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Small Bios (English) Tirso Duarte Studied piano from an early age. A graduate in this instrument from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory. Though especially trained to perform symphonic music, Tirso opted to dedicate his talent to popular dance music, excelling through his formidable talent for improvisation and for certain figures, be they idiosyncratic or syncopated. Began his artistic career as a keyboard player and orchestrator for the Pachito Alonso Ensemble, where he replaced pianist and violinist Luis “Achy” Lang in these roles. Has worked successfully in significant bands: La Charanga Habanera, Pupy y los que Son Son, and others. Founded his own orchestra in 2003 and still continues to perform with them. In addition to being a pianist, arranger and excellent sonero (both son singer and player), Tirso is one of the most brilliant directors and composers of the new generation of Cuban musicians. Leo Vera Native of the eastern province of Guantánamo, where he began performing as a singer in symphonic choirs, Leo Vera moved to the western province of Havana in the 1980s to join Oshuni, a popular music orchestra, along with Jesús ”Aguaje” Ramos and Lazara López, the daughter of the great double bassist Orlando “Cachaito” López. At the beginning of the 1990s, he founded, along with David Calzado and others, the second generation of La Charanga Habanera Ensemble, which had a nationwide impact. In 1994, Irakere under the new stewardship of maestro Chucho Valdés, hired Leo, one of the singers in fashion at that time, along with the great jazz singer Mayra Caridad Valdés. With his personal style, the result of blending elements of son montuno, timba and pop sung in Spanish, Leo Vera has currently become one of the major musicians of his generation. Has successfully worked with other top bands such as Klimax, Havana Ensemble, etc. David Suárez A graduate in clarinet and with a natural affinity for symphonic music, David Suárez completely changed his direction when he discovered jazz, teaching himself all the saxophones and developing an expressive language, totally opposed to what he had so far performed. An excellent improviser, his style evokes great traditional musicians such as Benny Goodman and Amadito valdes, Sr., with elements assimilated from other contemporary stars. Though he usually works as a session musician, recording for different projects, Suárez is also plays as a member of top bands such as La Constelación, Banda JB, etc. Tamara Castañeda Studied piano and percussion through all levels at the music conservatoires in Cuba. After beginning her career as a percussionist in the National Symphonic Orchestra she discovered jazz to be her true passion, and made the vibraphone her first instrument (rarely played by women). After much study and dedication, she achieved amazing success in the Jo-jazz Competition for young jazz performers. Since 2002, she has led her own AfroCuban Jazz quartet. Has worked with maestros Jorge Reyes, Chucho Valdés and Leo Brower, among others. Dave Alfaro He is probably the best pianist of popular music and Afro-Cuban jazz of his generation. Composer, arranger and band leader, he has worked since his early youth with many of the great Cuban producers, from José Luis Cortés to Joaquín Betancourt until founding his own studio in 2001 where he makes independent productions for young artists. A musician with a high level of learning, he has created a very personal style that blends elements from the playing of pianists Peruchín Justiz, Lili Martínez and Rubén González with those of great contemporary jazz performers such as Chucho Valdés, Danilo Pérez, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Michel Camilo. Several of his compositions have won national and international awards. Dave Alfaro, an outstanding performer of European music of the Romantic Age, is also one of Cuba's finest interpreters of Liszt and Chopin. Luis Lang Luis “Achy” studied violin and viola from a very early age, but his ambitions to compose and arrange led him to improve his basic piano education. A graduate of the National School of Art, he began his artistic career in chamber quartets along with maestro José Antonio Sánchez, who turned him into an excellent concert violinist. Has worked as violinist, backing singer in popular groups, keyboard player, band leader and arranger for many of the major producers and music directors from Cuba and abroad, including Germán Velazco, José Luis Cortes and Amadito Valdés. Achy Lang is an excellent composer of popular themes and has a fabulous ear for music. Juan Carlos Marín From a family of celebrated symphonic musicians, Juan Carlos Marín studied trombone and dedicated himself to jazz and to the composition and arrangement of popular music. With a singular, very syncopated style, he is one of the leading session musicians in Havana today. Has successfully worked with such notable bands as Klimax, Top Secret and PG. Along with Dave Alfaro and David Suárez, he formed a trio, indispensable for any project. At present, he is mostly occupied with producing young artists and the general production of jazz recordings. Tommy Lowry García One of the most promising Cuban popular musicians in spite of his 21 years old. Composer, trumpeter and musical producer, Tommy has been awarded many prizes in his short career. Founder of the band Juego de Manos, very popular in recent years has recently joined Diákara Band, an All Stars team formed by the exIrakere band member Oscar Valdés. His improvising style resembles that of Julito Padrón and Guajiro Mirabal; however, his ability to perform in the high octave ranges, puts him on a level with Elpidio Chapottín and Luis Alemañy. Carlitos Sarduy A graduate from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory at age 18, Carlitos Sarduy quickly emerged as a new star in Cuban jazz. Awarded several prizes when a student, and with special distinctions in symphonic and popular music competitions, he began his career as a session musician and in different ad hoc bands, organized around Havana¹s night clubs, he being also an excellent performer of Creole music. He is currently performing with the great Cuban diva, Teresita García Caturla. His style when playing jazz resembles Miles Davis and Freddy Hubbard and when improvising in Cuban style, Carlitos is reminiscent of Lázaro Herrera, Florecita and Julio Padrón. Adel González Native of Cienfuegos, Adel González is currently, along with Yaroldis Abreu, the main conga player in Cuba, a performer with many resources, capable of seamlessly assimilating all styles from traditional son à la Chocolate, to Campeón's, through to up-tempo Afro-Cuban jazz, his favorite genre. Being a child prodigy, Adel replaced, aged just 16, celebrated conguero Miguel ”Anga” Díaz, in Irakere. He is currently the top Cuban conga session musician, recording most of the Cuban music sold in the market. Has regularly worked with top directors, performers and producers Chucho Valdés, Germán Velazco, Ibrahím Ferrer, Omara Portuondo, Michel Camilo, Dave Murray, Michel Legrand and others. His style blends solos played at amazing speed with the concept of abakuá music, native to Efik, which moves in triplets toward the beat in irregular intervals. Antonio “Pacha” Portuondo At 23, “Pach” is a musician whose presence is indispensable to any recording. Balanced, virtuoso, his concept of rhythm is amazing. Very disciplined, he practices for over 8 hours a day. Master of all the styles of Cuban music, though jazz is his favourite genre. After his graduation from the National Art School, his professional career began in the Isaac Delgado Orchestra, after which he performed in other bands of the Timba Movement (Rojitas and his Orchestra, Aramís Galindo, etc.), until he stayed with the orchestra of the ex-Van Van singer Pedrito Calvo. In addition of being a timbalero, Portuondo is an excellent drummer in all styles, and masters all the instruments of Afro-Cuban percussion from its different origins (Abakua, Yoruba, Congo, etc.). Julito Padrón Native of the westernmost province of Pinar del Río, he is an extraordinary musician like others from the same region (the Rubalcabas, Polo Tamayo, Aguaje Ramos, etc.). After graduating from the National Art School, he joined the National Septet of Ignacio Piñeiro, led at that time by Carlos Embales. Julito combines one of the best sounds in Cuban trumpet playing with a great melodic facility, making him much in demand for hire as a soloist for many groups. His ability to improvise under any sequence of notes or tunes is spectacular. It is astonishing that he has never studied harmony and this is an indication of his absolute harmonic instinct and his good ear for music. Julito Padrón has being part of many of the best Cuban and foreign bands, among them Irakere, Banda JB, David Murray’s Band, Michel Petrucciani’s Quartet, and others.