Hiram Figueroa
For Hiram Figueroa, the journey began in Puerto Rico, where he was born. Percussion instruments were an early inspiration, as young Hiram learned rhythms in the Puerto Rican and Cuban tradition.
He took up the conga drum when he was eight, then turned to the saxophone at the age of 12. He grew up listening to a variety of music, the earliest of which included: Afro-Caribbean, danza, a percussive, folkloric music from Puerto Rico; Cuban and other traditional Latin music.
When he turned twelve, he began studying at a special school, La Escuela Libre de Musica in Ponce, and he studied with great teachers like Besosa, Montero, Millian, and unique danza composers like Julio Alvarado. While he was studying at the Escuela Libre de Musica in Ponce, he also had the priviledge to study with one of the most prominent pianists of the island, Papo Lucca.
He sang and played the saxophone with musicians like Jossie Leon, Cano Estremera, Pedro Arroyo, Andy Montanez, La Palabra, Camilo Azuquita, Osvaldo Roman, Adalberto Santiago, Eddie Santiago, Luiggi Texidor and many others. In emerging from the entire salsa bands world, Hiram has also performed with such notables as The Temptations, The Four Tops, Jimmy Smith and Vital Information, (former Journey drummer) among others.
After playing for a while with local salsa bands he decided to look for different horizons and joined the US Army bands field, where he played all over the world including South Korea, Japan and many other countries.
After retiring from the US Army he decided to move to Houston Texas where he's been singing and playing with local bands since 2011 and now pursuing a new challenge in his life...
“I’ve been playing saxophone for more than 40 years playing all over the world including my 20 years in the US Army band field and I can tell you...This horn is amazing! Not only for its craftsmanship but also for its looks. I have the virtuoso tenor sax (VIRT2004B | Black Nickel) and I love it!”