“Like a master rhythmatist, García juggles all the intricate polyrhythms, odd meters and quick tempo shifts with assuredness and authority. The Puerto Rico native and New York City resident is fast emerging as a talent deserving of wider recognition for both his remarkable adeptness on the kit and his considerable skills as a composer-arranger. On Guasábara Puerto Rico, García organically blends folkloric bomba rhythms and jazz in a myriad of satisfying ways. Backed by his core group of Kus, Vicéns, Chakarji, Pablo and bassist Dan Martínez, the drummer and his simpatico crew of youngbloods push the envelope on García’s third album as a leader and debut for ZOHO Music.” – Bill Milkowski
“Puerto Rican drummer Fernando García is part of a young vanguard of musicians who are celebrating the island’s folk traditions by studying it faithfully, reproducing it, then combining it with jazz in a sound that sounds familiar yet so-very-new.” -Felix Contreras, Alt.Latino – NPR
Born in San Juan and raised in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, García studied guitar at the extension program of the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and drumset at Micheo Music Academy (Santurce), while later receiving a bachelor’s degree in Música Popular from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (Graduating in May 2011). Furthermore, he was awarded the Juan Luis Guerra Scholarship to complete a master’s degree in Contemporary Performance at Berklee College of Music, Valencia, Spain (Graduating in July 2013). In May 2018, García completed a second master’s degree in Music Education at the prestigious Teachers College Columbia University.
In New York City, he has established himself as a drummer, percussionist, composer, and educator. Throughout his career, he has worked equally as a band leader as well as a sideman. Some of the musicians García has toured and/or recorded with include Abraham Laboriel, Perico Sambeat, Ricardo Pons, Héctor Matos, Pepe Rivero, Alain Pérez, Guillermo Klein, Julio Montalvo, Victor Mendoza, John Benitez, Ximo Tébar, Nathaniel Townsley, Jim Ridl, Boris Koslov, and Miguel Zenón among others. As a bandleader, García has produced three studio recordings: Desde Arriba (Fernando García Music, 2012), Subidor (Montalvo Records, 2013), and Guásabara Puerto Rico (ZOHO Music, 2018).
In 2021 Fernando was awarded the prestigious New Jazz Works grant by Chamber America, that enable him to compose and record the record “Behique,” released with Sunnyside Records in February 2023.