Latin Jazz - This music, performed by some of the best New York artists, is a very modern Latin interpretation of some of the best music from the Stevie Wonder songbook.

13 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Latin Jazz, LATIN: Brazilian Jazz



Details:
Frank Colón â Force Majeure

Frank Colón is a specialist in Latin-Caribbean, Brazilian and Asian percussion instruments including congas, bongos, timbales, bata drums, shekere, cuica, berimbau, and tabla drums, among others. Born in Georgetown, Washington, D.C, he grew up in Puerto Rico from between the ages of 7 to 18 years old. He started his musical journey at a very early age, studying piano with the Figueroa family, Puerto Ricoâs internationally acclaimed classical music family.

Graduating high school, he went back to Washington, D.C. to study Political Science at The American University. During that time, he did extensive personal research in the field of ethnomusicology while also playing with local bands.

Moving to New York, Frank began his musical career with a five-year stint in Julito Collazo's Afro-Cuban drum ensemble. On the city's jazz scene, he began performing with Walter Booker, Chet Baker, Jaco Pastorious, Michel Camilo and African master drummer, Babatunde Olatunji. He went on to perform and record with Gato Barbieri, Harry Belafonte, Weather Report, Tania Maria, Flora Purim, and Airto Moreira.

Traveling to Rio de Janeiro, Frank became an instant hot commodity! On a record session with the well-known Brazilian vocal band, MPB4, he introduced the Afro-Caribbean shekere into Brazilian music. Since then, this instrument has become essential to the instrumental arsenal of every modern contemporary percussionist!

During three years in Milton Nascimento's band, Frank toured all over Europe and Brazil, and recorded on many albums. At the Montreaux Music Festival in Switzerland, he recorded two âLiveâ masterpieces, one with Wagner Tizoâs band and the other with Milton Nascimentoâs band. In Rio de Janeiro, Frank also performed and/or recorded with Gilberto Gil, João Bosco, Chico Buarque de Holanda, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Ney Matogrosso, Elba Ramalho, Marina, RPM and Robertinho Silva. Frank also took part in the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Brazilian classical composer, Heitor Villa Lobos, touring all of the state capitals in Brazil.

Upon returning to the States, Frank was immediately enlisted by The Manhattan Transfer band. They subsequently toured and performed together all over the world for 12 years, during which time he recorded three CDs with them. As a sideman with the Manhattan Transfer, he collaborated with his creative sound for a few of their Grammy awards and was voted as one of the top three âMost Influential Percussionist of the Yearâ by the readers of Modern Drummer Magazine!

Frankâs other collaborations in performances, TV specials, DVDs and/or CD recordings include Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, George Clinton, Gato Barbieri, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, George Benson, Paquito D'Rivera, Larry Coryell, Billy Taylor, Azymuth, Dianne Reeves, Nestor Torres, Mickey Hart, among many others.

Lately, Frank has been touring and recording with pop singer Thalia, pianist Michael Wolff, and tablaist Samir Chatterjee. He is also performing with his own band! He is featured on the Manhattan Transferâs latest CD release: âVibrateâ! On request from the US State Dept. and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Frank has participated in the âJazz Ambassadorsâ program, touring through Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyztan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. He has also been a âspecial guestâ of the Rio-Havana-New York music festival in Moscow every year since the festivalâs inception.

Frank has also performed extensively on film soundtracks written and produced by composer/violinist Michael Galasso. He also appears in the musical documentary movie âCalle 54â, directed by Oscar-winner Fernando Trueba. His two albums as a leader are: âFrank Colón -Live at Vartanjazzâ and âLatin Wonderâ, both of which have received very good critical reviews. He is also featured as principal soloist in a DVD with the Kremlin Chamber Orchestra from Moscow, in a symphony commissioned for him entitled âAdoracion al Ritmo.â He also has a new DVD titled, âFrank Colón â Force Majeureâ, which showcases his Latin-jazz band.

Besides show performances, Frank has been conducting percussion clinics and workshops all over the world. His workshops not only explain and demonstrate the technical aspects of drumming but also emphasize the possibilities of extending communication and cultural exchange between all people through the universal language of music.

More information can be obtained at the following web site: www.frankcolon.com .