5
Mar, 2026
Mugre | PostPunk, Rock (AG)

MUGRE | PostPunk, Rock (AG)

Mugre | PostPunk, Rock (AG)

AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE

MAY 7th to 29th

Line-up

JazmĆ­n Esquivel | Guitar & vocals
Lucy PatanƩ, Paula Maffƭa, Los Alces, Leo Sujatovich, Juanito El Cantor, Pol Nada

SofĆ­a Naara Malagrino | Drums & vocals
Lucy PatanƩ, Mariana Michi, TomƔs Viola, Valentƭn Basso, Eugenia Sasso

Mariana Michi | Bass & vocals
Julieta Venegas, Lito Vitale, Nahuel Briones, Axel Krygier, Michelle Blades, Barbie Williams, Axel Mark, Tweety GonzƔlez

Style

Postā€‘punk/punkā€‘rock power trio with three interlocking lead vocals. Dry, driving groove; angular guitar and melodic bass push songs from sweetness to abrasion in seconds. Everyday lyrics with a political undertow and sharp humorā€”built for the live room, recorded like it.

Profile

MUGRE is a Buenos Aires-based postā€‘punk/punkā€‘rock power trio formed in 2015 by JazmĆ­n Esquivel, SofĆ­a Naara Malagrino and Mariana Michi. Three voices share the lead: hooks arrive as a chant, an argument, or a punchline, always riding tight drums, angular guitar and a bass line that refuses to stay in the background. Their 2024 fullā€‘length SOMOS PROFESIONALES (Twitin Records), produced by Tweety GonzĆ”lez, captures the band as it works: close to live, with arrangements kept lean and decisions made fast. Across ten songs, everyday scenes open into a political undercurrentā€”humor, desire, breakā€‘ups and boundariesā€”without losing the adrenaline of the underground rooms where they grew up. On stage, MUGRE reads as one compact instrument: rhythmic precision, hard stops, and sudden turns from sweetness to abrasion, built for sweat, pogo and singā€‘along.

Details

JazmĆ­n Esquivel
Songwriter-guitarist with a pop instinct sharpened by postā€‘punk economy: short forms, tight melodic curves, and lyrics that turn the everyday into subtext. Her phrasing favors contrastā€”soft lead lines against hard edgesā€”so the guitars can both cut and sing. Outside the trio she moves through acoustic and producer-led contexts, feeding MUGRE with new harmonic ā€œtoysā€ and vocal colors. In the band, she anchors narrative direction: voice, riff and scene-setting in one gesture.

(ā€œMariana Michi and JazmĆ­n Esquivel rock hard without losing the glamour.ā€ Rolling Stone en EspaƱol, 2024-10-12)

SofĆ­a Naara Malagrino
A drummer-vocalist who thinks like an arranger: she controls density with silence, accents and sudden accelerations. Her playing stays dry and forward, giving the trioā€™s three voices a clean grid to lock into. In the studio and on stage she treats timbre as structureā€”pads, textures and dynamic shifts as part of the song. In MUGRE she is the cut: the decisive pulse that makes the band feel compact and volatile.

Mariana Michi
A bassist-producer whose lines carry melody as much as weight, pushing songs forward without losing shape. Her sound favors groove with intention: tight repetition, then one turn that changes the whole picture. She brings a production ear to the trioā€”how a part sits, how a chorus lifts, how the low end tells the story. In MUGRE she balances impulse and control, making the bandā€™s contrasts feel deliberate rather than accidental.

