The Inside Latin Jazz series continues to offer fascinating and penetrating onstage interviews with leading Latin Jazz artists. Moderated by flute soloist and Professor at Whittier College, Danilo Lozano, this is something every lover of music will not want to miss. See upcoming event dates below.

Thanks to the generous support of the BCM Foundation, tickets to the Inside Latin Jazz series are free. However, they are only available starting two weeks prior to each event, and are Will Call only.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 8:00 p.m. - Rolando Lozano

Lozano, Rolando (José Calazán Lozano). Flutist. Cienfuegos, las Villas. August 27, 1931. Lozano studied with his father Lorenzo Lozano and at the Academia de Música de Cienfuegos. He started his artistic career in 1942 as a flutist for the Moderna orchestra in his birth city and later joined the Estrella de Cienfuegos and the Banda Municipal where he played the clarinet and saxophone. In 1950, he began working as a flutist for the Aragón orchestra substituting Efrain Loyola; in 1954 he joined the América de Ninón Mondéjar orchestra with which, he traveled to Mexico. He later moved to Chicago where he joined the Nuevo Ritmo orchestra formed by - flute: Rolando Lozano; violin: Elizardo Aroche and Felix Legarreta (Pupi); piano: Rene Hernandez; double bass: Victor Venegas; conga: Armando Sanchez; timbal: Nicolas Martinez (Cuco); guiro: Rudy Calzado and singers: Lionel Braveti and Pellin Rodriguez – with which group he performed at the Palladium in New York.

Lozano later joined the charanga band La Sabrosa by the percussionist Ramon Santamaria (Mongo), and performed with them in the Village Gate in New York. He later recorded with the vibraphonist Cal Tjader, the timpanist Tito Puente and the pianist George Shearing. After relocating in Los Angeles, California, he played in the René Block Big Band with Jaime Calderon, with Los Internacionales and the Típica Antillana, in addition to creating the musical arrangements for these orchestras and salsa groups. His style of playing the flute is similar to Antonio Arcaño to the point that other flutists consider him to be his successor. To this regard he has said, “Arcaño has a very sweet and complete sound. His style is very classic and romantic and brings out the magical qualities from the flute, which always inspired me and caused me to admire his style so much. Rolando Lozano appears in the films: Del chachachá al mambo, Música de siempre, Las viudas del chachachá, Club de señoritas and Qué rico vacilón.

PAST EVENTS FROM THIS SEASON

Tuesday, September 25, 2012, 8:00 p.m. - Javier Zalba Suarez

Javier Zalba Suarez is a successful and recognized Cuban-born flutist, clarinetist, and saxophone player. He has built an illustrious career and repertoire around the world with sophisticated timbres and technical execution of the family of saxophones, clarinets, and flutes. Javier enjoys an active performing career that covers different styles of music ranging from Classical, Jazz, Latin Jazz, to popular Cuban music.

A classically trained artist Javier Zalba graduated from the Cuban National School of Arts (ENA) as a clarinetist in 1976 and as a flautist from the Professional Studies School, Ignacio Cervantes in 1984. He began his professional career as a clarinet teacher at the ENA in 1978. In the same year, he took part in the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna.

In 1984, he was invited to take part in Irakere, one of Cuba’s best-known Latin Jazz bands led by Chucho Valdés. Enjoying a successful career as a flute, clarinetist and saxophone player, he joined Bobby Carcasses’ ensemble Afrojazz in 1991, the orchestra of the Tropicana Cabaret, and the group Oru which was directed by guitarist Sergio Vitier. In 1997, he became a member of the group Cubanismo, directed by trumpet player Jesus Alemany. In the same year, he partnered with pianist Roberto Fonseca and created his own Latin Jazz ensemble called, Temperamento. It was in 2000 when he joined the legendary Buena Vista Social Club Orchestra with singer, Ibrahim Ferrer and pianist, Ruben Gonzalez performing in some of the most prestigious venues and music festivals around the world.

The internationally embraced and respected artist, Javier has been invited several times as a member and soloist by the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra and many others chamber ensembles. 

As a soloist, he has recorded two albums entitled, Homenaje (Serendib Classic) in 1995, and his most recent Bariton-cha (Colibri). As a musician, his contributions have expanded outside the musical genre and into the literary world through his books, Technique for the Saxophone being published by Abdala in Havana, Cuba, and his upcoming books, Sax Soneando and Flute Soneando will be published by Advance Music, a German company.

Javier Zalba Suarez is currently a professor at the Amadeo Roldan Conservatoire and has conducted several Cuban Music workshops in Barranquilla, Colombia (2000); Copenhagen Rhythmic Conservatoire, Denmark (2003); Liceo de Barcelona (El Aula), Spain (2004); Guildhall School of Music and Drama, England (2004 & 2006) and Montreaux as part of the Jazz Festival, Switzerland (2005) and Vandoren House, Paris (2010).

Today Javier continues to be a top Latin Jazz world performer. His versatility, flair, combined with his domination and mastering of woodwind instruments allows him to create authentic and timeless musical passages for people around the globe. 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012, 8:00 p.m. - The Banda Brothers

Respect. Admiration. In the highly demanding field of music, they're awarded to only a choice few…to outstanding creative forces like Ramon and Tony Banda. They are best known to audiences the world over for the 30 plus years of solid, uncompromising work they spent as the backbone and anchors of one of the worlds most celebrated music ensembles, the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band…Tony on bass, Ramon on drums & timbales.

