José M. Aponte is a native from Carolina, Puerto Rico, with a B.M. in Percussion from the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico, an artist diploma from The Musicians Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, California, and a M.M. from the University of North Texas Jazz Studies Program.

He has performed with artist such as Giovanni Hidalgo, Emil Richards, Carlos Guedes, Poncho Sanchez, Batacumbele, Gino Vanelli, Brian Bromberg, Lyle Mays, Andy Narell, David Rudder, Relator, Fred Hamilton, Dan Haerle,Tracy Thorton, Lian Teague, Airto Moreira and Michael Spiro.

Currently José holds a Principal Lecturer position at the University of North Texas Percussion and Jazz Studies department, where he teaches Drum Set/Latin percussion. In addition to his private lesson studio work, Jose is the director of the UNT Afro-Cuban & Brazilian ensembles, and the UNT Latin Jazz Lab Band. Jose Aponte is an active member of the Dallas/Fort Worth musical scene as a freelance performer and studio musician with groups such as Fifo and Citizens of the World Colombian Jazz Group, Fifo and his Afro Bacanos Salsa Band, The John Murphy Jazz Trio, Singer/Songwriter Tania Cordobes, David Lee Schloss’s Caravan, Kalimbe World Jazz group, Island Boogie Caribbean band, Justin Cash Jazz Fusion trio, Tito Charneco “Diaspora” Jazz group as well as his own groups, Jose Aponte and Caribe Club Latin Jazz Quintet, Batuque Brazilian Jazz Trio, and Brasuka Brazilian Jazz group.