KINGKLAVÉ NYC
Home of KINGKLAVÉ NYC – Amaury Acosta, is a Cuban-American Drummer, Composer, Producer, Educator, Curator, & Entrepreneurfrom New York City. He Brings an authentic blend of Jazz, Hip Hop, Funk, Soul and Afro-Cuban Music.
At the age of 11, he began studying privately with master drummer Alex Garcia. At age 14, Amaury was awarded a scholarship to Boys Harbor Conservatory of Music in New York City where he studied with David Oquendo, Johnny Almendra, and Ramon Rodriguez.
He attended La Guardia High School for Performing Arts and graduated from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School in 2006. In 2008 He transferred to The New School For Jazz & Contemporary music in New York City, where he studied with Charlie Persip, Dr.Reginald Workman, Billy Harper, Johanes Widenmueller, Richard Harper, Junior Mance, Gerald D’Angelo, Ari Hoening, Obed Calvaire, Greg Hutchinson, Nasheet Waits, Gerald Clayton, Jimmy Owens, Cecil Bridgewater, and many more.
He also co-founded (U)nity along side Cuban pianist Axel Tosca Laugart ( a collective of 5 young international musicians that fuse Afro Cuban grooves with modern jazz and Soul, and Electronica.) The group has been extremely well received in the artistic community, playing such engagements as, the Winter Jazz fest in Greenwich Village, The Blue Note Jazz Club, The National Sawdust. Bird’s Basement in Melbourne, Australia, The Jazz Café, and I.S.A in Havana, Cuba, Cuba Nu Wave Festival and The Standard Hotel in Miami, Florida. won first place in the Pepsi cola independent music contest, for their hit song “Guarapachanga”.
Besides being one of the most in-demand drummers in New York City. Amaury possesses Strong Composition, Arranging, & Producing skills and spends a lot of his time composing and producing for many artists.
Amaury Acosta has played with: Iggy Pop, Kimbra , Candido Camero, Jose James, Paquito D’Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, Ambrose Akinmusire , Luques & Zaccai Curtis, Michael Rodriguez, Casey Benjamin, John Ellis, Joe Sanders, Boris Kozlov, Charles Tolliver, Chris Smith, Xiomara Laugart, Robert Glasper , Kris Bowers, John Ellis, Pedrito Martinez, Isreal “Cachao” Lopez, December Bueno , Raul Paz, Osmany Paredes, George Cables, Chris Turner, Kenneth Whalum III, Burniss Earl Travis , Armando Gola, Cubiche, Taylor Mcferrin, Sean Jones, Lonnie Plaxico, Tia Fuller, John Hicks, Mark Whitfield, Kimbra, Marcus Strickland, Arturo O’Farril, John Benitez, Yosvany Terry, Taylor Eigsti, Jaleel Shaw, Jermey Pellt, David Bryant, Logan Richardson, and many more.
In 2017, Amaury co produced a documentary entitled (U)nity is power along side great film maker keith overton (Dga award winner, Beyonce, Vice, NBC Comedy Central) and Alex Linzimier.
King Klave’s Latest Album
22 Musicians, 5 Vocalists, 1 Dj, 5 Songwriters, 3 Executive Producers, 5 Recording Engineers, 1 Mastering Engineer, 5 Recording Studios,10 Years of Creation.
New York, NY | (August 24th, 2022) Amaury “King Klavé” Acosta’s debut solo album releasing September 2nd,2022 features virtuoso collaborations with Pino Palladino, Pedrito Martinez, DJ Harrison, Marcus Machado; as well as the vocal stylings of Jake Sherman and J. Hoard
Born in New York into Cuban parents, King Klavé is an electronic music composer, drummer, producer, & multi media artist who takes pride in conceiving and exploring extraordinary concepts of art.The Album is a 17-song genre bending synthesis of Jazz, Hip Hop, R&B, Funk, fused with Afro Cuban Music that was recorded in New York City with the participation of over 20 musicians.
After 10 years in the making, it will be available on vinyl via his Bandcamp page and all streaming platforms. He finished the project in Brooklyn, during the pandemic, “The world shut down, and I looked at it as an opportune time to dive in and finish my album” says Amaury. This project is a multi medium art project, tying in music, film and painting. The film will be released in 2023, and the cover art was painted by world renowned Cuban artist Luis Cruz Azaceta.The music was inspired by many topics including, mental health awareness, navigating the duality of having multiple cultural identities (Cuban & American), Finding the courage to preserve regardless of the world’s uncertainty, and staying steadfast to his vision. “There are a lot of hidden subtleties in my music. I’m pulling from so many different cultural corners, I have elements moving in different directions to resemble the complexity of the times we are living in. That’s what makes the sound feel so ethereal”, says Amaury.
The album finishes with a strong melodic and victorious piece entitled “Rezo” (prayer), featuring Pedrito Martinez that brings a moment of reflection, and channels deep spirituality, Connecting dots to Africa, Cuba, and New York which is the pinnacle of the inspiration behind the album. Pedrito Martinez characterizes the project: “This record connects the past with the present in a fresh new way. Amaury is always pushing to find new sonic territories, he’s definitely found it with this one. It’s a masterpiece!.”
A Special hand crafted 12″ white colored vinyl with a full color jacket and inner sleeve made in Italy.