Javier Cabanillas - GRAMMY®️ Award-Wining Composer, Percussionist, Educator

"Today, Cabanillas is one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most respected and busiest congueros, but he still looks for new ways to express his love of percussion." - full featured article in DRUM! Magazine

Cabanillas is most recognized for his recording and touring work as conguero in the GRAMMY® Award-Winning for Best Latin Tropical Album of the year, Pacific Mambo Orchestra. In addition, his versatility, dedication and passion has allowed him to tour, record and share the stage with John Faddis, Dafnis Prieto, Sheila E., Arturo Sandoval, Alex Acuña, Frankie Negrón, Karl Perazzo (Carlos Santana), Brian Jordan (Lauryn Hill), Ray Obiedo (Herbie Hancock), Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales (The Mars Volta), Tommy Igoe, Tom E. Politzer (Tower of Power), Jerry Gonzalez (Fort Apache Band), Calixto Oviedo (NG La Banda), Louie Romero (Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz), Jesus Florido (Whitney Houston), and many more.

His current project, CABANIJAZZ PROJECT released their debut album INFRASONIC in 2018 garnishing a four-star-review from Downbeat Magazine and charting within the top 100 songs in Jazzweek ratings. Cabanillas is the composer, conga player, and band leader for CABANIJAZZ PROJECT.

Javier Cabanillas is endorsed by Soultone Cymbals and Doc Sweeney Drums.