(ā€œMariana Michi and JazmĆ­n Esquivel rock hard without losing the glamour.ā€ Rolling Stone en EspaƱol, 2024-10-12)

Discography

MUGRE

  • Emocionando a la gente (EP, 2018; Bandcamp release 2020)

  • FURIA BEBE (single, 2019)

  • No te perdono (single, 2019)

  • Gracias por cuidar el Equipo (album, 2019)

  • La santĆ­sima trinidad (EP, 2023)

  • SALTEMOS MOLINETES (single, 2024)

  • SOMOS PROFESIONALES (album, 2024)

JazmĆ­n Esquivel

  • EP (EP, 2016)

  • Las Historias (EP, 2017)

  • PĆŗrpura (album, 2018)

  • PuƱal (single, 2020)

  • Medianoche Radio Club (album, 2021)

  • y regalamelo (single, 2021)

  • Misiones (Dos Lobas Remix) (single, 2022)

  • yo no trabajo para nadie, solo trabajo para mĆ­ (single, 2022)

  • RELƁMPAGOS (single, 2025)

  • la forma (single, 2025)

  • LA HORA NARANJA (album, 2025)

SofĆ­a Naara

  • Uno [OHDIOSA] (EP, 2017)

  • RĆ”pido [OHDIOSA] (EP, 2018)

  • RaĆ­z (Mi propio invento) (album, 2021)

  • Las Torpezas (album, 2022)

  • Las Torpezas en la Intimidad (Acoustic) [feat. Eugenia Sasso] (single, 2024)

  • Las torpezas en la intimidad (album, 2024)

  • VĆ©rtigo (album, 2025)

Mariana Michi

  • CayĆ³ el Valiente (album, 2018)

  • Baile Inaugural ā€“ SesiĆ³n en Vivo (single, 2019)

  • No Somos Reyes ā€“ SesiĆ³n en Vivo (single, 2019)

  • Ruidos Programados en vivo en La Tangente (single, 2020)

  • LA PAZ OBLIGADA (EP, 2020)

  • LA PAZ OBLIGADA II (EP, 2020)

  • HIJO DE CAMPEONES (album, 2021)

  • No Sentir Nada (single, 2021)

  • NUNCA DA IGUAL (album, 2023)

  • Atada (single, 2023)

  • AdmiraciĆ³n (single, 2023)

  • Repatriarme (single, 2023)

  • Sombras y Noches (single, 2024)

  • SesiĆ³n āš”ļø en Vivo (EP, 2024)

  • El Derrumbe (single, 2025)

  • PoesĆ­a completa (single, 2025)

  • La noche interminable (album, 2025)

  • Vos no sos uno de ellos (album, 2025)

Ā 

Quotes

Ā 

Reviews

Follow them!

https://www.instagram.com/bochademugre/

What’s going on:

https://www.coralriff.biz/events/

8
Feb, 2026
15 years of Coral Riff | Looking Back, Booking Forward

15 years of Coral Riff | Looking Back, Booking Forward

15 YEARS OF CORAL RIFF

Looking Back, Booking Forward

This February 2026 Coral Riff turns 15.

Itā€™s a milestone that makes me pause for a moment and look back with gratitude, because between one stage and the next, the most precious things have always been the esteem, trust and affection of the people Iā€™ve met along the way: musicians, promoters, artistic directors, venues and festivals who believed in me, appreciated my work and loved my artists.

I come from a family of lawyers and, after finishing school, it was almost taken for granted that I would follow in my relativesā€™ footsteps. In reality, though, Iā€™ve never been a ā€œbookwormā€, but more of an explorer, and my personality and passions led me elsewhere.

First, military service in the Navy, then a couple of years in Messina trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I was looking for my path, and my path brought me to Rome, where I grew as a man and found the beginning of the journey that has brought me here.

In 2009 came the experience with the venue where I met some of the best jazz musicians on the national and international scene. With some of them I built real relationships, and in February 2011 I started this activity.

The name Coral Riff is a little wordplay: halfway between ā€œChoral Riffā€ and ā€œCoral Reefā€. Iā€™ve always been into music and surfing, and when I first started I even thought I might focus on surf-rock bands. In the end I stayed anchored mainly to jazz and world music, but the name kept that original spark.

From 2011 onward Iā€™ve lived I donā€™t even know how many lives, between relationships and moving house, across Italy, Spain, Germany and then Italy again, but my work has been one of the very few constants in my life ever since, together with my guitar and, not long after, my love for the waves.

