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The Musicians of Salsa del Soul
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Gloria "La Niña"
Rivera (Vocals)
Gloria "La Niña" Rivera, daughter
of the well-known Cuban tres player and composer of Cuban
music, "El Niño" Rivera, hails from Havana,
Cuba, and has performed and appeared on national and international
stages with such artists and musical ensembles as Chuchito
Valdéz, La Orquesta de Joseito Fernandez, Los Van Van,
Orquesta Revé, Son 14, Irakere, and others. |
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Nelson Rosado (Vocals)
Nelson Rosado hails from the rural town of
Bonao in the Dominican Republic. He has performed throughout
the Caribbean and around the United States with such groups
and ensembles as La Banda Chula, La Magia, Grupo Amenaza,
Proyecto La Plena, and El Grupazo. |
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Pat Smith (Electric Bass)
As a studio musician and freelance performer,
Pat Smith has had the opportunity to perform and record with
many professional artists, such as Sisters Sledge, Frankie
Avalon, Lou Rawls, Rich Little, Danny Ganns, The Lettermen,
Chris LeDoux, and Gladys Knight. Smith has also logged thousands
of hours in the recording studio as a player, arranger, and
composer for broadcast, film, and CD release. He has contributed
to works for ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, TNT, New Line Cinema,
Buena Vista, Touchstone Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures, Paramount
Pictures, Warner Bros., and Columbia Pictures. He is a respected
performer in many musical genres, but is noted mostly for
his Latin bass prowess. |
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David Graf (Trombone)
One of the most versatile trombonists in the
Twin Cities, David
Graf has performed in a wide variety of musical settings,
including jazz, dixieland, big bands and shows, salsa and
Brazilian music, and recordings. In the jazz arena, Dave has
performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Slide Hampton,
Jack McDuff, the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band, the
Woody Herman Orchestra, and drummer Charli Persip. He is proud
of his 11-year association with the late trumpeter Red Wolfe
and his groups, the Port of Dixie Jazz Band and Ellington
Echoes. As a member of local show orchestras, Graf has backed
well-known performers such as Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett,
Sammy Davis, Jr., Julie Andrews, Harry Connick, Jr., Rosemary
Clooney, and many others. |
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Scott Agster (Trombone)
Scott Agster is a freelance trombonist, teacher,
and arranger in the Twin Cities area. He also plays in other
commercial genres such as jazz quintet (Snowblind), hip/hop
(G8), New Orleans brass band (Jack Brass), and big band (Bellagala
Big Band). He has had the opportunity to perform and work
with many acclaimed artists like Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson,
Dave Douglas, Phil Woods, Nicholas Payton, Stefan Karlsson,
Slide Hampton, and Paul McKee. Scott has also performed internationally
at venues such as the 2006 North Sea Jazz Festival, the 2005
Iwawa Jazz Festival and Sopot/Gdansk Festival in Poland, the
King's Palace in Thailand (2004), the 2004 Vancouver Jazz
Festival, and the 2003 International Trombone Festival in
Helsinki, Finland. |
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Bryan Rossi (Piano)
Bryan Rossi has been a professional musician
and educator all his life. He has attended Washington University
in St. Louis, the Sorbonne in Paris, and has a M.A. in Curriculum
and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas and a Ph.D.
in Education Policy and Administration from the University
of Minnesota. He taught French for 15 years and was a school
principal for 8 years before becoming a consultant and adjunct
professor. Dr. Rossi is currently Program Director at High
School for Recording Arts (HSRA) where he oversees both the
academic and recording programs. Bryan has played with such
groups as the The Mary Jane Alm Band, Orquesta Sabroson, Bomba,
Sabor Tropical, and The Latin Sounds Orchestra, all Minnesota
Music Awards Recipients. In May 2008, he was inducted into
the Mid-American Music Hall of Fame for his work with the
Judd Group. He currently is performing with Salsa del Soul
and his own group, the Latin Jazz Ensemble.
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José "Freddy"
Reyes (Congas)
Hailing from Cataño, Puerto Rico, José
"Freddy" Reyes has been an important figure in the Twin Cities
since the 1980s. Reyes has been and integral member of such
groups/ensembles such as Sabrón, The Latin Sounds Orchestra,
Sabor Tropical, Proyecto La Plena, and Sensación Latina.
Reyes has shared the stage with many national artists such
as Sheila E., Larry Harlow, and Andy Montañez, among
others. |
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Shai Hayo (Timbales)
Shai Hayo is a drummer-percussionist based
out of the Twin Cities. He specializes in traditional and
contemporary musical genres of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean
and West Africa. He has peformed nationally and internationally
with such groups and artists as Paul Anka, Ann-Margret, Viviana
Pintado, Sheila E., Nachito Herrera, Sowah Mensah, Paracumbé,
Shi-Daa Cultural Troupe, Salsa del Soul, the Macalester College
African Music Ensemble, and Jazziroco. |
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