He was a drummer who was a busy session musician who toured and performed with James Taylor for 13 years after Lee Ritenour had recommended him.
Based in Los Angeles, he was a member of the fusion group Karizma with David Garfield and his studio drumming was much in demand.
Singers and musicians he worked with over the course his career included The Bangles, The Bellamy Brothers, Laura Branigan, Lenny Castro, Peter Cetera, Stanley Clarke, Paulinho Da Costa, Michael Crawford, Placido Domingo, Sheena Easton, Tommy Emmanuel, Roberta Flack, Dan Fogelberg, Vince Gill, Dan Hill, Hues Corporation, Patti LaBelle, Abraham Laboriel, Kenny Loggins, The Manhattan Transfer, Barry Manilow, Curtis Mayfield, Michael McDonald, Better Midler, Reba McEntire, Joni Mitchell, Aaron Neville, Randy Newman, Teddy Pendergrass, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Rogers, Boz Scaggs, Seals & Crofts, Sarah Vaughan and the Weather Girls.
Albums he appeared on are many but a few of these are Fandango by Herb Alpert, Give Me the Night by George Benson, Heart of Stone by Cher, In My Lifetime by Neil Diamond, Greatest Hits by Heart, This Time by Al Jarreau, From Q With Love by Quincy Jones, Forever in the Arms of Love by Karizma, 25th Anniversary Edition by K.C. & The Sunshine Band, I’m Breathless by Madonna, Physical by Olivia Newton John, Cry Like a Rainstorm – How Like the Wind by Linda Ronstadt, Force Behind the Power by Diana Ross, Symphonic Boleros by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Till I Loved You by Barbra Streisand, Love Talk by The Stylistics, He Who Rides the Tiger by Bernie Taupin and the soundtracks of Grease, Xanadu, Postman and St. Elmo’s Fire.
He died in 1998 aged just 41 from a gunshot wound, which was thought to have been self-inflicted.
Herb Alpert Recordings
Angel (Juan Carlos Calderon)
Route 101 (Juan Carlos Calderon)
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