Christopher A. Garcia -
tabla, kanjira, mbwata, marimba,miscellaneous percussion, PAISTE cymbals
Chris was born, raised, in East Los Angeles.
His background includes performances in a wide variety of musical settings including; Jazz, Rock, World Music, traditional Mexican music, pre - hispanic music, percussion ensemble, soundtracks, and cartoon music.He attributes his musical growth to his studies with Professor John Bergamo, Pandit Tarnath Rao, Swapan Chadhouri and Leonice Shinemann where he studied tabla, while attending California Institute of the Arts on a full scholarship.Chris was also a member of the award winning Cal Arts Percussion Ensemble in 1979.
He attributes his "style"(?) to Listening to EVERYTHING, logging in thousands of hours, practicing, rehearsing, performing and touring constantly with musicians interested in stretching and reinventing themselves throughout the Americas, Canada, Europe and Asia including performances in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Czechoslovakia,Denmark, England, Germany, Holland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Norway, and Switzerland.
Chris' drumming is unusual in that it incorporates not only the standard rhythmsand their permutations, but also a fluency with odd time signatures and sonic textures, which he seamlessly incorporates into his playing.
He continues to be the drummer/percussionist of several critically acclaimed ensembles including:
CLASSICAL ENSEMBLES
the AHN TRIO - piano trio
VIO FONIK - chamber ensemble of 2 violins, 1 cello and percussion of North and South India
JAZZ and ROCK ENSEMBLES
ABT TRIO - electric violin, electric cello and drumset
CONTINUUM - fusion for the 21st Century, since 1987
THE DEMANIA TRIO, since 2002 with Alex de Grassi, Michael Manring, Christopher Garcia
THE GRANDE MOTHERS RE:INVENTED, since 2001
- featuring Frank Zappa almuni,former members of the Mothers Of Invention including:
Napoleon Murphy Brock, Roy Estrada,and Don Preston
DON PRESTON QUARTET, since 2002 - "atonal jazz(?)"
HARRY SCORZO QUARTET - original jazz by the virtuoso violinist
THE MICHAEL VLATKOVICH ENSEMBLES, 1991 and on - Avant trombonist
WORLD MUSIC ENSEMBLES
ANCIENT GROOVES - world music ensemble
MEXIKA , since 2003,
Pre-Hispanic indigenous ensemble under the direction of Martin Espino
QUARTETO NUEVO, since 1999 - a world music improvising chamber ensemble
and duets with Drummer/percussionist Alex Cline,
guitarist Nels Cline and
multi woodwinds master Vinny Golia.
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY:
Alex Cline Ensemble - The Constant Flame
Continuum - Passages
Continuum - Continuum
demania - demania
Alfred Garcia - Parallel Realities
Alfred Garcia - Make It So
Vinny Golia - A Gift for the Unusual (2004)
The Grande Mothers Re"Invented - A Grande Mothers night at the
Gewendhaus(2003)
The Moscow Symphony - Outcast
Quarteto Nuevo - EL MUSICO
Luis Villegas - Casa Villegas
Vio-Fonik - VIOFONIK
Michael Vlatkovich Trio - No Zee Two S
Michael Vlatkovich Sextet - Live In Toronto
Michael Vlatkovich Quintet - Why Don't You See Me?
Mark Weber - Obligatos For Terpsichorean Dipsomaniacs
Performance Credits:
ensembles I have been invited to rehearse, record and perform with
Ancient Grooves, the Ahn Trio, John Bergamo, Alokke Dasgupta, the Bergen Filharmonic Orkester under the direction of Kristan Jarvi, Cal Arts Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Maestro John Bergamo,Alex Cline Ensemble, Alex Cline/CG Duo, Nels Cline/CG Duo, Continuum,Martin Espino,Vinny Golia/CG Duo, The Grand Mothers Re-Invented(ex Frank Zappa alumni)Napoleon Murphy Brock, Roy Estrada, Don PrestonAlex de Grassi, the In Flux ensemble, Arthur Jarvinen, Steuart Liebig, MEXIKA, Roberto Miguel Miranda, Patrick Moraz, Michael Manring, The Moscow Symphony, Quarteto Nuevo, Don Preston/CG Duo and quartet, Ali Jihad Racy, Eddie Resto, William Roper, Harry Scorzo's Vio-Fonik, G.E. Stinson, Luis Villegas, Michael Pierre Vlatkovich, Mark Weber,World Percussion Quartet:
featuring Gustavo Aguilar - percussion from the Americas, Park Je Chun- percussion from Korea,Mochizuki Takinojo- percussion from Japan, UCLA World Jazz Ensemble,
John Zeretzke, & others
Kenton Youngstrom - classical guitars
Kenton Youngstrom, guitarist, composer, and educator records and performs internationally with the Falla Guitar Trio (with Adam del Monte and Gyan Riley),the Red Quartet (with Philip Vaiman [violin], Marissa Steingold [vocal]and Maksim Velichkin [cello]), and has appeared in classical and jazz solo and ensemble concerts in Europe, the Far East, Canada, Mexico and throughout the U.S. Youngstrom has performed with numerous jazz notables includingflutist Hubert Laws, pianists Taylor Eigsti and Dave Brubeck, violinist Harry Scorzo, bassist Putter Smith and drummer Paul Kribeck.
