Los Hombres Calientes

Downbeat Magazine's Critics Poll named them Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in both the "Acoustic Jazz Group" and "Beyond Group" categories.......................

New York Times article cited Los Hombres Calientes as an example of how regional, indie-jazz projects can rejuvenate the jazz marketplace. In May 1999, the debut CD made the top 25 on Billboard Magazine's "Top Jazz Albums" chart, an astonishing feat for an album lacking major label support and distribution.

The St Lucia Tourist Board wrote
“Summers, the master percussionist known for his work with Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Quincy Jones, his own funk band Summers' Heat and others, seemed to have at least five hands that night. Together with drummer Jason Marsalis (then age 21), he created an undeniable groove, multi-layered, dynamic, textured and mesmerizing. His exquisite use of Afro-Cuban, Latin and African rhythms opened the door for the other musicians to explore the Latin roots of modern jazz.”

WORDS FROM QUINCY

"I was first made aware of the huge abundance of talent Bill summers Possesses by my friend Herbie Hancock. Bill was the percussionist extraordinaire for Herbie’s Headhunters and when he told me about Bill, Herbie said that he had never met or heard a young percussionist so dedicated to his instrument historically and musically as Bill. After I heard him play one night I had to meet him.

I invited him down from his home in San Francisco to perform as the lead drummer/percussionist on my sound track score for the ABC Series "Roots'". Bill is a master percussionist in every since of the word............................."