José Areas

José Octavio "Chepito" Areas (born 25 July 1946) is a Nicaraguan percussionist best known for having played timbales in the Latin rock group Santana from 1969-1977 and 1987-1989. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his work in Santana. In 1997, he performed on Abraxas Pool with other members of the early 1970s iteration of Santana, including Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Michael Carabello, and Michael Shrieve. Previously, he released an eponymous solo album on Columbia/CBS Records in 1974. La Gigantona, a 1976 collaboration with Nicaraguan singer-songwriter and childhood friend Alfonso Noel Lovo, was reissued by Numero Group in 2012. Featured along with Richard Bean in "The Sounds of Santana" CD by Mike Roman & The Tellstars (2003). Featured along with Michael Shrieve in "Cha Cha Time!" CD by Mike Roman & The Tellstars (2007).