Over the years Iā€™ve had the honor of working with extraordinary artists such as Irio De Paula, Stelvio Cipriani, Stanley Jordan, Frank Gambale, Scott Henderson, Oz Noy, Wayne Krantz, Jeff Berlin, Jeff Lorber, Dennis Chambers, Anton Fig, Jimmy Haslip, George Whitty, the Pastorius brothers, Faso, Christian Meyer, Alessio Menconi and so many, many others. I apologize to anyone who doesnā€™t see their name here, but otherwise the list would truly be far too long.

Every collaboration has left something behind. Music, relationships and memories that will not ā€œbe lost in time… like tears… in rainā€, but will remain etched in my memory, in my heart, and in the stories of everyone who was part of them.

A quick note about the photos in the slider: they only go back to 2021. I added them simply to give an idea of the journey. To go further back I would have had to spend a lot more time searching, and I canā€™t do that right now because I need to work on whatā€™s coming next. I also apologize for the quality of many pictures (my old phoneā€™s camera was especially poor) and for the somewhat random selection, but I tried to put together a visual summary.

In the next few days Iā€™ll send a special newsletter with my proposals for the current year. If youā€™d like to receive it, subscribe by filling out the form below.

Finally, thank you again to all the artists, promoters, colleagues, collaborators and to everyone Iā€™ve met along the way who, in one role or another, helped me write these chapters and keep moving forward. Iā€™m truly grateful.

Fab

4
Feb, 2026
ALLEN HINDS 4tet ft. JIMMY HASLIP, MICHELE PAPADIA & GERGO BORLAI (USA)

ALLEN HINDS 4tet ft. JIMMY HASLIP, MICHELE PAPADIA & GERGO BORLAI | Groove Fusion (USA)

Allen Hinds 4tet

ft. Jimmy Haslip, Michele Papadia & Gergo Borlai

Groove Fusion (jazzā€‘bluesā€‘rock) | USA

AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE

2026 | August 19th to 30th

Line-up

Allen Hinds | Guitar
Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Randy Crawford, James Ingram, Bobby Caldwell, BeBe & CeCe Winans, The Crusaders, Hiroshima, Boney James, Eric Marienthal

Jimmy Haslip | Bass
Allan Holdsworth, Pat Metheny, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, Donald Fagen, Al Jarreau, Bruce Hornsby, Jeff Lorber, Robben Ford, Bobby McFerrin

Gergő Borlai | Drums
Al Di Meola, Tony MacAlpine, Nathan East, Tom Scott, Vernon Reid, Terry Bozzio, Bob Mintzer, Scott Henderson, Gary Willis, Hadrien Feraud

Michele Papadia | Keys
Ana Popovic, Joe Bonamassa, Noemi, Fabrizio Bosso, Gianluca Petrella, Patty Pravo

Style

A blues-rooted, guitar-led fusion set where hooks matter as much as solos: Allen Hindsā€™ vocal phrasing rides a pocket built by Jimmy Haslipā€™s melodic, harmony-aware bass lines and Gergő Borlaiā€™s high-definition drive-tight on the backbeat, fearless when the meters start to bend. Michele Papadia adds Hammond grit and electric-piano shimmer, widening the harmonic canvas as the quartet moves from lean funk vamps to open, melodic jazz-rock studio-clean in tone, live-wire in momentum.

Profile

Allen Hinds Quartet brings groove fusion into a modern, song-forward frame-equal parts blues narrative, jazz harmony, and rock attitude. Hindsā€™ lyrical phrasing and expressive articulation lead the line, while Jimmy Haslip anchors the band with a producerā€™s ear and an electric sound that can feel as warm and upright-like as it is punchy. Gergo Borlai adds high-definition fusion vocabulary without losing the jazz feel, turning metric shifts into momentum rather than complexity. Michele Papadia widens the harmonic spectrum with Hammond and keys that can move from velvet pad work to biting, percussive comping an ideal foil for Hindsā€™ bends and melodic themes. The set stays built on groove: head-nodding backbeats, elastic pocket funk, and slow-burn blues that open into fearless improvisation and tight, conversational interplay.

