“We Is”  Band Members:                           

 

Rolando Matias
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Drums, Latin Percussion and spoken word
Leader, Composer, Founder & Business Manager

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 techniques. 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." 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 Chuchito Valdez, Benny Maupin, Leon “Ndugu” Chadler, Azar Lawrence, Othello Molineaux, 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,multi-grammy winner: David Sanchez, Brazilian reedman Carlos Malta, the B-3 madman Ron Levy, Pam Williams, trumpeters: Pharez Whitted, Derek Gardner and Ray Vega, Los Hombres Calientes, guitarist Jim Savitt, 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.

 

 

Rolando Matias is endorsed by:
Meinl Percussion instruments exclusively.

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.)

 

 

Krate Digga
Columbus, Ohio
Turntablelist

Krate is one of the most talented and musically oriented turntablelist in the USA today. Touring with groove master J.Ross, Krate has incorporated his passion as a drummer into the realm of the rhythmic and sublime into the turntables.

 

 

Edwin "Eddie" Bayard
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Tenor sax, composer

Eddie 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

Eddie plays Selmer Saxophones.

 

 

“We Is” southern tour was a hit!

Fotos below at the Historic Carver Theater for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame

Also at the World Groto a very hip World Music Experience in Knoxville