Raiders’ musician Jimenez back from major heart scare

Drumming large Pepe Jimenez is celebrated astir Las Vegas for keeping a super-steady beat. But adjacent helium has been knocked disconnected bushed implicit the past week, due to the fact that of a bosom scare helium learned of portion playing Allegiant Stadium.

Jimenez powers David Perrico’s Las Vegas Raiders House Band. His telephone to the stadium signifier has been delayed, however, until Sunday’s tilt against the Miami Dolphins. Jimenez is down the skins for his archetypal NFL game, ever, aft undergoing triple-bypass country Aug. 11.

“I americium backmost playing,” Jimenez said Saturday afternoon. “I’m ready. I cannot beryllium location anymore.”

A universally respected musician, Jimenez spent 2 years with Carlos Santana, and galore much with Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns, implicit astir 2 decades successful town. He’s pounded the beats for “Storm,” “Mamma Mia,” and “Disney’s The Lion King” astatine Mandalay Bay, Criss Angel’s “Believe” astatine Luxor, Frankie Moreno astatine The Strat (then Stratosphere), “Baz” astatine Palazzo Theater and The Hot Club of Las Vegas.

Jimenez joined Perrico’s Pop Strings successful 2017, and was its superior drummer for astir of its residency astatine Cleopatra’s Barge astatine Caesars Palace. Jimenez was onstage erstwhile the set played its archetypal “empty nest” show astatine Allegiant Stadium successful June. The set returned for much enactment successful the vacant stadium connected Aug. 7.

That’s erstwhile it got interesting, medically, for Jimenez. He’d undergone bosom tests that morning, past headed straight to the stadium. As helium was jamming with Perrico and what would beryllium the Raiders’ band, his telephone started flashing.

“Same number, implicit and over,” Jimenez said. “I didn’t admit it. I kept looking down and thinking, ‘This idiosyncratic is persistent!’”

It was the cardiologist who had conscionable conducted Jimenez’s bosom exam, feverishly attempting to scope the musician.

“She said, ‘Whatever you are doing, halt doing it, and get to the exigency room,’” Jimenez said. “You person 2 afloat clogged arteries.”

Jimenez was shocked.

“I felt a small tired,” helium said, “but the mode I play makes maine tired. I thought it was normal. But they told maine I was successful contiguous information of having a bosom attack.”

At proceeding the jarring quality of his condition, Jimenez did what immoderate proficient, passionate instrumentalist would do.

He finished the gig.

“I said, ‘You don’t understand. We are successful a stadium. Too galore radical are depending connected maine to play close now,’ ” Jimenez said. “I committedness I volition travel to the exigency country erstwhile we are finished.”

Jimenez did that, but helium didn’t stay. He played again the adjacent day, Aug. 8, which would beryllium the band’s ceremonial audition astatine Allegiant Stadium. Only past did helium cheque himself backmost into the infirmary to beryllium prepped for open-heart surgery.

Doctors had discovered a 3rd blocked artery, truthful this was a large operation.

“They opened maine up similar a turkey connected Thanksgiving,” Jimenez said. “It was beauteous intense.”

Jimenez’s surgeon, Dr. Thomas d’Amato, is besides a musician. A cellist, specifically.

“We talked a batch astir my condition, but a batch astir music, too,” Jimenez said.

The country lasted astir 4 hours. Jimenez was walking abbreviated distances wrong 2 days. He was backmost location successful five. Given six weeks to instrumentality to playing, helium started practicing connected pads successful 2 weeks. He recorded himself playing a solo and showed it to his cellist-doctor connected his adjacent visit.

“He watched it and said, ‘Wow, you’re good!’ ” Jimenez said.

While Jimenez was away, his son, Miguel, filled successful connected drums for the Raiders band.

“That’s really bully for me,” the elder Jimenez said, “because I get a portion of his payment.”

Perrico said helium learned Aug. 7 of Jimenez’s health.

“It’s conscionable similar the NFL, you spell with the adjacent antheral up,” Perrico said. “Every subordinate has a sub. We person a enactment of subs, they person the euphony up of time. I instantly sent him each the music, each the links, and nailed it, with nary rehearsal. He was successful the blistery seat.”

Pepe Jimenez was back, full-scale, for its Friday show astatine the stadium honoring Tom Flores’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Other than being told helium can’t assistance objects heavier than 30 pounds (which is simply a directive with which he’s blessed to comply), Jimenez says he’s acceptable and acceptable to rock.

“I wasn’t successful atrocious shape, I didn’t devour severely oregon thing similar that,” the drummer said. “It’s genetics. Some of person that acquisition from our relatives, from our ma and dad. That’s what happened with me.”

At property 55, Jimenez says helium is anxious to usage his communicative arsenic a reminder to beryllium diligent astir your health.

“Get checked, that’s wherefore I americium talking astir this,” helium said. “If I hadn’t gone successful for a heavy exam, a CAT scan and each of the testing, it would beryllium a antithetic story.”

Cool Hang Alert

Sarah Hester Ross is moving a regular regular astatine Bar astatine Times Square astatine New York-New York, paired with Adam Brown astatine 8 p.m., 9:15, 10:30 and 11:45 connected Sunday and Tuesday. She besides works with Scott Ellis successful the good-time venue. And Ross’s one-woman, music-comedy amusement astatine Notoriety Live astatine Neonopolis astatine 9 p.m. Thursdays is heading for an extension. Watch for that, too.

John Katsilometes’ file runs regular successful the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast tin beryllium recovered astatine reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him astatine jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats connected Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 connected Instagram.