Biographies
Fotos by Melvin & Samantha Grier
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Rolando Matias Rolando
Matias My Space Website Closed to a decade ago, Rolando conceptualize The Afro-Rican Ensemble, with a vision and direction the Ensemble followed to national and international recognition. As an entertainer and musician, Rolando cannot be denied: a 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 in music and composition thru private education and formal studies at The Ohio State University, School of Music. He also advanced his studies as a Master Percussionist in Cuba under the tutelage of a number Cuba's finest master percussionists from Havana and Matanzas. These studies completed Rolando's formal training as Master Percussionist on drums, hand drumming and ethnic percussion as well as a Jazz 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, trumpeters: Pharez Whitted, 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, Andy Gonzalez, Adela Dalto, Kim Pencyl, The Navigators , the master of the spoken word the legenday Umar Hassan from The Last Poets among others. |
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Rolando Matias is endorsed by: |
Congas-Meinl's Wood Craft,Marathon or Floatunes Congas, Bongos-Meinl's Wood Craft, Meinl "Cajon", Timbales-Amadito Valdez Signature Series & Luis Conte Signature Series and Meinl's RealPlayer cowbells, Meinl's Caliente 18" Ride/Crash, Floatune Bata Drums (Okonkolo, Itotele & Iya) and Meinl's hand percussion (claves, guiros, maracas etc.) |
Brian
Cleveland
Piano, Composer
Pianist/Keyboardist,Brian is a graduate of University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he studied jazz piano under Philip DeGreg. He has also studied classical music with Cleveland State piano professor Dan Barber. Other teachers have been Dan Wall at Oberlin and Russell Schmidt at Bowling Green. Brian has performed in both high school and collegiate OMEA all-state jazz groups and has won several awards including first place in the Summit County Scholastic Composers’ Contest 1998-2001, first place for jazz piano at the Akron Jazz Festival 1999-2001, and first place jazz pianist in the Capital University Jazz Festival 2000-2001.
Brian has recorded two studio albums under his own name and is working on a third with his jazz fusion band featuring original compositions by himself and other members of the ensemble.You can also find Brian leading his Funk/Hip/Hop group Eclipse.
Bruce Menefield
Saxophonist, Bruce Menefield has always been considered a quiet man. Metaphorically he doesn’t “toot his own horn”. Quietly though, behind the scenes he influences change in the jazz music field for Cincinnati, Ohio.
A native of Cincinnati, born to a family of 6 brothers, he grew up in one of the hard core West End neighborhoods, Over the Rhine. His father, unable to work having acquired lung cancer in the coal mines managed the home. Daily life was often a struggle for his family. A product of the Catholic School system, at his mother’s insistence, he became a graduate of Xavier University who majored in Economics. He was the only one of his family to attend college. He went on to attend Cincinnati University Conservatory of Music where he pursued his love of the saxophone.
Early on he knew that he was destined to lead bands. He can be found in many well known spots in Cincinnati; the Blue Wisp, The Bankers Club, The Hyatt Regency, Sawyers Point, to name a few. His love for improvisation in music, though not always rewarded financially, motivates his choices. He married while in college to a woman who also had a love for music. They had three children; one received the reputed Duncanson Award for his musical accomplishments, one majored in opera at CCM, while the third has become a very successful international IT specialist based in Europe. Quietly Bruce plays on supporting their efforts.
When “Doc” Broadnax began the “Jazz in Cincy” project, Bruce Menefield was there. When the Blue Wisp began to integrate its jazz sound with African American artists, Bruce Menefield was asked to perform. He has performed among some of the best in jazz such as Billy Harper, Clark Terry, Peanuts Whalum, Bennie Maupin, Ronnie Laws and John Blake. His career has been marked by his ability to mix talented musicians into exciting ensembles. The groups he has developed are known to keep a “hard groove” and to deliver a musically strong message. He has produced many live concerts including a three year run of the “It’s Commonly Jazz” series at Jordan Crossing. He was the first to consistently present national and internationally renowned jazz artists with local talent of the same caliber on stage together. He highlighted his run of “It's Commonly Jazz” series with the likes of McCoy Tyner and Hank Crawford.
Still influencing the jazz scene, he has chosen to create practical business opportunities as well. Bruce Menefield has quietly gone about his way to place musicians in small, private venues and specialty platforms that feature jazz throughout the Tri-State. In so doing, he has been responsible for creating opportunities that showcase jazz musicians on TV, on stage, and in educational facilities.
Bruce Menefield identifies with quality in musical sound. He is acquainted with and respects the artists that produce it. He doesn’t have to “toot his own horn”, he is measured by his actions. His activist approach to continuing the legacy of jazz in Cincinnati is what Bruce Menefield believes in... While performing onstage or behind the scenes, he himself represents the most original American art form of all… improvisational and always contemporary, jazz music.
