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Songs include Steve on Mexican Marimba and up to ten tracks. Special Pieces include Steve's original Latin-Jazz works, and Steel Drum, with more heard at Steve Chavez Latin-Jazz. Also "One Last Kiss Goodbye" which is an orchestral arrangement with other Orchestral works at Steve Chavez Orchestra and Marimbas.

Be sure to watch SLIDESHOW which has up to eighty photos of some amazing MARIMBAS from Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Africa, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and the USA including those owned by STEVE CHAVEZ! (IT DOES TAKE AWHILE TO LOAD UP BUT YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!) Marimbas include those made by Cresencio Mancilla, THE master marimba maker of Chiapas, Mexico. HE IS THE STADIVARIUS OF MARIMBAS! His woodwork is amazing but the tone and quality of the sound is more so. STEVE OWNS FIVE OF THE MASTERS MARIMBAS.

Steve Chavez is a marimba historian, teacher, arranger, composer, performer, screenwriter, and collector of 38 marimbas from around the world. Steve graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Music Education. As a percussionist and Principal Tympanist, Steve was a member of the NM Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque, and a fifteen year member of Santa Fe Pro Musica. As a vibist, he performed with "CARIBE" a Latin-Jazz ensemble. Steve has composed/arranged NINE concerti for Marimba and Orchestra, and two for Wind Ensemble, as well as numerous published works for marimba ensembles, featured in his Marimba Gig Book, Latin-Jazz ensembles, pop, jazz, country, religious, easy listening, and steel-drum bands. His newest ORCHESTRAL arrangement, "ONE LAST KISS GOODBYE," is a famous Iranian tune.

As a professional screenwriter, Steve has written EIGHT copyrighted full-length movies: CHEROKEE ROSE; ZHIA, THE STAR PRINCESS; ONE MORE CRIME; THE SEEDS WERE PLANTED; SKY CITY; the animated JACK THE RABBIT; TIA TYRON("Creative Freedom" granted by WGA); AND PARADISE HILLS, a comedy. Also, SENIOR RECITAL, a ten minute short film; DR. BONES, a twenty minute work; two short screenplays, THE CONFESSIONAL AND WHERE'S MY DADDY, with eight left to complete a set of ten; and one unfinished full-length screenplay, ICROP, THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR THE RESEARCH OF PRIMATES.

STEVE CHAVEZ IS NOW BOOKING A MIDWEST/EAST COAST SPRING 2010 UNIVERSITY TOUR, with seven of his Marimbas of the World collection, as a soloist with YOUR University Percussion Ensemble. (View photo from slide show. View youtube links for stone marimba and large Marimba ensemble or just go to youtube.com enter "Steve Chavez.") Marimbas for tour and number of students needed include: DAN DA-Steve plus one student; AFRICAN marimba-Steve plus two students and students for authentic Nigerian log drums and shakers; ECUADORIAN Marimba-Steve plus one student and two for percussion; GUATEMALAN gourd Marimba-Steve plus one student and one percussion; MEXICAN Marimbas from Chiapas-Steve plus six to ten students on two or three Marimbas and unlimited percussion. (youtube/Mansfield University has Steve plus nine students playing "Hillside Cumbia" written by Steve Chavez.) Lessons on all marimbas, lectures, Days of Percussion, are also included during a one week stay. His "Marimbas of the World," with Truman State and the University of New Mexico Percussion Ensembles, received two standing ovations at the 2002 Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Steve and John Bartlit were also well received with their Marimbas of the America's in Berlin, Germany. They also tour public schools throughout the Southwest.

THE GREATEST MARIMBA COLLECTION IN THE WORLD! Steve's mallet instruments include: THIRTEEN marimbas from Chiapas ranging from 6 1/3 (F-A) to 4 1/2 octave; ONE marimba sencilla and THREE gourd marimbas from Chichicastenango, Guatemala; SIX African marimbas from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Guinea; THREE marimbas using bamboo resonators and palm-tree bars from Esmeraldas, Ecuador; TWO bamboo t'rung and ONE PENTATONIC stone marimba/dan da from Vietnam; ONE set of nine bamboo Joged Bum Bung from Bali; TWO trough marimbas from Burma and Thailand; TWO Deagan xylophones, ONE 1889 Deagan bells, and ONE 1914 Nabimba (Deagan's Guatemalan version featuring buzzing membrane and metal tubes); and ONE Musser vibraphone. NEW ADDITION: CHROMATIC STONE DAN DA/STONE MARIMBA FROM VIETNAM 3 OCTAVES + 3 AND 8FT-4IN LONG. LONGEST BAR IS 22 1/2 INCHES LONG.

Steve is also available to perform with your Professional or University Orchestra or Wind Ensemble. Five to ten of YOUR marimba players are needed to play on two or three Mexican Marimbas. Steve has performed three times with the Santa Fe Pro Musica, the Brazos Valley Symphony, the University of Oklahoma Wind Ensemble, and with one of America's only Professional Wind Ensembles, the Prairie Wind Ensemble from Peoria, Illinois. Arranged Mexican Orchestral favorites are: Las Chiapanecas; La Zandunga; Guadalajara; Jesusita en Chihuahua; La Llorona; and an original composition, Las Tripas. A FREE CD IS AVAILABLE TO ORCHESTRA ADMINISTRATORS ONLY. THIS IS UNIQUE AND PERFECT FOR YOUR POPS CONCERTS.

The NEW MEXICAN MARIMBA BAND (ACTUALLY A DUET) is available for your next event! (VIEW SLIDESHOW FOR PHOTOS OF DUET. MUSIC BEING PLAYED NOW IS NOT THE NEW MEXICAN MARIMBA BAND BUT A SOLO CD RECORDED EXCLUSIVELY BY STEVE CHAVEZ ON UP TO TEN TRACKS. LAS CHIAPANECAS IS ON FOUR TRACKS AND IS THE CLOSEST TO WHAT THE MARIMBA BAND WOULD SOUND LIKE.) They are an all-occasion, low-volume ensemble, yet exciting and unique, and perfect for background music or a main feature. The Band performs on an authentic Mexican buzzzzzz Marimba from Chiapas made by Alfredo Mancilla featuring their family diamond inlay pattern on the frame. The Band has performed for local, state, national, and international conventions including for dignitaries from around the world. The band performs many favorites and also original works BY STEVE CHAVEZ in every style.

TURQUOISE MARIMBA This is a Chiapan Marimba covered with a Navajo Sandpainting made by Joe, Patsy, and Norman Begay from Gallup, New Mexico. It has real turquoise sand ground down to several sizes of grains and courses. Each color, white, yellow, purple, pink, and turquoise is layered seven times. The sand is glued on, like glitter, with a half water/half glue mixture. The painting is the largest Navajo sandpainting ever made. It is 13 1/2 feet in length and 8 inches high and is very heavy. Also featured are custom made Silver corners with stamped designs made by John Chavez, also a Navajo Indian. There are also silver conchos on the back frame as well as many silver pieces and large turquoise stones throughout. It is obviously a one-of-a-kind Marimba.