Results for "Latin Jazz"

Charlie Wood - Guitar

Born: August 30, 1951

Global Music Award – 2-Time Bronze Medal Winner 2016

Life Is But A Groove

Guitarist Charlie Wood was named winner of two Bronze Medals from Global Music Awards in 2016 for two of his songs: “East Meets West” (WaterColours CD) & “Rhythms of the Eclipse” (Rhythms of the Eclipse CD). This prestigious award is given for professionalism, creativity, listener impact, technical quality, uniqueness, & styling. It was an honor to be considered by this organization & the contributions it has made to the music industry.

Jose Bevia

José Beviá graduated from the Valencia Conservatory of Music where he studied classical piano with José Luis de Prado; Berklee College of Music, and Florida State University, where he earned a Doctorate of Music Degree in Music Theory and Composition.

Mr. Beviá studied composition with Ladislav Kubík and Mark Wingate, and jazz piano with Marcus Roberts and Bill Peterson. He has also participated in composition seminars with Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ellen Zwilich, jazz composer Bill Holman, and has been a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop (2006-2009), where he studied with jazz composers Michael Abene, Jim McNeely, and Mike Holober. He has also attended the 2012-2013 American Composers Orchestra Jazz Composers Institute at UCLA and Columbia University, directed by George Lewis.

Michael Pallas

Michael Pallas is a seasoned trombonist based in New York City, known for his clear tone and melodic improvisation. Over the past decade, he has performed within various contexts of the African music diaspora, including mambo, hard bop, afrobeat, and hip-hop. Michael has shared the stage with notable acts such as Abdullah Ibrahim, Antibalas, Soul Science Lab, and The Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Born in California and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Michael pursued his music studies in the Northeast, earning a B.M. from the Jackie McLean Institute at The Hartt School of Music and an M.M. from New Jersey City University. His performances have graced prestigious venues like The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center, and he has toured extensively across North America, Europe, and North Africa.

Nina Beck

Born: October 28, 1955

These recent statements from several industry pros could sum it up "in a nutshell" about Nina Beck's piano playing and singing: "With so much jazz mistaking excess for invention and hyperactivity for dynamism, Nina Beck and her groups display genuine heart with no bells and whistles. Nina is a pianist/singer worthy of much more attention." -Roger Crane, Jazz Writer for such publications as Jazz Improv and All About Jazz. "You're very good, and you know how to swing. I can't say that about every pianist; but you definitely can swing." -Marty Harris, prominent pianist/recording artist. "Nina Beck is a polished jazz pianist with absolute pitch. Beck is a solid performer who knows all the tunes and plays them superbly." -John Gilbert, Staff Writer for Sony/Columbia Records, Euro Club De Jazz, All About Jazz, and JazzReview.com Magazine.

Timotej Kotnik

Born: March 5, 1991

Hailing from the mountainous countryside of Slovenia, Timotej Kotnik weaves a tapestry of sound with his trumpet and exploratory compositions. His music can be characterized as a seamless blend of world music styles and strong influences from Miles Davis' jazz-rock fusion period. 

Beyond his unique projects, Kotnik's trumpet has echoed across stages throughout Europe and the Middle East through a variety of diverse collaborations. He has performed, toured and recorded with a wide array of prominent musicians including Victor Mendoza, Yoel Paez, Aziz Maraka, Souad Massi and Magos Herrera. He has also recorded and shared the stage with Perico Sambeat, Ivan “Melon” Lewis, Danilo Perez and Plena 79. Through every collaboration and musical tour, Kotnik has enriched his playing and composing with the influences of each musical adventure.

Rafael Moreno

Born: February 1, 1983

Rafael Enrique Moreno Vega was born on February 1, 1983, in Panama City. He is the son of Rafael E. Moreno Pino and Elizabeth P. Vega de Moreno. A singer and songwriter, at the age of 5, he was already singing, but it was at the age of 8 that he began doing it more regularly at family parties, performing a repertoire of boleros, waltzes, and pasillos by artists such as Julio Jaramillo, Daniel Santos, Orlando Contreras, and others from the old guard that his parents and grandparents used to listen to.

At 17, he learned to play his first guitar chords with teacher Lucía Dorelis Pérez, although as a child, despite efforts by his uncle L. Raúl Moreno and his cousin Yira Castro to teach him, he did not like the instrument. During that time, he composed his first songs. That same year, 2000, he was hired for the first time by Professor Gilberto Campos and his group Rumba 5. A shy Rafael only sang the song "Conciencia" by composer Omar Alfanno twice during the night, as it was the only salsa song he knew.

Jstop Latin Soul

Active since: 2018

Jstop Latin Soul formed in 2018 when trombonist Joel Stopka and bassist/guitarist Brian Mesko united to pursue their passion for Afro-Cuban music and jazz. The duo assembled a collective of the area's finest seasoned musicians, all of whom have performed with a "who's who" of jazz, blues, Latin, and R&B legends and recording artists.

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Vladimir Espinosa and David Sandoval, two dynamic Latin percussion technicians, lead the driving rhythm section alongside drummer DeWayne Peters and pianist 'Montuno Tom' Floyd. The late Ken Hitchcock, a renowned New York recording artist and saxophone virtuoso (1956–2022), contributed masterful tenor sax and flute performances, which are featured on the group’s first CD. Multi-instrumentalist Willis Greenstreet adds depth to the ensemble with his gritty guitar and sax solos. Recording artist and engineer, Bobby Read, from Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers fame, joined the band in 2022 and brought an exceptional new level of artistry to the group.

Paul De Castro

Paul De Castro, pianist, suona player, composer, arranger, and producer. Dr. De Castro started his musical studies at age 5. His initial interest in music led him to start piano studies and vocal performance in Lima, Peru. These activities led to his acceptance into the Conservatorio Nacional de Música, pre-college studies. Immigrating to the USA at age 20, to continue his musical studies, earning a B.A. and M.A. for Cal State Los Angeles and a D.M.A. in Music Composition from the University of Texas in Austin.

His areas of expertise include Latin Jazz, Cuban music, Suona performance in both Cuban and Chinese styles, Jazz, and World Music. In his capacity of lecturer/performer, he has worked in many countries such as Australia, Canada, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Spain, Romania, Hungary, and Cuba.

Brian Ward

Born: September 30, 1969

Brian Ward is a keyboardist, recording artist, composer, arranger, and educator. Ward has performed with Talya Groves, Bobby Watson, Will Matthews, Leroy Vinnegar, Bobby Torres, Shirley Nanette, Dee Daniels, Curtis Salgado, Obo Addy, The Oregon Symphony, The Spokane Jazz Orchestra, and others. Brian helped create the "City of Roses" arrangement by Esperanza Spalding, which won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for Vocal Performance in 2013. Ward received the 2022 Andrew B. Cius Jr. Award for outstanding student composer at the University of Kansas School of Music. Brian currently lives in Kansas City, where he is active on the jazz scene, performing jazz and blues

Brian D Ward

Born: September 30, 1969

Brian Ward, D.M.A., is a keyboardist, recording artist, composer, arranger, and educator from   the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Ward has performed with Bobby Watson, Will Matthews, Leroy Vinnegar, Bobby Torres, Shirley Nanette, Dee Daniels, Curtis Salgado, Obo Addy, The Oregon Symphony, The Spokane Jazz Orchestra, and many others. Brian helped create the arrangement for "City of Roses" by Esperanza Spalding, which won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for Vocal Performance. Brian currently lives in Kansas City, Kansas, where he enjoys performing jazz and blues weekly.