He got the nickname “Little Drummer” as a child, because when he listened to different tunes, he always imitated drums. He learned to play the drums, training on empty tin banks, since his family was so poor that even Cuban drums could not allow him to buy, not to mention the drum kit.

Enrique Pla without a doubt, is one of the drummers with more versatility and influence in the history of Cuban music. Not only was he a member of the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music, directed by Armando Romeu González, but he was also a leading figure in one of the most original groups in the world, Irakere.