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Event
BENITO GONZALEZ TRIO
BENITO GONZALEZkeys
SANTI DEBRIANObass
FRANCISCO MELA drums
http://www.benitogonzalez.com/
Born into a family of Venezuelan folk musicians, jazz pianist Benito Gonzalez has always had a deep-rooted appreciation for pastimes and traditions. Today, as a rising star of one of Americas finest musical traditions, Gonzalez has come to his current status by following in the footsteps of jazzs ancestral forebears. The fusion of world rhythms and straight-ahead jazz makes this passionate performer an audience favorite all over the world.
Gonzalez has a golden touch on the piano, whether hes playing a ballad or swinging for the fences.
the JazzPage
Benito Gonzalez is being recognized as an exciting pianist and composer for his well-received debut album Starting Point (Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez, Rene McLean, Ron Blake) in addition to taking home first prize at the Great American Jazz Piano Competition.
Benitos acclaimed sophomore album, Circles (Ron Blake, Myron Walden, Azar Lawrence, Christian McBride, Jeff Tain" Watts), reveals a very personal body of work as he emerges as a leader and an accomplished improviser. Recently, Benito received more critical attention for his work on Garretts Grammy-Nominated album Seeds from the Underground.
Gonzalez proves he can handle just about anything thrown his musical way.
KeyboardMag
After almost seven years of touring with Kenny Garrett, Benito has added numerous festivals and international jazz club dates to his credit. He has also shared the stage with Curtis Fuller, Pharaoh Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, Christian McBride, Ignacio Berroa, Roy Hargrove, Rene McLean, Steve Turre,Delfeayo Marsalis,Hamiet Bluiett, Antonio Sanchez, T.K. Blue, Nicholas Payton, Azar Lawrence, and Jackie McLean.
Gonzalez flashes killer chops and swings intensely alongside his world-class bandmates
Blues & Soul
His multi-cultural talents have led to frequent recording dates, from American jazz masters such as Kenny Garrett and Azar Lawrence, to West African musicians and Latin bands. Benito has also served as musical director for several Venezuelan Recording Artists.
FRANCISCO MELAis a favorite among jazz's elite instrumentalists, among them, Joe Lovano, John Scofield, JoAnne Brackeen, Kenny Barron, and McCoy Tyner, all of whom cite his charisma, sophistication, and life-affirming spirit as an extension of his incredible talents as a composer and drummer.
In 2009, he was tapped by jazz legend McCoy Tyner to join his trio. Said Tyner of his new young drummer, Mela is just a fantastic player. He has his own style and his own sound, which is what I look for in a drummer."
Melas first CD, Melao was released in 2006 and called one of the best albums of the year by All About Jazz. Similarly, The Village Voice picked Melao as the best debut by an artist of 06.
Melas second release as a leader, Cirio, was recorded over a week-long period at the Blue Note for Half Note Records in 2008. The recording featured an all-star cast of Mark Turner, Jason Moran, Larry Grenadier and Lionel Loueke. BlogCritics wrote this is modern jazz of high order, but with Mela's own touch of Havana added..." affirming Melas unique niche in the melting pot that is now New Yorks jazz scene." WDUQ picked the album as one of the best jazz CDs of 2008.
Francisco Melas latest project, Cuban Safari, is an amalgamation of his favorite bands that inspired him to become a drummer Miles Davis fusion group featuring Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, Weather Report, and the Latin-jazz super group Irakere. On his 2nd release on Half Note, Tree of Life, Mela offers a passionate fusion of Cuban polyrhythms and propulsive modernism. The album is spirited evidence of Melas distinguished place among young group leaders. It received critical acclaims by Downbeat, Jazziz, All.about.jazz.com, irockjazz.com among others. It was nominated for 2011 Latin Jazz Boundary Breaking Album" by Latin Jazz Corner, Recommended release" by New York City Jazz Record and Newest Best Jazz Takes" by Japans Diskunion. Downbeat magazine gave 4 stars to Tree of Life.
SANTI DEBRIANO(bass)
The son of a renowned Panamanian composer, Santi Debriano is one of the busiest jazz bassists in the New York area. In addition to leading his own bands, including the multi-ethnic jazz ensemble Circlechant, Debriano has been a member of the Don Pullen Trio, the Pharoah Sanders Group, the Sonny Fortune Group, the Billy Hart Band, the Louis Hayes Quintet, the Larry Coryell Group, and the Archie Shepp Quartet. As a sideman, Debriano has performed with Chucho Valdés, Hank Jones, Cecil Taylor, Randy Weston, and Freddie Hubbard.
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650A Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
United States
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