There was much music in the family home and surrounding neighborhood. By 1961 the brothers were performing on a regular basis all across Southern California, thus receiving invaluable "on the bandstand" experience at an unusually young age. It was during these formative years that the brother's love and appreciation for a wide variety of musical styles developed, especially Jazz / Latin / Rhythm & Blues. The brothers have participated in countless world tours, music festivals and recording sessions with a long list of world renown artist including Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Celia Cruz, Ray Charles, Snooky Young, Carmen McRae, Mongo Santamaria, Joey DeFrancesco, Ry Cooder, Jackson Browne,  Stanley Turrentine, Joe Pesci, Jimmy Smith, Francisco Aguabella, Jazz Crusaders, Eddie Harris and the list goes on.

Playing with an energy and conviction that is soulful, relaxed and intensely swinging, Tony & Ramon sign all of their art that way, but never more so than when they now head up their own group "The Banda Brothers". Formed in 1996, the group has a unique talent for bringing insight and imagination to original material as well as covered classics, providing the perfect balance of accessibility and invention. Their debut CD “Acting Up!” was released on the WJ3 Label.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 8:00 p.m. - Alex Acuña

Born in Pativilca, Peru, 100 miles north of Lima, Alex Acuña was born into a musical family that inspired him and helped shape him as a musician. His father and five brothers were all musicians. Alex taught himself how to play the drums from the age of four. By the time Alex turned ten, he was already playing in local bands. As a teenager, he moved to Lima and became one of Peru's most accomplished session drummers, performing on many recording projects for artists, as well as film and television productions.

In Lima, Alex also earned a glowing reputation for his live performances. So much so, that at the age of eighteen, Alex was chosen by the great Latin band leader, Perez Prado, to join his big band. It was with the Prado band that Alex first traveled to the United States. In 1967, Alex moved to Puerto Rico to work as a studio musician and play locally. During this period, he also studied for three years at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, playing as a classical percussionist with the Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the famed Spanish cellist master Pablo Casals.

Alex moved to Las Vegas in 1974, where he played with such greats as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross. Between 1975 and 1977, he made part of jazz history when he became both drummer and percussionist for one of the most innovative and pioneering jazz groups of our time, Weather Report. He first performed as percussionist (October 1975 to April 1976), and later as drummer (April 1976 to October 1977). He recorded two albums with the group: "Black Market" (1976) and the highly successful "Heavy Weather" (1977), which included the famous tracks "Birdland" and "Havona." "Heavy Weather" became the first jazz-fusion album to sell a million copies.

Alex next moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1978 where he quickly earned the position of a valued session drummer and percussionist for recordings, television and motion pictures. His countless album credits include such diverse artist as U2, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Sergio Mendes, Yellow Jackets, Chic Corea, Julio Iglesias, Koinonia, Juan Gabriel, Luis Miguel, Placido Domingo, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul and many more. Alex has also performed live with the likes of Al Jarreau, Roberta Flack, Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Gipsy Kings, Paco de Lucia, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Christina Aguilera and Tito Puente, to name a few. Additionally, Alex has recorded film scores under the direction of Dave Grusin, Alan Silvestri, Michele Legrand, Bill Conti, Michele Colombier, Marvin Hamlish, Maurice Jarre, Mark Isham, Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Lalo Schiffrin and others. He became the recipient of many awards and honors including the Emeritus MVP award from NARAS (National Academy of Recording for the Arts and Sciences) and winner of the "Best Latin/Brazilian Percussionist" of Modern Drummer's Readers Poll for five consecutive years.

Alex's South American and Caribbean roots and understanding of contemporary and classical music make him a complete and skilled master musician. In 2000, Alex Acuña y Su Acuarela De Tambores received a Grammy nomination for "Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album" for "Rhythms for a New Millennium". This solo album included varying styles of Latin, South American and African percussion. The nomination confirmed Alex's vast knowledge and expertise of percussion rhythms. Zan Stewart of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Alex Acuña is the epitome of the world music percussionist, to whom no style is a stranger". In addition, Alex has composed music for various artists and produced "Thinking of You" by Alex Acuña and the Unknowns, "Rumberos Poetry" by Tolú and "Aliyah" by Kay Silberling. This year will also see the release of Tolú's "Bongo de Van Gogh," the Unknowns follow-up album, and several projects for NIDO Entertainment.

Alex is widely known as an educator, gifted teacher and clinician of drums and percussion. He has recorded four solo instructional videos and provides seminars at universities such as UC Los Angeles, Berklee School of Music in Boston and other top international schools of music. DW Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Gon Bops Percussion, Gibraltar, Vic Firth, Evans and Shure microphones all sponsor Alex. He is also credited with the design of Zildjian's "Azuka" line of cymbals, signature Vic Firth sticks and the caddy stick bag, the Alex Acuña signature line of congas, bongos, timbales, cajons, and bells from Gon Bops Percussion.

Innovation, energy and pure heart characterize Alex's playing. It is easy to see why Alex Acuña is one of the most sought after musicians of our time. Alex recognizes his music as a gift from the Lord and gives all the glory to God!

Presented by the Whittier College Music Dept., Emerson Bran Management and the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts.
Inside Latin Jazz is an educational outreach series featuring interviews with leading Latin Jazz artists,
and is made possible by the generous support of the BCM Foundation.