Ray Obiedo's Latin Jazz Ensemble

About

Ray Obiedo has been at the forefront of Latin jazz for three decades. With a long list of albums out that seem to always make the Billboard charts, Obiedo's funky percussive guitar playing is rooted in blues, jazz, Latin and pop. Demonstrating an exceptional talent for mystically melding urban jazz with Brazilian funk and dynamic Caribbean rhythms, Ray has developed a very unique and distinctive guitar signature. For this show, he is accompanied by an ALL STAR cast Murray Low is best known for his contributions to Latin Jazz, Salsa and Afro-Cuban musical landscape. In his twenty-two years of involvement he has established himself as one of the premier pianists in that genre, being nominated as 2008 Pianist of the Year by the Latin Jazz Corner and for a Grammy in 2004 as part of Machete Ensemble. He is or has been the regular pianist/collaborator with several top Bay Area ensembles including Wayne Wallace’s Quintet, John Calloway’s Diaspora, Jesus Diaz y su QBA, Pete Escovedo Orchestra, and John Santos’ Machete Ensemble. He has also collaborated with Latin Jazz giants Ray Vega, Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, Nestor Torres, and Andrea Brachfeld. In 2008 he also performed with famous Cuban flautist Orlando Valle at the Monterey Jazz Festival as part of a specially commissioned project including Jon Benitez, David Sanchez, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, and Giovanni Hildalgo. Trombonist Jeff Cressman toured internationally with the Carlos Santana Band from 2000 to 2016 and has recorded several CDs with Santana including the blockbuster “Supernatural”. Jeff has also recorded and toured with such diverse artists as Don Cherry, Lila Downs, Peter Apfelbaum and the Hieroglyphics Ensemble, Trey Anastasio Band, Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, Tito Puente, Sheila E., Pete Escovedo, John Santos, and the Machete Ensemble, Ray Obiedo, Jon Jang and the Pan Asian Arkestra, Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Francisco Aguabella, Kamikaze Ground Crew, Free Dive, Edgardo Cambon Y Su Candela, Steven Bernstein’s MTO West, Jesus Diaz Y Su QBA and Sandy Cressman’s Homenagem Brasileira. Dan Feizli , experienced on both upright and electric basses, is a versatile performer in styles of music ranging from jazz and latin to pop and rock. He has performed in concert with such notable artists as James Moody, Raul Midon, and Mickey Hart, toured nationally and internationally with artists including Julio Iglesias, Nicole Yarling and Raul DiBlasio, and played in the pit orchestras for musical theatre productions including Hamilton, The Lion King and Billy Elliot. Jon Bendich has performed with Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E., Robben Ford, The Last Poets, George Duke & Stanley Clarke, Roy Ayers, MC Hammer, Lisa Stansfield, Bobby McFerrin, Frank McComb, Ray Obiedo, Andy Narrell, Lenny Williams, Gerald Allbright and Phil Upchurch Phil Hawkins is an accomplished jazz drummer and one of the leading innovators of music for the steelpan. As a percussionist and drummer he regularly travels throughout the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America to perform concerts, teach clinics and study percussion. Throughout his 30+ year career, Derek Rolando has worked with many great artists such as Pete Escovedo, Quicksilver, The Whispers, Sheila E., Regina Carter, Chris Cain, & John Santos. He has also performed with members of Santana, Journey, Tower of Power and Cold Blood. He has been active in the music industry performing, recording and teaching. Derek is currently working on his new solo CD project and performing live and recording with Bay Area guitar greats Ray Obiedo and Mambo Caribe. Derek has been featured in Latin Beat Magazine. Tickets at Ray Obiedo’s Latin Jazz Ensemble