| Band Members | AHMED GONZALEZ (Co-Band Leader, Flute, Vocals, Percussion)
Ahmed Gonzalez has been a flutist for over 15 years, focusing on Latin-American musical styles, classical music, and American Jazz. A student of Sue Kurian (herself a student of the great French flutist, Jean-Pierre Rampal), Ahmed developed a strong flute foundation in many styles, making him a versatile performer. Ahmed has recorded in numerous records, performs regularly with 4 bands in the Western MA and Hartford, CT area (Komboloko, Criollo Clasico, Banda Criolla (http://www.criolloclasico.com), MarKamusic (http://www.markamusic.com), Victor Sterlings' Jazz Project), and is currently promoting his own new group, The Gonzalez Bros. He has also performed alongside:
MUSICIANS / ARTISTS
conga great Giovanni Hidalgo
folk singer Antonio Caban Vale (El Topo)
conga great Paoli Mejias
percussionist Orlando Vega
double-bassist Luques Curtis
pianist Zacchai Curtis
timbalero Pupy Santiago
folk singer Roy Brown
Puerto Rican rock figure Tito Auger (Fiel A La Vega)
salsa singer Ray De La Paz
salsa singer Van Lester
salsa singer Frankie Vazquez
salsa singer Eddie Temporal
salsa singer Jesus Pagan
bassist Heshima
multi-instrumentalist Kevin Sharpe
multi-instrumentalist Jo Sallins
trumpetist/pianist Jeff Holmes
flamenco dancer Ines Arrubla
folk singer Fernando Ferrer
folk singer Walter Morciglio
folk singer Tao Rodriguez Seeger
bassist Alfonso "El Panameño" Joseph
percussionist/bandleader Luis Mangual
percussionist Victor Sterling
trumpetist Ray Gonzalez
Flamenco guitar virtuoso Jose Valle Fajardo "Chuscales"
poet Magdalena Gomez
poet Martin Espada
BANDS
Los Pleneros De La 21
Pupy Santiago Y La Descarga Cubana
Orquesta Komboloko
Caribe Mambo
Sabor A Timba
MarKamusic
Criollo Clasico
Orquesta Costa Brava
Heshima Moja and Ofrecimiento
Kultura Borikua
Jibaro Latin Jazz
and in the prestigious Heineken Jazz Jam Series in Puerto Rico, Boston Convention Center, University of Puerto Rico, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Massachusetts-Bright Moments Festival, University of Hartford, Casa Aboy Cultural Center (PR), Puerto Rican Institute of Culture, Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.
You may visit Ahmed's personal profile on Myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/ahmedgonzalez
RENE GONZALEZ: (Co-Band Leader, Vocals, Drums, Electric Bass, Timbales, Congas, Bongos, Peruvian Cajon, misc. percussion)
Rene Gonzalez has been a multi-percussionist, focusing on Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican music styles since nine years of age. Beginning studies on drums with his father at the age of six, Rene studied Rock and Funk. He began an early apprenticeship with noted Puerto Rican percussionist Freddie Moreno on Timbales, Bongos, Congas, and Latin percussion until the age of 24. He continued these studies with famed percussionist David *La Mole* Ortiz, percussionist/timbalero Tito De Gracia, percussionist/bata drummer Victor "Papo" Sterling and others. Enrolling at the University of
Massachusetts' Music Department, Rene studied straight-ahead jazz, big band jazz, and rudimental studies with acclaimed concert percussionist Peter Tanner and Berklee Drumset teacher, John Ramsay (himself a student of Alan Dawson). Since his undergraduate days, Rene has begun an independent apprenticeship on electric and upright bass, developing his ability on those instruments and performing with numerous groups on both instruments as well.
Rene has recorded timbales, congas, bongos, drums, and electric bass on numerous records spanning various styles and bands, and performed alongside:
MUSICIANS / ARTISTS
conga great Giovanni Hidalgo
ex-Irakere / NG La Banda saxophonist Carlos Averhoff
folk singer Antonio Caban Vale (El Topo)
conga great Paoli Mejias
folk singer Roy Brown
pianist Leo Blanco
percussionist Orlando Vega
double-bassist Luques Curtis
pianist Zacchai Curtis
Puerto Rican rock figure Tito Auger (Fiel A La Vega)
salsa singer Ray De La Paz
salsa singer Eddie Temporal
salsa singer Jesus Pagan
bassist/singer Heshima
pianist Warren Byrd
Cuatro player Eligio "Prodigio" Claudio
multi-instrumentalist Kevin Sharpe
multi-instrumentalist Jo Sallins
trumpetist/pianist Jeff Holmes
flamenco dancer Ines Arrubla
vibraphonist/percussionist Damon Grant
drummer John Ramsay
bassist Oscar Stagnaro
folk singer Fernando Ferrer
folk singer Walter Morciglio
folk singer Tao Rodriguez Seeger
trumpetist Carlos DeLeon
saxophonist Fred Tillis
percussionist Victor Sterling
trumpetist Ray Gonzalez
Jazz pianist Eugene Uman
Flamenco guitar virtuoso Jose Valle Fajardo "Chuscales"
poet Magdalena Gomez
poet Martin Espada
BANDS
Los Pleneros De La 21
Orquesta Komboloko
Orquesta Calidad
Sabor a Timba
MarKamusic
Viva Quetzal!
Kilombo
Carlos DeLeon and his Latin-Jazz Group
Criollo Clasico
Trio Zurcari / Lorena Garay
Brian Bender and The Pangeans
Gilberto Rivera & Rumbanama
Heshima Moja and Ofrecimiento
Kultura Borikua
Jibaro Latin Jazz
He has performed in the prestigious Heineken Jazz Jam Series in Puerto Rico, Boston Convention Center, University of Puerto Rico, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Massachusetts-Bright Moments Festival, University of Hartford, Casa Aboy Cultural Center (PR), Puerto Rican Institute of Culture, Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.
You may visit Rene's personal Myspace profile at: http://www.myspace.com/agueybana79
COLLABORATING/TEMPORARY MEMBERS, GUEST MUSICIANS
Wilfredo Moreno congas/timbales(Springfield, MA)
Luis Santiago - congas/timbales(Springfield, MA)
Hiram Rivera - congas/timbales (Springfield, MA)
Ray "El Maestro" Gonzalez - Trumpet (Hartford, CT)
Eduardo "Chicho" Ortiz - Electric Bass (Worcester, MA)
Wilfred Meadows - Piano (Boston, MA)
Damien Curtis - Piano (Hartford, CT) (King Solomon - http://www.myspace.com/solomonstemple
Bobby Figueroa - Piano (Holyoke, MA)
Ito Rodriguez - Timbales (Holyoke, MA)
Carlos Soto - Congas (Holyoke, MA)
Art "Junior" Clinton - Baby Bass (Springfield, MA)http://www.myspace.com/juniorclintonkomboloko
Jesus Pagan - Vocals (Holyoke, MA)http://www.myspace.com/jesuspagan |
