Ricardo Guerra is a Cuban-American percussionist, composer, and educator based in NYC who blends rock, jazz, and Afro-Cuban music in his playing and composition. He has collaborated with dancers since childhood in his father’s Afro-Cuban folkloric group El Solar, eventually going on to perform in choreopoems and contemporary ballets, most notably Kebra Seyoun Charles and Peter London’s Shango with the Peter London Dance Company in Miami, FL. He holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute, where he studied with luminaries such as Billy Hart, Jamey Haddad, and Francisco Mela. From 2023-25, he toured music festivals and clubs in New England with Billy Wylder, a global indie rock group formed by Avi Salloway, former member of Bombino. In 2019, Guerra released his EP Of Dreams and Realities. Among other works, he has collaborated with George Cables, as well as the Boston Lyric Opera on Terence Blanchard’s Champion. As an educator, he brings percussion classes to underserved communities through several NGOs and teaches privately. In his teaching, Guerra strives to use music as a tool for dialogue, personal growth, and self expression.