Abe Dunovits – Latin Percussion

Abe plays an array of Latin percussion instruments on Against the Odds, the title track of the Ian Lilburne EP.

Argentinian/Australian, multi-instrumentalist and artist Abraham Dunovits lives and works in Fremantle. He is the driving force behind Funkalleros, a highly energetic original band that fuses rock, blues, jazz, funk, reggae, Spanish rumba styles and Latin American Mestizo roots music.

Born in Argentina, Abe grew up in Spain, soaking up the music as he went along, studying in the Madrid “tablaos” where flamenco music was played and going to see rock concerts at night. He has lived and worked in Australia since 1989. He is a musical virtuoso on string instruments, but also extends to percussion and piano.

As well as a very successful visual arts career as a painter and sculptor, Abe has extensive experience as a composer and performer. He began playing in indie bands in the early Ninties―Rosie’s Kitchen, The Whitlam Years, Spooky, and the community-conscious Latin American ensemble Malembe. He released recordings with Rosie’s Kitchen, TWY and Spooky and recorded part of the first Funkalleros album with Sean O’Callahan (John Butler Trio). Abe has led the most successful Big Band Salsa and Latin jazz group Sabroson since 2000, played bass for the hi-power Zimbabwean band Shangara Jive for the past five years, does regular gigs with Senegalese drumming master Ziggy Djane (ex Babaa Maal dancer and choreographer) and plays sessions for film and TV. He has played support gigs for a variety of Australian artists such as Tommy Emmanuel and Deborah Conway, and international artists such as Yossou N’dour (2005) and Oliver Mtukudzi (2007 and 2008).

Funkalleros won the 2008 WAM Best Song of the Year prize in the category of Mixed Bag. They were included in the 2008 West Coast Blues and Roots Festival amongst artists such as  Jools Holland and Seasick Steve.

For more on the Funkalleros, click on www.sonicbids.com/funkalleros