DAVID BUCHBINDER

(trumpet, fluegelhorn, composer)

is a multi-talented, trumpeter, composer and cultural inventor who brings a spirit of intensity and inquiry to everything he does. He leads numerous music groups, composes for concert, theatre, film and television, presents large-scale performance projects, and has toured extensively in North America & Europe. He leads the FLYING BULGAR KLEZMER BAND, who have been nominated for their three JUNO Award in five recordings, and his own eponymous Jazz Ensemble. He also plays in numerous other World Music groups and in the last few years he has been co-presenting projects with his wife, dancer/musician/actor Roula Said, including IMAGINE THE SOUND of PEACE and the music/dance series FEAST of the EAST. David is also the composer/creator/producer of SHURUM BURUM Jazz Circus, a unique music-centered extravaganza for 11 musicians and 7 movement artists from the worlds of circus and modern dance, performing to sold-out houses and much excitement, most recently in a self-produced, critically acclaimed run at the Distillery Historic District. David has composed the scores for seven feature films, the animated short Stone of Folly which was awarded the Cannes Film Festival Prix du Jury, and for theatre and modern dance. Recent and current compositional projects include the score for the Canadian features Whole New Thing and A Stone’s Throw.

HILARIO DURAN

(piano, composer)

Best Latin Jazz Artist of the Year 2006 by The National Jazz Award, JUNO winner 2005, and JUNO nominated 2002 (Havana Remembered CD), Hilario Duran, is the latest virtuoso Jazz pianist emerges from Havana, Cuba. After several years working with Arturo Sandoval, touring at major Jazz Festivals around the world, and sharing stages with legendary musicians such the late Dizzy Gillespie, and Composer/Arranger Michael Legrand, Hilario formed his own band “Perspectiva.” Following a successful European tour (1995), Duran decided the time was now right for him to pursue his solo career, allowing him more scope to follow the many different areas of his musical interests. Since his move to Canada, Hilario Duran has become an integral and important part of the Canadian music scene, and he is an invaluable member of the Jazz Faculty at Humber College, acting as both and adjunct Piano Professor and Ensemble Director. Hilario Duran last recording “From the Heart,” is a tribute to all great Cubans conductors, in this CD Hilario can suddenly switch from a percussive Latin piano pattern to a stride style, but most interesting is how seamlessly he can merge various jazz and traditional Cuban styles.

ALEKSANDAR GAJIC

(violin)

has most recently performed in concert as a first violin with Oshawa Durham Symphony Orchestra, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Philharmonia, Sinfonia Toronto, Canadian Sinfonietta, Gould String Quartet, and has also become a member of Beyond The Pale-World music ensemble. He participated in the founding of the String Quartet Bellotti. During seven years of work with this quartet, he took part in over 400 concerts both in the country and abroad. Bellotti made 4 CDs in the production of the national recording house PGP RTS and music for the movie White suite (Yugoslavian candidate for OSKAR Award 2000). They also taped a great number of TV and radio broadcasts. Aleksandar Gajic also appeared as a soloist with the Serbian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra.

MARK KELSO

(drums)

Mark's ability to play a wide variety of musical styles has helped him become one of Canada's most sought after drummers. An all around player, Mark has worked with Gino Vannelli, Pete Townsend, Holly Cole, Peter Murphy (Bauhaus ) Amanda Marshall, Amy Sky, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Donny Osmond, Shirley Eikhard, Hilario Duran, Paquito D'Rivera, Michel Cusson, The Montuno Police, Brian Hughes, Jane Bunnett, Soul Stew, Carol Welsman, Gordie Sampson, Mary Jane Lamond, Joe Sealy, John-Allen Cameron, Marc Jordan, Bruce Guthro, Jane Siberry and Shania Twain. His new CD entitled "Lost Kingdoms" is an exciting blend of African, Brazilian, Celtic and Pop influences. Featuring 12 original compositions of instrumental and vocal tunes, there is also some fine playing by some of Canada's finest musicians. Currently, Mark is Head of the Percussion Department at Humber College's School of Music in Toronto.

