Modesto
Mendez Torres
Modesto Mendez Torres was born on the 15th of June 1951, in the province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba.
Since he was very young, Modesto has studied music, starting his professional career in his twenties, in the 1970's, by playing in a jazz band formed by the legendary Cuban maestro Jose Villar.
Throughout the 70's and 80's, Modesto performed with several groups in Cuba to which he developed his talents, including
the Orquesta Juveniles de Sesenta, which embarked on long tours. It was during
one of these tours that he first played alongside the maestro Pedro Izquierdo
(Pello el Afrocan), who was the creator of the rhythm "Mozambique".
Since 1989 he has made world wide tours with two groups that he helped form "El Cuarteto de Percussion Cubana Obban Yoko" and the group "Cumbre" from Pinar del Rio, visiting countries such as Spain, Finland, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Martinica and Brazil.
Today he teaches in the "Escuela de Instructores de Pinar del Rio". He balances his classes with performing his remarkable talent as a percussionist with the Cuban Jazz band "Ireme".
Modesto Torres is a guenuine spirit of the traditional culture of
Cuban drum playing, most notable in the ancestral authenticity of his methods
and performances on the Conga drums.
Eugenio
Arango Noa "Aranguito"
Eugenio Arango Noa was born on the 15th of November 1958 in Havana, Cuba.
He began his studies for an elementary degree at the Conservatorio Amadeo Roldan of Havana. During his time as student he mastered various instruments like the Xylophone, Redoblante and Timpani drums, that he played in the schools concert repertoire.
In the year 1979, Eugenio was inaugurated into the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), where he formed part of the chamber music orchestra, specialising in percussion. The group achieved exceptional accolades at several concerts of the "Festival de Musica" of Camaguay". He was awarded also with the 2nd National Award of the course UNEAC, in percussion. He concluded his studies in 1984 at superior level and the maximum level of qualifications awarded any body at the school.
During his studies, Arango also developed his style, playing popular
songs with various collaborators.
He followed his education by teaching as Professor at the Escula Nacional de Arte (ENA), the Institute Superior de Arte" (ISA) and the Escuela Ignacio Cervantes and he was selected for lecturing in many countries all over the world including: Mexico, France, Denmark and Sweden.
Arango has played percussion with many groups including: Las Barbas, Mezcla, Son Varona, and the group Preuchin.
In 1988 he bagan to work with Pablo Milanes in various tours over Panama, Peru, Santo Domingo, Nicaragua, Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Martinica, Brazil and Venezuela.
He has worked with Victor Manuel on an extensive tour of Spain and Joaquin Sabina and Fito Pais in the studios recording as well as playing on records by Miguels Trio's "Azul" and the record "Oro Negro".
Arango has
participated in many campaigns for health, most especially in benefits for
those stricken with HIV and AIDS with Joaquin Sabina and Fito Paiz.
Osmani Sanchez Barzaga
Osmani Sanchez was born in the provinces of Guantanamo, in the east (or Oriente) of Cuba on the 5th of October 1962.
He began his studies of percussion at the Elementary School of Arts in Guantanamo city, graduating to the National School of Arts, where he completed his musical studies. During these studies, he participated in many events and percussion courses as well as recording many records.
Since then Osmani, has developed as a professional musician, working in Cuba and internationally on a variety of projects including music for film, ballet and modern dance, theatre and records, as well as extensive tours for many artists in Cuban, Jazz and Popular music fields.
Artists that Osmani has collaborated with include: Silvio Rodriguez, Afro Cuba, Emiliano Salvador, Luis Represas (Portugal), Fito Pais (Argentina), Mercedes Sosa (Argentina), Pablo Milanes, Polito Ibanes, Raul Torres, Santiago Feliu, Milton Nascimento (Brazil), Victor Manuel (Spain), Omara Portuondo, Manolo Argudin, Lucesita Benitez (Puerto Rico), Joan Manuel Serrat (Spain), Luis Eduardo Aute (Spain), and Joaquin Sabina (Spain) amongst others.
