High energy traditional Cuban son-montuno with a a tinge of jazz and plenty of funk!!
We will energize your party so we all can enjoy our Latin Thing!!
Jose Manuel Garcia-piano
Argenis Gonzalez-baby ampeg bass/vox
Eddy Bayard-tenor
Carlos Rico Colon-Latin Percussion/vox
Rolando Matias-drums/Latin Percussion/vox
Biographies:
Afro-Disiak Quintet, an amalgamation of traditional latin rhythms and jazz, with the sazon only given by us Latinos!!!
Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Jamaica is well represented by the members of the quintet:
Jose Maneul Garcia (Caracas, Venezuela), Piano:Jose Manuel Garcia (artist profile) Born in Caracas, Venezuala, graduated from Emil Friedman Conservatory in 1992. He received his BM in piano performance from Clayton State College. While at Clayton, he studied with George Lucktenberg and Michiko Otaki. Mr. Garcia earned his Master of Music in piano performance from Georgia State University in 2001, while a student of Geoffrey Haydon. Mr. Garcia holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Georgia, from the piano studio of Evgeny Rivkin. His prizes include the Spivey Foundation Scholarship, the 1991 Harriet Serr Piano competition, the second prize at the 1994 Moises Moleiro National Piano competition, the 2004 UGA Franz Liszt Award, and the Madge Johnson Weir Award at the 2005 Beethoven Club International Piano Competition.
A Steinway Artist, Mr. Garcia is also actively involved as a jazz pianist in Atlanta and throughout the United States. He has performed with internationally acclaimed artists such as Michael Philipp Mossman, Ray Vega, Bill Summers, Kemba Cofield, Jennifer Holliday, El “Cano” Estremera, Luisito Rosario, Paquito Guzman, Anthony Cruz, Willie Gonzalez, Marlon Fernandez, Oswaldo Romon, Darmon Meador, Joe Jennings, Ilona Knopfler. Luisito Carrion, Ignacio Berroa, Maria Teresa Chacon, y Juan Carlos Salazar. Mr. Garcia is a founder of International Groove Conspiracy, an Atlanta-based jazz trio which received great reviews by giants in the industry such as pianists Ahmad Jamal and Chucho Valdes, while also performed at major venues in the nation, including the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Montreaux Jazz Festival, The National Black Arts Festival, the Rialto Center for the Arts, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre, and the Blue Note in New York City.
Argenis Gonzalez (Caracas, Venezuela), baby bass & vocals: El Extraordinario,initiated his musical career playing the traditional folk music of Venezuela as a "cuatrista" . Shortly after he started to play bass and becoming one of the most coveted bass players in Caracas area. His experience range from the traditional Cuban Charanga to salsa. Argenis has played with renown Latino Orchestras like Adalberto Santiago, Nacho Sanabria and Tito Rojas among other. No matter what musical style Argenis is playing, he has the Latin swing with him.
Carlos Rico Colon (Villa Prades, Puerto Rico), Latin Percussion & coro: Rico has the flavor and sazon to put the swing in the son, and the son in the swing. Well know and seek in the south for all music session! He is the leader of Salsa Swing, a very succesful Salsa group in Chattanooga. Rico also teach salsa in the area and give latin drumming lessons in the area.
Edwin "Eddy" Bayard (Montego Bay, Jamaica), tenor sax: Originally from Jamaica, came to Harrisburg and started his musical journey that ended at The Ohio State University. Eddie Bayard, a guttural, virtuosic volcano of a Tenor player, Eddie brings pure fire to the Latin rhythms of the Ensemble. This very gifted, and exciting, reedman has been playing for over 10 years! In those very short years he has become one of the countries most talented young lions. He has toured Europe with various jazz groups, and has recently shared the stage with the likes of Marlon Jordan, Gary Bartz and Donald Byrd. Edwin has played with alto saxophonist Wes Anderson(Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra), the late great jazz vocalist Betty Carter, and trumpeter Pharez Whitted among others. His deep sense of self, history, and philosophical view of life permeates his music in a way that touches all who hear. Edwin Bayard is currently gearing up for his first recording as a leader as well as playing with various groups around the country You can find Eddie playing around town with Chad Eby, and Postal. Eddie is a regular member of the Pharez Whitted Quintet, and performs regularly with James Gaitor and the Movement. "Anyone who’s heard Eddie Bayard take an extended solo on a Coltrane piece knows the kind of raw emotion, sheer forcefulness and incredible rhythmic invention he can invest in the man’s music. On the cool night of September 20, Bayard rose in tribute with a solo (on A Love Supreme) that left the room at the Easton Hilton both limp and having distinctly experienced a certain catharsis. Lovell Bradford’s possessed spirit on keys and James Gaiters’ impassioned drums doubtless aided Bayard. Collectively, it was an ecstatic ascension of which Bayard was simply the most outward exponent."—Gerard Cox
Rolando Matias (Cupey Alto, Puerto Rico) drums, latin percussion & coro:Multi-talented percussionist, Afro-Caribbean musicologist, Ethno-Foklorist and an accomplished harmonica player. Rolando has traveled the U.S. playing in a wide variety of groups, performing everything from the blues to Latin rock, and everything in between. A self-taught musician, Rolando, applied his formal training as an Architect into his musical education, seeking perfection, has sought out the greats during his travels in order to perfect his musical techniques as a percussionist, harmonica player and composer. Rolando started playing percussion at a young age in Cupey Alto, at the local "Bembes" of the neighborhood. "Bembe" is a gathering of "rumberos" jamming and improvising together. "We started with percussion grooves, pretty soon a trombone player joined in, a trumpeter and all of a sudden the place was kicking, it was a great scene." Rolando has completed his musical education thru private education, along with music courses. He also advanced his studies as a Master Percussionist in Cuba/PuertoRico under the tutelage of a number the finest master percussionists from Cuba and Puerto Rico. These studies completed Rolando's formal training as Percussionist on drums, hand drumming and ethnic percussion as well as a composer. His performances range from the playful to the passionate, making this powerful Puerto Rican presence a pleasure worth watching. Rolando has performed or recorded with the likes of 2007 Latin Grammy winner Brian Lynch, multi-grammy winner David Sanchez, Chuchito Valdez, Benny Maupin, Patrice Rushen, Leon “Ndugu” Chadler, Azar Lawrence, Othello Molineaux,legendary pianist Eddy Martinez, violinist & trombonist Lew Kahn, legendary bassist Essiet Essit, "1 O'Clock Master" Antonio Orta, guitarist Mimmi Fox, percussionists: Bobby Matos, Bobby Sanabria, Bill Summers and Lenny Castro, bluesmen: Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater, Kenny Neal, Duke Robillard, Australian Dave Hole, Debbie Davies and Howard Scott and the World Band, the late great pianist from Cleveland Roberto Ocasio, Brazilian reedman Carlos Malta, the B-3 madman Ron Levy, Pam Williams, Horns: Pharez Whitted, Fania All-Stars Louis Kahn, Derek Gardner and Latin Grammy nominee Ray Vega, Los Hombres Calientes, guitarist Jim Savitt, Greg Abate, Aruan Ortiz, Jon Ozmet,Pepe Gonzalez, Hector Martignon, Greg Abate, Eddy Martinez, Andy Gonzalez, Adela Dalto, Kim Pencyl, The Navigators , the master of the spoken word the legenday Umar Hassan from The Last Poets among others.
Rolando is endorsed by Shine Drum, and plays Custom Select-Copper Sparkle exclusively and Meinl Percussion!
