| Frank Colón | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Date: | 13 October 1951 |
| Birth Place: | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Genre: | Jazz, jazz fusion, Latin jazz, world music |
| Occupation: | Musician |
| Instrument: | Percussion/Composer |
| Years Active: | 1960s–present |
Frank Colón (born October 13, 1951) is an American musician and martial artist of Puerto Rican descent.
Born in Washington, D.C.,[1] Colón moved from there to Puerto Rico at the age of five. His musical instruction began at age eleven, beginning with classical piano lessons, under the guidance of Angelina Figueroa and Rafael Figueroa. He also studied Brazilian percussion, guitar, electric bass, and trap drums. He was active in municipal and collegiate sports, martial arts, and amateur theater, and worked with various local pop music groups.
In 1970, he moved back to Washington, D.C. to attend college at American University, where he majored in Political Science. During this time, his musical orientation changed from melodic instruments to percussion. Finishing his university requirements, he turned full-time to music.
In 1976, Colón moved to New York City to work with the drummer Julito Collazo. There he became proficient at playing the Batá drums.
Colón is a practitioner of Tai chi, and an American pioneer black belt senior instructor in the Israeli self-defense system Krav-Maga, certified by the Wingate Institute of Israel and Krav-Maga International, Inc. He was the first elected vice-president of the American Association of Krav maga Instructors (AAKMI), nowadays known as The Krav maga Federation. He currently holds the rank of Professor Black Belt Dan 2.
With Ray Anderson
With Gato Barbieri
With Mary J. Blige
With George Clinton
With David Bennett Cohen
With Barbara Dennerlein
With Charles Earland
With Michael Galasso
With Diem Jones
With Babatunde Lea
With Tom Lellis
With Andrea Marcelli
With Tania Maria
With Airto Moreira
With Milton Nascimento
With Ivo Perelman
With Michel Petrucciani
With John R. Pollard
With Jennifer Richman
With Steve Sacks
With Wayne Shorter
With Janis Siegel
With Bob Stewart
With Robertinho Silva
With Tana/Reid
With Towa Tei
With Cecilia Tenconi
With Wagner Tiso
With Ernie Watts & Gilberto Gil
With Michael Wolff
Colón appeared on an HBO television special with Harry Belafonte, titled "Don't Stop the Music", taped in Winnipeg, Canada; a Disney Channel Special with The Manhattan Transfer, titled, "Going Home"; a TV special with Tania Maria for the "Ohne Filter" show, out of Baden-Baden, Germany; a Brazil TVE special with Milton Nascimento "Live in Montreux"; two appearances on The Tonight Show with The Manhattan Transfer – one with Johnny Carson and the other with Jay Leno; a special on WIPR-TV in Puerto Rico, featured with Tania Maria, performing in the Heineken Jazz Festival; an HBO broadcast of the 40th Anniversary of Atlantic Records, in Madison Square Garden; an appearance on the Good Morning America show (ABC TV) with The Manhattan Transfer, and various other appearances performing with his own band throughout Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Moldova.
He also appeared in the film Calle 54 by director Fernando Trueba.[2]