, 2004); Breathe by Yusa (Cuba, 2006); Falage e Canibal by Lennine (Brazil, 2006). In 2007, he released the album Amor y Música with Kelvis Ochoa under the Egrem label, Art Bembé (Spain) and La Isla Milagrosa by William Vivanco (Cuba, 2007); the following year, in 2008, the album Sé feliz was released under the same label, a collection of boleros composed by him and performed by the well-known bolerista Fernando Álvarez. Additionally, Amargo pero dulce by Diana Fuentes (Cuba, 2009).
He participated as a professor in the Music Workshops at Stanford University, California, and at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Alongside Kelvis Ochoa and other musicians, he was part of the humanitarian concert held in the Dominican Republic in response to the earthquake in Haiti.
He has shared the stage with internationally renowned musicians, such as saxophonist Steve Coleman. He participated in a jam session with Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Wynton Marsalis.
His songs appear in American movies and Pepsi commercials. He contributed to the soundtracks of films such as: Dirty Dancing Havana Nights; Cheaper by the Dozen; Honey; and Chasing Papi. Musical Director of films: Violeta (1998, Mexico), Corazón del Tiempo (2007, Mexico), Habana Eva (Venezuela-Cuba, USA, 2009), Siete días en La Habana (Morena Films, France-Spain, 2011).
He created the soundtracks for the television series E.R., The O.C., ESPN, and Daisy Cooks (PBS NY); and the telenovelas Cuando me enamoro (Televisa 2011-12) and La que no podía amar (Televisa 2012).
He has composed songs for Enrique Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra, Andrés Levine, Ana Torroja, Thalia, Baby Lores, Reyli Barba, Fonseca, Samo (Camila), Cabas, Ana Bárbara, Tobi Love, Nohelia, and Luz Casall.
The music videos of his compositions are in high demand in Cuba, such as "Quisiera volver" and "Tus luces sobre mí" by Alejandro Perez, "Ser de sol" in collaboration with the duo Buena Fe by Ian Padrón, and so on.
The great reception of the album Bueno has led to numerous performances in cities across Cuba, such as Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Mayabeque, and, of course, Havana.
She is currently recording the song "Libélula" with Omara Portuondo. Her plans for 2013 involve spending a lot of time in the studio to work on the production of interesting albums, such as the one by Omi and Luna Manzanares.
And he continues to write songs for Enrique Iglesias, Luis Enrique, and soon a song with the Cumbia Kings will be released.
Awards
2005 - Best Latin Artist from the publication Best of Miami 2005 in Miami New Times.
2006 - Goya Award as co-author of the soundtrack for the film Habana Blues (2006) directed by Benito Zambrano.
2009 - ASCAP for “Lloro por ti” performed by Enrique Iglesias
2010 - ASCAP for ‘‘Lloro por ti’’ performed by Enrique Iglesias
2011 - Latin Grammy for Song of the Year and ASCAP for “Cuando me enamoro” performed by Enrique Iglesias and Juan Luis Guerra
2011 - TV y Novelas Award for Song of the Year for “Cuando Me Enamoro”
2012 - ASCAP for “No me digas que no” performed by Wisin and Yandel
