Featured Musicians
ROY ASSAF
“Roy Assaf is an amazing pianist – you will defiantly be learning a lot of good things about him.” (Kenny Barron)
“Roy Assaf marries tradition, both American and Israeli, into a new form of jazz. This type of culturally relevant music is vital for the future of jazz. I am certain that his musical contribution will earn many followers.” (Jason Moran, March 2008)
In the fall of 2005, pianist Roy Assaf moved to New York City to pursue his musical career. After less than a year he received a phone call to join the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Band. Roy joined them on a long European tour consisting of 13 cities, as well as for additional performances in Canada, Puerto Rico, and one week at the famed Blue Note in New York City. Since then, he has been working both with the small group as well as the big band in various venues and festivals around the world. By playing with them, Roy has had the honor to share the stage with jazz legends as Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart and many more.
Over the last few years, Roy has additionally performed with John Hendricks, Lewis Nash, T.S. Monk, Barry Harris, Dr. Billy Taylor, Claudio Roditi, Steve Davis, John Lee, George Garzone and Giovanni Hidalgo, among other world-renowned musicians.
Roy is currently also part of the John Lee Quartet, Charlie Christenson Quartet, Alex Terrier Quartet, Chris Dempsey Quartet and Roy Assaf & Eddy Khaimovich Project.
Max Cudworth
Max Cudworth is a 24 year old alto saxophonist and composer from Brooklyn NY. He released his first
solo effort Wilson Candy Store in 2011 and performs both as a leader and a sideman with numerous artists. Max is emerging as a unique voice on the alto saxophone in both the jazz and latin jazz worlds performing and recording with (U)nity, Billy Harper, charlie Persip, Xiomara Laugart, Macy Gray, John Benites, Victor Bastidas, Gabriel Guererro and others. A 2010 graduate of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music Max has sudied with Billy Harper, Reggie Workman, Dave Binny, Greg Hutchinson and John Ellis. You can check him out at maxcudworth.com
Luques Curtis
Luques Curtis earned a full scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College Of Music. There he studied with John Lockwood and Ron Mahdi. While in Boston, he was also able to work with great musicians such as Gary Burton, Ralph Peterson, Donald Harrison, Christian Scott, and Francisco Mela. Luques was also working with his brother Zaccai, and formed a group called Insight. Now living in New York City Luques has been performing nationally and internationally with artists such as, Eddie Palmieri, Brian Lynch, Ralph Peterson, Christian Scott, Sean Jones, Gary Burton, Stefon Harris, Donald Harrison, Etienne Charles, Albert Rivera, Elio Villafranca, Francisco Mela, and others. He has recently released
an album with his brother called "Blood,Spirit,Land,Water,Freedom" on Truth Revolution Records. Luques was also part of Brian Lynch's Grammy winning CD "Simpatico". You can hear him on Gary Burton's CD "Next Generations"; Dave Valentin's "Come Fly With Me"; Sean Jones' "Roots","Kaleidoscope",and "The Search Within"; Christian Scott's CD "Rewind That",and "Anthem"; Albert Rivera's CD "Re-Introduction"; Etienne Charles' CD "Folklore". ..
Alex Norris
Alexander Norris moved to New York City. Here, he found work with the Mingus Big Band, the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi's Jazz Orchestra, and Maria Schneider's Band. From 1994-1998, Norris was a member of Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead, becoming musical director in 1998; the final year of Carter's life. Norris has also performed and recorded extensively in the bands of Lonnie Plaxico, Jason Lindner, and with Ralph Irizarry's Timbalaye.
Norris has worked with many noted jazz musicians such as Slide Hampton, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Chris Potter, Stefon Harris, Sam Yahel, Carl Allen, Eric Alexander, John Patitucci, Peter Bernstein, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Avishai Cohen, and Brian Blade. Norris is very active in Afro-Cuban jazz, as well, having worked with Andy and Jerry González, Paquito D’Rivera, Hilton Ruiz, Giovanni Hildago, Poncho Sanchez, and Chico O’Farril. Additionally, in the Pop/R&B world, Norris has toured and/or recorded with Incognito, US3, Philip Bailey, Steve Winwood, Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine, and Jon Secada.
In 1995, Norris received a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He has served on the music faculties at the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, Towson University, and the City College of New York.
In 2007, Norris received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. From 2005-2007, Norris was lecturer in jazz trumpet at the University of Miami and was a visiting assistant professor there from 2007-2008.
Victor Bastidas
Victor Bastidas
Colombian Drummer and Composer
Victor Studied at Javeriana University Drums and Composition. In 1998, He attended The Drummers Collective in New York In 1998 He recorded his first album TRANSICION,album that was released at Tower Records Bogota. .In 2000, Victor Travels to Miami with a full schoolarship for the undergrad program at Florida International University.
At Florida International University, Victor records the Big band album "Too Hot To Cool", and Performs with many artists such as Michael Brecker, Paquito De Rivera, David Sanborn, Gary Campbell, Mike Orta, Nestor Torres, Ira Sullivan and more. The Big Band is also invitad to the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2004.In 2005, He scored the music for the Film VANITY, a Miami Film Production.
Played at the Orlando Jazz Festival with the Carlos Averroff Group the same year.
In 2007 Victor Recorded the DE PAISES PROJECT album GUAYALAND in New York at Bennet Studios.
In 2007 Victor Toured tha U.S. with the GRAMMY nominee Zeraphic Fire,playing also at YALE University and Siracuse University.
Victor and DE PAISES PROJECT were awarded with the "Promising Artists of the 21 st century" Program of the US, along with the Julliard main ensamble tour South America Promoting American jazz.
In 2009 Victor Moved to New York were he played and composed music for the Broadway Show "Coda For Freddy Blue".He recorded the album Canto Choco in New York at Bennett and Sounworks Studios.Played with the Wayne Tucker Group,The John Crowly Group, playing at some of the most respected jazz clubs in the New York area. He has played with musicians such as Ronald Carter and Steve Cardenas .Currently Victor lives in Chicago were he was awarded with a teaching assistant position and full scholarship for the masters in jazz performance program.
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