Ricardo Guerra

Ricardo Guerra is a Cuban-Americandrummer/percussionist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Drawingfrom rock, jazz, and Afro-Cuban music, his playing and compositions create arhythmically dynamic atmosphere that fosters improvisation and creativity.

Born into a musical family in Havana, Cuba, Ricardo Guerra has been around a rich musical and percussive culture from an early age, playing claves in his father's folkloric dance and theatre groups and learning from Lazaro “Tato” Alfonso, former member of Cuban fusion group Irakere. After formal training on classical percussion and drumset, Guerra earned his BM in Jazz Performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied with percussion luminaries such as Billy Hart and Jamey Haddad. He later earned an MM in Global Jazz Performance from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, where he studied with Danilo Perez, and Francisco Mela, among others.

Most recently, he premiered Shango/Ancestral Kings and Queens by Kebra Seyoun Charles and Peter London at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami. From 2023-25, Guerra formed part of Billy Wylder, a global indie rock group with a large New England following, where he toured music festivals and clubs throughout the region. In 2019 Guerra released the EP, Of Dreams and Realities, a collaboration of primarily original music with Eli Heath, Benny Bock, and Emmett Sher. Among other works, he has collaborated with George Cables, Tal Cohen, River Adomeit, and most notably the Boston Lyric Opera in their premier of Champion: an Opera in Jazz by Terence Blanchard. Some honors include Finalist at the 2016 Switzerland Generations Jazz Festival, 2015YoungArts alumnus, and 2014 Brubeck Summer Jazz Summit alumnus.

As an educator, Guerra has led individual and group classes on drumset, percussion, and ensemble playing. Through Belongó (formerly The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance) and Creative Music Programs, he works to bring music classes to underserved communities. Guerra also maintains a private lesson studio of virtual and in-person students. In his teaching, he strives to use music as a tool for dialogue, personal growth, and self expression.