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Global Blend of Afro-Cuban Rhythms & Jazz
West Coast Music Awards: 2007 Nominee Outstanding Jazz Recording |
Featuring musicians from Canada, Cuba, Venezuela and the USA, this quintet has rapidly been building a reputation for its own exciting blend of progressive jazz and Afro-Caribbean rhythm. Its members have played this music at the highest level, making contributions of their own internationally to the music as a whole. Knowing it’s not enough to have talented individuals, Zapato Negro has become a real band through hard work and communication - enabling them to develop an eclectic and exciting concert repertoire that includes original compositions, underplayed jazz standards done in clave, and classics of Latin Music reworked, reharmonized or re-rhythmicized in jazz.
Their live debut CD "Zapato Negro", which was recently nominated as “Outstanding Jazz Recording of the Year” at the Western Canadian Music Awards, is available on Cellar Live Records.
Zapato Negro features André Carrasquero - Piano, Allan Johnston - Bass, Gilberto Moreaux - Drums, Jack Duncan – Congas and Chris Davis – Trumpet.
'Tis rare in today's market of “one-hit wonders” and rhythmically sedated tunes that an entire disc exudes a high level of band cohesion, skill, and creativity. Zapato Negro bucks that doleful trend by offering a collage of bright, fresh melodies and rhythms as evidenced by the live audience's reaction during and after each track. This production is indeed an aural gem. “
-- Eddie Becton “Jazz Journey” KXLU, Los Angeles
Zapato Negro is:
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Chris Davis – Trumpet
Since moving to Vancouver in 2003, Chris Davis has established himself as one of the premier trumpet players in Vancouver and in Canada, performing and/or recording with Mike Allen, Hugh Fraser and a host of others. Though Davis is a Louisiana native, he’s no stranger to Afro-Cuban music, having lived in Florida for 16 years. His fiery playing style is layered with hints of Dizzy Gillespie, as well as other greats such as Woody Shaw, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard - but ultimately, his sound is all his own. |
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André Carrasquero – Piano
Pianist/Composer André Carrasquero has spent many years teaching and touring throughout Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, France, the United States and Canada. Though born in Montreál, he was raised in Caracas, where he began a career as a jazz and studio musician in 1983. This eventually led him to become a successful producer of CDs and music for documentary films. While still in Venezuela, his CD “Todo Brasil” was recognized as best independent production of 1994 by ‘Premio Casa del Artista'. Since returning to Canada in 1998, he has performed in a variety of musical situations. |
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Allan Johnston – Bass
Bassist/composer Allan Johnston has played with many of Vancouver's finest Jazz and Latin ensembles, including his own acclaimed septet Grupo Jazz Tumbao, JUNO-Nominee Rumba Calzada, Orquesta La Clave, Orquesta Goma Dura, and many others. He's also been privileged to play behind some of the giants of Latin Music, including NY Salsa legend and Fania All-Star Larry Harlow (with Seattle's Nueva Era), Grammy winner Lalo Rodriguez (with La Clave), and Cuban piano wizard Ernán Lopez-Nussa, and has opened shows for Orquesta Aragón, Eliades Ochoa, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, "Maraca", and Arturo Sandoval. For over two decades he has studied Latin Music in its places of origin, including Cuba, Puerto Rico and New York City. |
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Gilberto Moreaux – Drums
"Gilbertónn" is one of Cuba's foremost drummers and timbaleros. A master in all styles, he is best known internationally for the "funk-in-clave" style of Afro-Cuban 'Salsa' known as Timba. He has been a featured member of many of Cuba's most popular groups, including Bamboleo, Charanga Habanera, and Charanga Forever. Gilberto has now settled down in Vancouver for the past few years, quickly making a name for himself locally - especially among drummers. Sponsored by Taye Drums, he was featured clinician at the 2005 Vancouver International Drum Festival. www.gilbertonn.com |
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Jack Duncan – Congas
“Jakito” is one of the most accomplished percussionists in Canada. Music has taken Jack around the world, including first-hand study with master drummers in countries such as Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cuba and Colombia. He has produced, composed, recorded, and toured internationally with groups such as Chicago, Spirit of the West, Hugh Fraser's V.E.J.I, John Korsrud's Hard Rubber Orchestra and Sekoya. In addition, he is the leader of the Afro-Cuban ensembles Shango Ashé, and "Tambor Iroko". His awards include a JUNO for his work on Alpha 'Yaya' Diallo's album, The Messenger. His credits for film and television soundtracks include Ratatouille, The L Word, The Sentinel, and as a consultant on Santeria for Saved. |
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