Born in New York’s infamous Spanish Harlem, Jose Madera is the son of Jose “Pin” Madera, founding member and first arranger for the legendary Machito Orchestra. Carrying on his father’s legacy, Jose spent 31 years with the iconic Tito Puente Orchestra, where he served as a percussionist and arranger, musical director for the last 15 years.

Throughout his career, Jose has written hundreds of musical arrangements for numerous Latin music legends. He has recorded and worked with many notable artists, including Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Chico O’farrill, the Lincoln Center Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Celia Cruz, Tito Rodriguez, Fania All Stars, Willie Colon, Joe Farrell, Machito, Graciela, Mario Bauza, Willie Rosario, Earl Klugh, and Eddie Palmieri.

In addition to his work in Latin music, Jose has also worked with renowned Pop, R&B, and Jazz artists such as Diana Ross, James Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D’Rivera, George Benson, and Lionel Hampton. His prolific career includes performances on over 500 recordings and contributions to over 20 Grammy-nominated and at least 12 Grammy-winning albums. Among his most recent achievements, the Watch Out! Ten Cuidao! album with the Mambo Legends Orchestra, nominated for a Grammy Award.

Jose’s work has extended to television and film soundtracks, including The Simpsons and The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, for which he served as the musical arranger and conductor for the Tito Puente segment of the film. 2013’s For The Love Of The Mambo, a documentary following the Mambo Legends and their work with the students of Crane School of Music in NY. 2024’s PBS showing of Mambo Legends: The Music Never Ends, a documentary that follows the Mambo Legends Orchestra, learning about their endeavor to keep their music thriving and moving forward.

For 28 years, Jose taught Latin percussion at Boys Harbor in New York City, inspiring the next generation of musicians. From 2001 to 2009, Jose was the musical director and percussionist for the Latin Giants of Jazz. Today, he continues his musical leadership as the director of the Grammy-nominated Mambo Legends Orchestra, a group composed of former members of the Tito Puente Orchestra. The Mambo Legends Orchestra is dedicated to performing both innovative Latin Jazz and classic works from the heyday of the Palladium Mambo era, recreating and re-arranging the music of Machito, Tito Rodriguez, and Tito Puente as well as various others and original works. Many critics consider this period, particularly the music performed at the Palladium Ballroom in New York City, as the “Greatest and most innovative Era” in Latin music history.

Jose Madera’s contributions to the Latin Jazz genre are recognized worldwide. With a distinctive style and a deep dedication to preserving and expanding Latin Jazz, he continues to educate, arrange, and perform internationally, shaping the future of the genre for generations to come. Jose continues to conduct musical clinics around the world, as well as arranging music and performing internationally. He is endorsed by the Latin Percussion, Remo and Vater.