Osmani has participated in concerts throughout the world including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Venezuala, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Panama, France, England, Spain and Italy.
He has been active as a lecturer in many seminars throughout the world on Cuban percussion and teaches at the Escuela Musica de Cuba (Cuban Music School).
Osmani is currently, working in collaboration with the acclaimed Cuban singer/songwriter Pablo Milanes.
Rafael
Santos was born in Spain on
the 13th June 1965.
After completing law studies at the University of Zaragoza, he began musical studies in 1986 at the Conservatory of music of Zaragoza, and attended the Vocational School of Arts at Pinar del Rio, Cuba and the Society Percuba in Havana throughout the late 80's.
In 1988, saw Rafa as one of the founding members of the group Equinoccio, that experimented between Jazz and Cuban and Brasilian traditional standards. The group toured intensively throughout the late 80's and early 90's in Spain and France. During this time Rafa continued expanding his experiences with Latin rhythms, by attending courses in Cuba, Brasil and Uruguay as well as attending the Consevatory Superior de Musica in Zaragoza in 1992.
Rafa has collaborated
with many Spanish and American Jazz figures including Joaquin Chacon, Polo
Orti, Joan Bibiloni, Javier Mora, "La Calle Caliente", Tomas Bohorquez,
Bobby Martinez, Jaime Marquez, Orquesta Nacional de Jazz, Chano Dominguez,
Argelia Fragoso, Luis Depestre, Gemma y Pavel, Omar Sosa, and J. R. Mestre as well as working as a percussionist (conguero) with several latin
mainstream artists like Havana Conexion, Guayuco, Salsagoza and Dile que si, amongst others.
In 1999 he was contracted to work on the "Perlas 99" American tour of Paloma San Basilio, continuing throughout 2000 and to date with consequent tours and/or recordings for Paloma San Basilio, Javier Vargas, J.L.Perales, Jose Miguel Diaz, Tamara, Jose Ramon Mestre and Chano Dominguez.
Rafa continues his studies (or
as he calls them "investigations") into latin rhythms and he also
teaches. He had the privilege to share a seminar, as the Afro-Latin percussion
expert at the "VII Curso Internacional de Percusion Cocentaina 2000"
with such luminaries as Julio Barreto, Dave Weckl and John Bergamo and was an extremely valuable source of information for this project.
More info about Rafael Santos can be found at: www.ralphsantos.com
She received a piano teaching degree from the Conservatory of Music Amadeo Roldan in Havana, Cuba. Her degree was co validated by the Ministry of Education and Science of Madrid.
She further studied at the National School of Art of Havana for 4 years to obtain her Doctorate.
Marisol has extensive experience in teaching classical music to children of all ages, in the "Leonardo Luberta" and "Manuel Saumell" Conservatories and the National School of Art of Havana she taught piano to elementary and secondary levels.
Marisol plays Chamber Music as accompanist for several quartets and was a member of several groups playing Cuban music such as "Canela", "Son las que Son"; that toured Spain in 1994.
She's been living in Madrid since 1995, where she's performed with several groups, such as: Romano and Mestisay amongst others as well as collaborations with the Matisse School of Music in El Escorial, Madrid, and been the pianist in orchestras of several well known artists such as: Argelia Fragoso, Francisco, Luis Depestre, Alcides, in various theatres in Madrid and other provinces.
In 1999, she went on the American tour "Perlas 99" with Paloma San Basilio,
and in 2000, continued working with Paloma San Basilio on her national tours, and performed with other prestigious artists in the National Jazz Orchestra of the maestro Ferran.
She is currently taking part in recording sessions with Rafael Santos, and has co-written two songs with musicians J.R. Mestre, Omar Sosa,
Fernando Favier, Candido Mijares and David Montes.
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