RICK SHADRACH LAZAR

(percussion)

Rick was voted Canadian Percussionist of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 1998, 2000 (Jazz Report Magazine) and 2001 (National Jazz Awards). A busy session musician, he is also the founder and leader of the global jazz sextet Montuno Police and the 30-member Samba Squad, one of the most sought-after acts on the Canadian Latin music scene. Rick has released 4 CDs with his global jazz group Montuno Police, one of which was nominated for a Juno(Best Contemporary Jazz Album). He has also released two CDs with his percussion group Samba Squad which won the Urban Music Awards Canada for “Best World Recording 2001.” Rick has worked and recorded with a wide range of creative artists in the Canadian music scene such as Loreena Mckennitt, Bruce Cockburn, Jesse Cook, Paul Shaffer. Having established a reputation as a clinician by giving informative and exciting workshops in world music drumming styles (Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Arabic), Lazar became a music educator in 1996 when he joined the percussion faculty at the Humber College of Music in Toronto as an instructor, leading Latin Music Ensembles and giving private lessons. In 2003, Rick became part of the York University faculty, teaching courses in Escola de Samba, Cuban music and giving private lessons in drum kit and hand drums. Rick's knowledge of world drums and music combines with his passionate energy to create a unique percussionist who is first call for a diverse array of artists and a pivotal force in contemporary jazz and world music.

QUINSIN NACHOFF

(clarinet/saxophones)

is a saxophonist and composer whose most recent recording of original compositions will feature the talents of British pianist John Taylor and Dutch cellist Ernst Reijseger. His previous CD of original music, Magic Numbers, released in early 2006 on the Songlines label, integrates a string quartet with a jazz trio and features New York drummer Jim Black and bassist Mark Helias. Nachoff has toured the Canadian jazz festival circuit to promote his debut CD, Quiescence. More recently he organized a six week tour through Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China performing at festivals, concert halls and clubs. He has studied with Joe Lovano, Jim McNeely, Frank Falco, Alex Dean, and Mike Murley among others. He was a winner of the 2004 KM Hunter Award in Music, semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Saxophone Competition, a winner in the Canada Council Jazz I.D. Showcase and has been nominated for 3 National Jazz Awards. As a sideman he has performed and/or recorded with Kenny Werner, Howard Johnson, Dave Binney, Kenny Wheeler and Don Thomson among others. He performs regularly with Tim Posgate's Hornband, Darren Sigesmund's Strands Quintet, Michael Herrings' Vertigo, Dave McMurdo's Jazz Orchestra, Michael Bates' Outside Sources and Hilario Duran’s Big Band; these have taken him across Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, South Korea, Japan and China.

ROBERTO OCCHIPINTI

(bass)

is one of Canada's premier bassists, comfortable in a wide variety of musical contexts. He toured and recorded with Blue Note recording artist Jane Bunnett, including the Grammy nominated disc Alma de Santiago and the Juno winning Ritmo Y Soul. In addition, Roberto toured with Juno award winning group NOJO, performing at Canadian jazz festivals with the legendary saxophonist Sam Rivers. Roberto has recorded 3 albums with Cuban piano virtuoso Hilario Durán including 2005 Juno award winning Album New Danzon which he produced and performed. As producer, he's currently working on 3 projects for Quartetto Gelato, Soul Stew and Hilario Durán next album, recorded in Havana . He has also completed Christos Hatzis’s “Constantinople” for the Gryphon Trio, David Buchbinder ensemble, “Shurum Burum “ Jazz Circus and his own disc for Alma/Universal “Yemaya” recorded in Toronto, Havana and Moscow. As a composer, Roberto Occhipinti has written for Televison, Radio and Film ,most notable the Award winning PBS series George Shrinks and for YTV series George and Martha. As a classical musician, Roberto Occhipinti has been a member of the Winnipeg Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic and Canadian Opera Company Orchestras. He has performed with virtually every classical music ensemble in Toronto and recent performances include the St. Lawrence Quartet, The Gryphon Trio and Via Salzburg.

DAFNIS PRIETO

(drums)

A native of Santa Clara, Cuba, Dafnis studied there as a youngster at the School of Fine Arts and later at the National School of Music in Havana, receiving a thorough classical education and ever-broadening knowledge of Afrocuban music, Jazz and world music from no academic sources. Dafnis Prieto has behind him more than ten years of professional work, going back to his first European tours with a succession of talented pianist including Carlos Maza, Ramon Valle and the “Columna B” Group. He has been performing with some of the world great jazz artists such as Jane Bunnett & Spirit of Havana, Steve Coleman & Five Elements, Henry Threadgill, Zooid & Make a Move, Eddie Palmieri Afro-Caribbean Jazz Orchestra, Chico O’Famil & The Afro-Cuban Big Band, Dave Samuels & The Caribbean Jazz Project, Peter Apfelbaum & The New York Hieroglyphics, DD Jackson Trio & Octet, Ed Simon Trio, and the Michel Camilo Trio. Prieto has toured internationally and composes for dance, film, chamber ensembles and most notably, his own bands. Dafnis was recently nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Latin Jazz Album.