"My Steps" CD available at the following websites: www.cdbaby.com
Tenor Sax, Alto sax,& soprano sax
Eddie
Dayton
Acoustic Bass, composer (Contrabajo)
Eddie
Brookshire (bass) was born in
Eddie, a
former member of Kishwaukee Illinois Community Symphony Orchestra, * is a
member of the AAJC-IAJE Big Band, and received the NAFEO award for excellent
performance (acoustic bass) and the Presser Foundation Award for academic
excellence. He is a faculty member at
Along
with his Quintet, Eddie also leads the Eddie Brookshire Orchestra.
I would like to thank God my wife Brenda, ny mother, my familys, my children, my aunts, uncles and other relatives, and my friends, Gary King, Larry Gales, Kenny Wilson, Joe Keeble, Jerrry Gillotti, Jack and Nancy Moody. In addition, I thank the past masters of Jazz; the band-Jack, J=Mark, Gary, and Kenny; and a great friend, Bobby LaVell, for his compositions “As I Say to You” Trane Thang” and Edge of the River.”……………
Bobby Matos
Brooklyn, NYC
Latin Percussionist, Composer
According
to Nat Chediak's "Diccionario de jazz latino," the
bandleader/percussionist/composer/arranger/producer Bobby Matos was born in
the Big Apple in the summer of 1953, although it is likely that the birth of
said timbal-playing Leo of Hebrew-Rican ancestry took place years earlier.What
truly matters is that Bobby Matos has made multiple and significant
contributions to the fervent brew commonly labeled as "Latin jazz,"
a genre defined by the L.A.-based subject of the following interview as
"probably the most rhythmically fascinating music in this
hemisphere."
Bronx
born Bobby Matos began playing music beating on pots and pans in Grandma’s
apartment and went on to backstage informal lessons with conga drum masters
Patato Valdez and Mongo Santamaria.
His first gigs were in the early ˜60’s “beat '" bohemian “ Greenwich
Village Cafes, but he soon found himself playing in every type of venue; from
Bronx dance halls to Carnegie Hall, to elegant supper clubs, Central Park
Concerts, Off Broadway theaters, and ˜After Hours” clubs in El Barrio.
He was inspired and encouraged to play timbales by Willie Bobo and Tito
Puente, and in the late ˜60s attended the
Bobby
is a fellow “Life Force Jazz Records” recording artist. Please visit Life
Force Jazz Records @:
Edwin
"Eddie" Bayard
Montego Bay,
Tenor sax, Composer
Eddie originally from
Eddie plays Selmer Saxophones.
Mario
Chicago
Trumpet, Composer
Mario
is graduate from Central State University, School of Music, in Jazz Studies.
Mario brings to the group a cool and melodic sound, combined with pure fire
influenced by Roy Hargrove, Jerry Gonzalez and Miles Davis. You can always
find Mario around town with his quintet, or sitting in with everyone he can.
Mario is talented multi-instrumentalist at ease on the piano, the drums, or
his trumpet. The other members -- Abney, Ogina Allen, Gregory Hartinson,
Garrette Horne, Rhythm Burage, Dylan Schwartz and Kaliq Woods -- have their
own bands, but join the Caravan when they can, performing on the streets
about three or four times during the week. They're an eclectic bunch and Mario,
with his blue head rag and basketball jersey, could fit right in the rap
scene, but his muse is decidedly different. A jazz studies student at
Malcolm Alvarez
Tenor Sax, Clarinet and Vocals
Malcolm is energy in motion, as a
vocalist and tenor sax man, he complements the sounds of the Ensemble with
his energetic interaction with the crowd and raspy tenor solos. From
Michael “Professor
Spira”
Trombone, Wood flute, Miscellaneaous percussion & composer
Michael Goecke My Space Website
Greetings, this is Professor
Spira and I am a jazz trombonist, music educator, and Mucusless Diet
Healing System practitioner living in the
Baba Charles Miller
Latin Percussion
Baba Charles Miller, has been
“marching to many different drums” for over thirty years. A traditional drum carver and
multi-percussionist, he seasons a rhythm with international flavors using
instruments from
He has traveled throughout North
America, South America, Asia, Europe and the
He formerly conducted percussion
classes at the
Baba Charles Miller is a craft and
performing artist and an arts education advocate with a knowledge
concentration on percussive traditions of the African Diaspora.
Othello Molineaux
Trinidad
Steel
Drum, Composer
Reared by parents who were musicians, Molineaux learned to play the piano
at a very young age. He became interested in pan music at 11 and, by the
age of 15, had learned to tune pans and formed his own band, Wonder Harps.
He left Trinidad in 1967 to pursue a musical career as a piano player in