Meet Erik, a vibrant Spanish and Luxembourger drummer, multi-percussionist, and passionate music educator whose dynamic journey in music began at just six years old in tiny Luxembourg. Starting with Classical percussion and Jazz vibraphone, Erik quickly gravitated towards the drum set and a little while later towards Latin-American percussion, embarking on a lifelong musical adventure, which led him across the World ultimately building his own unique musical sound and approach.

Erik further fine-tuned his craft at Codarts, Conservatory of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where he specialized in Latin-American percussion, as well as drum set and Flamenco cajón. His dedication paid off, earning him both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree with the distinguished ‘Cum Laude’ honors in both degrees.

Currently, Erik shares his expertise as a teacher of Latin percussion and drum set at the Conservatory of Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg. From 2016 to 2019, he made waves at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, China, where he not only taught drums and percussion but also pioneered a World Music department. His playful and enlightening lectures and workshops explored the breadth of Latin American music and other global music styles.

Since returning to Europe, Erik has been a regular presence in the Dutch and European music scenes, performing across genres including Latin- and Afro-American music, Middle Eastern Jazz, Flamenco and popular music.

As a versatile drummer and percussionist, Erik has shared stage and/or studio with distinguished artists that showcase the best of global music such as pianists Franz von Chossy, Abel Marcel, Carlos Matos, Marc Bischoff, Siu Tin Chi (邵天慈), Deng Yameng (邓亚蒙) and Carlos Cippelletti; drummers Georvis Pico, Lucas van Merwijk, Gerardo Rosales, Vernon Chatlein and Nils Fischer; singers Gianna Tam, Alberto Caicedo and Ramón Mendeville; clarinetist Ghaeth Almaghoot; guitarist Teis Semey; bassists Reinier Elizarde, Samuel Ruiz, Yerman Aponte, Yu Xiaosi (于小四), Patricia Mancheño and Johannes Fend; trumpetists Manuel Machado, Oscar “Chucky” Cordero and Francisco Peña; and vibraphonist Benoit Stasiaczyk among many others. He has worked with bands and projects such as Cabo Cuba Jazz, Gianna Tam & La Banda, Carlos Cippelletti’s HYBRID/C, Almaghoot Quintet, Egbe Ilu Afro-Cuban collective, Acción con Clave Salsa band, Dyar Band, Son de Aquí and many more.

Most recently, Erik co-founded Dafa, a trailblazing cross-over trio that fuses Balkan, Middle-Eastern, and Jazz sounds into a captivating musical experience. He also is a founding member of Egbe Ilu Afro-Cuban collective, formed by passionate European musicians and dancers that seek to preserve and share the ancestral music and dance of the Orishas and Afro'-Cuban folkloric culture.

Erik is also one of the first musicians and members of the International Company of Cuban Dances (ICCD). A dance company founded by Leonardo Martinez Moya, renowned dancer and former principle dancer, choreographer and professor of the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, with the intend of performing traditional Afro-Cuban folkloric dance and music shows in Europe, in the image of the famous Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba. In addition, Erik also had the opportunity to participate in a training with the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional on his most recent trip to Havana, Cuba.

His ongoing commitment to his craft takes him regularly to Cuba, where he immerses himself in the vibrant Afro-Cuban folklore music scene, studying with masters such as Julio Guerra and Abdel Agüero Chang. This dedication has also allowed him to consecrate and swear allegiance as Omo Aña (son of the drum) at the Fundamento Aña Yenkú and perform at ceremonial Afro-Cuban batá drumming settings.