Recent compositions include the score of "Behind the Mask of Zorro"(History Channel), "Kengyadu - Three Movements for Guitar Trio and Orchestra" (co-written with Gyan Riley and Dusan Bogdanovic), "Mary Pickford - A Life on Film" and "Hollywood: Hidden From View" (Timeline Films).
Recent arrangements include works for the Falla Guitar Trio (including "Noches en los Jardines de España", for guitar trio and orchestra),the Red Quartet, Pasadena Jazz Orchestra, and the film "7 year ZigZag" (Next Step Studios).
He directs the guitar program at the Colburn School of Performing Arts and is on the faculty at Pepperdine University, Pasadena City College and East Los Angeles College.
ADDITIONAL NOTES BY CG
I called Kenton hoping he could recommend a guitarist for Quarteto, knowing how busy he is I wasn't expecting him to have the time and/or desire to be involved in a musical project on a weekly basis. I was pleasantly suggested himself. He comes to rehearsals ready to go with a great set of ears and musicality, not to mention his incredible, musicianship, and we slowly chip away at the marble.
I am always looking for composers who can play. They bring an entirely different attitude to the table, composers tend to hear "globally" instead of just what they are putting out thru their instrument and their playing reflects the band instead of just their technical prowess.If you haven't already, check out the FALLA TRIO on youtube.com., his guitar ensemble with Adam Del Monte and Gyan Riley.
Jacob Szekely 4 string and 5 string cello(s)
Jacob is a true musical rarity. As a performer he's one of the few legitimate improvising string players in the world, and perhaps the only cellist who has developed a true Jazz/funk concept on his instrument.
In addition to his busy schedule as a studio musician, and sideman, Jacob performs with his own groups Supernova (jazz/fusion quartet), The EARTHA AUSTRIA (Jazzed/Rock)
, Quarteto Nuevo (World Music), Leviathan (hip hop), and the Martin East Project (electronica).
Mr. Szekely is also active as a composer and arranger and has collaborated with a wide range of artists and ensembles from string quartets and world music groups to commissions for chamber orchestra and children's choir. He recently expanded his role as musical ambassador through his co founding and artistic directorship of String Project Los Angeles, a music school and resource for the alternative string playing community thoughout the world located in West Hollywood.
Jacob is a Steinberger and Danish Professional Audio artist, and performs regularly on his five string Steinberger Electric Cello as well as several acoustic cellos in different tunings.
ADDITIONAL NOTES BY CG
I first met Jacob at a gig where he was subbing for the regular cellist in maestro Harry Scorzo's VioFonik. The first day we met is the first day we made music. Jacob is a great listener and is comfortable in a variety of roles, whether laying down the bass function, comping, playing soaring melodies and/or soloing on his cello.He is always listening and curious about various musical forms, syntax and substance. Jacob is one of the new breed of so called "classical" string players who is putting himself in an environment not normally associated with cellists. Classical musicians do not usually train to improvise in a "jazz" context, where a soloist is required to "improvise" over fixed harmonic movement and QN gives Jacob a chance to utilize his considerable skills as a composer/musician.
Jaocb is also a founding member of the SUPERNOVA string quartet, and the AWF TRIO featuring Robert Anderson on 5 string electric violin as well as myself on drumset, my first instrument.
Damon Zick -
soprano saxophone, Bb clarinet, flute, alto flute, bass clarinet
Damon Zick, woodwind player, composer and teacher, originally hails from Seattle, Washington. After graduating from the Eastman School of Music in 1997 (B.M. Classical and Jazz Saxophone), he headed south to Miami Beach where he performed flute, clarinet and saxophone with the New World Symphony. Following a brief year in Houston, Texas (not brief enough), Damon headed out west and ended up in L.A.. Where he finished the M.F.A. program in Jazz Reeds at the California Institute of the Arts. Damon has toured the U.S. extensively with his own groups and others and has performed on six continents. He is also active as a teacher and clinician.
ADDITIONAL NOTES BY CG
Damon is a great musician.
He has been a regular member of CONTINUUM for the last few years and was more than open to come into a new musical configuration and play. He has extensive practical experience in a variety of settings - straight ahead jazz, classical and chamber ensembles, and I am lucky that he is willing to add his voice to this ensemble. He is always prepared for whatever may come his way musically and is never at a loss for ideas compositionally, or improvisationally.
PRIOR PERFORMANCES WITH
Toshiko Akioshi, Ralph Alessi, Aspen Jazz Ensemble, Joe LaBarbera, Bob Brookmeyer, Mike Cain,Continuum, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Eastman Jazz Ensemble, Florida Wind Symphony, Vinny Golia, Eddie Henderson, Joe Henderson, Bill Holman, Lee Konitz, Larry Koonse, Dave Liebman, Russel Malone, Bob Mintzer, National Orchestral Institute, National Repertory Orchestra, New World Symphony, Darek Oles, Quarteto Nuevo, Rochester Philharmonic Pops Orchestra, Spoleto Opera Festival Charleston
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY for Damon Zick
We Are Large Evander Music
The Outing (Solo Debut) 1998 Orchard
New World Symphony Steven Mackey 2000 RCA Victor
Eastman Wind Ensemble 1998 Sony Classical
Saxology w/ Bob Mintzer 1996 Advance
Take The Next Step 1996 E-Jazz