Title
Recognizing and honoring World Master Percussionist Pablo Batista for his distinguished contributions to music, culture, and education in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
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WHEREAS, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to honor and celebrate the remarkable achievements and enduring cultural contributions of Latino leaders whose work uplifts communities and enriches our collective society; and
WHEREAS, Pablo Batista, a world master percussionist and son of Puerto Rican immigrant parents, has distinguished himself for more than four decades as one of the most accomplished and versatile musicians of his generation, performing, recording, and touring internationally with leading artists in rhythm and blues, jazz, Latin, pop, and gospel; and
WHEREAS, From early beginnings studying hand drums at age nine in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, under master percussionist Miguel Candia, Pablo Batista has developed a singular talent grounded in Afro-Caribbean traditions and elevated by formal study, earning degrees from Temple University while launching his professional career under the mentorship of legendary saxophonist Grover Washington Jr.; and
WHEREAS, Batista's career has included high-profile collaborations with an extraordinary roster of artists such as Alicia Keys, Patti LaBelle, Kirk Franklin, Jill Scott, Phyllis Hyman, Teddy Pendergrass, Gerald Levert, Jeffrey Osborne, Musiq, Dianne Reeves, Norman Brown, Eddie Palmieri, and Manny Oquendo and Libre, among many others; and
WHEREAS, His professional accomplishments include touring with Alicia Keys for more than a decade, including a live performance before a global audience of over one billion people at the 2010 World Cup ceremonies in South Africa, and participating in her annual Black Ball fundraiser which raised over $3 million for youth and families impacted by HIV; and
WHEREAS, Pablo Batista holds the rare distinction of having performed on Grammy Award-winning recordings across multiple genres includ...
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