Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Cuban born Jazz Drummer Ignacio Berroa  .. He was born and raised in Cuba .. and is on the heels of releasing 2017’s Straight Ahead from Havana – His musical education at age 11 at the National School of Arts and really took off in 1980 when he left his country and settled in New York City where he met the great Cuban musician Mario Bauza who introduced him to Dizzy Gillespie. In August 1981 Gillespie invited Ignacio to join his quartet .. Since that time, he is the only and most successful straight ahead jazz drummer to come from Cuba and make it in America ..