Bassist and songwriter from Puerto Rico who graduated from Los Angeles, California’s Musician’s Institute, where he has since gone on to teach.
His recording career stretches back to the late 1980s, when he joined Spyro Gyra for a couple of albums, Rites of Summer and Point of View. He also made the cut on their Collection and penned its tenth track, “Para Ti Latino”.
Other artists and groups he has worked with include Herb Alpert, Jennifer Lopez, Tito Puente, Robbie Robertson, Arturo Sandoval, and Steve Winwood. His other projects have included TV and film work: He was a member of the house band on ShowTime at The Apollo, arranged and composed the music for the SF film, Contact, and produced the Wedding Bell Blues soundtrack.
In 1990, he took part in the Pro Bass Series, appearing on an instructional video for budding bassists. He plays his own bass with a group called Enclave and has released a solo album, My Music, My Friends, My Time. Oscar has spent a lot of his time performing with Bob Bradshaw and Steve Lukather. He joined Steve in the summer of 2005 for a European tour with El Grupo. Compilations on which he appears include Jazz for the Road and Spanish Café.
Here he is performing “El Yunque”…
Sources:
- http://www.myspace.com/cartayasenclave
- http://www.discogs.com/artist/Oscar+Cartaya
- http://www.midi-classics.com/v/v7539.htm
- http://www.spyrogyra.com/discography.php?num=15
- http://www.stevelukather.net/Interview.aspx?id=57