Details

Allen Hinds A long-time first-call guitarist in contemporary jazz-blues contexts, with credits spanning soul, pop, and jazz crossover sessions. His writing favors melodic song-forms, dynamic builds, and tone-forward storytelling. Highlights include the 2016 release Fly South. (ā€œImagine a player with the taste of Robben Ford, the fearless melodicism of Jeff Beck and the joyous musicality of Derek Trucks.ā€ ā€” Jason Sidwell, MusicRadar, 2017-05-10)

Jimmy Haslip Cofounding voice of modern fusion bass, known for lyricism, articulation, and harmonic clarity. Equally at home as sideman and producer, shaping ensembles from the inside out. His work is often praised for bringing an upright-like elegance to the electric instrument. (ā€œHaslip is a most lyrical musician, and he brings the elegant tone of an upright bass to his electric model.ā€ ā€” Ian Patterson, All About Jazz, 2011-05-04)

Gergő Borlai A fusion powerhouse with a broad vocabularyā€”speed, precision, and deep listening in equal measure. Credits include work alongside rock/fusion icons and a strong footprint in modern jazz contexts. His playing turns technical firepower into narrative energy and forward motion. (ā€œOh, he can shredā€”boy, can he shred.ā€ ā€” Ilya Stemkovsky, Modern Drummer, 2018-11-30)

Michele Papadia Keyboardist, composer, arranger, and producer with a reputation for high-impact groove playing and rich harmonic color. Active across jazz-fusion and blues-rock circuits, including long-term work in international touring line-ups. His keys parts are valued for shaping the identity of recordings from the earliest demos. (ā€œMichele Papadia, with me for 17 yearsā€¦ sent me keys parts for the first demos of the songs and I kept them all.ā€ ā€” Ana Popovic, American Blues Scene, 2023-05-02)

Biographies

Allen Hinds

Allen Hinds is a guitar storyteller whose career sits at the crossroads of blues grit, jazz harmony, and modern fusion drive. Raised in Auburn, Alabama and drawn early to blues and R&B, he pushed toward jazz and fusion as a teenager and studied at Berklee before relocating to Los Angeles to attend Musicians Institute. In MIā€™s own profile of his path, that move was made possible by the Larry Carlton Scholarship, and Hinds has remained closely tied to the school as a long-standing faculty member in jazz improvisation and phrasing.

In L.A., Hinds built the kind of rĆ©sumĆ© that only comes from being consistently called for the right gigs: tracking and touring across soul, pop, and jazz-adjacent sessions with major artists and bandleaders while also cultivating his own catalogue. His playing has been repeatedly described in terms of ā€œtasteā€ and melodic fearlessness vocal-like bends, liquid legato, and a climactic sense of solo architecture that makes improvisation feel like narrative. That dual identity-first-call sideman and leader with a signature voice shows up in how he writes: tight, song-centered forms that can expand into open improvisation without losing their arc.

Hindsā€™ music has also found a life in broadcast placements, with compositions used across TV and cable programming, reinforcing a key point about his artistry: hooks matter as much as chops. As a leader he frames groove as the engine and melody as the headline blues-rooted themes, jazz-inflected chord movement, and rock-ready dynamics that keep the audience locked in even when the harmony and phrasing get adventurous. The arc of his career is defined less by stylistic pivots than by deepening: the same unmistakable tone applied to increasingly refined writing, increasingly conversational ensembles, and an ever-clearer sense of what makes a guitar line memorable.

Jimmy Haslip

Jimmy Haslip is one of the defining electric bass voices in contemporary jazz-fusion a musician whose career spans virtuosic performance, composition, and a major body of work as a producer. For more than three decades he was a core figure in Yellowjackets; in a 2020 interview he reflected on spending 32 years with the band and then stepping away in 2012 as touring demands collided with a growing production workload and a desire to be closer to family. That long arc helped set the template for modern fusion: a rhythm section that can be both pocket-deep and harmonically agile, supporting strong melodies without sacrificing risk.

Haslipā€™s role was never limited to ā€œthe bass chair.ā€ He shaped sound and direction from the inside, contributing as a writer and as a studio-minded architect of the rhythm section. In interviews he has described making records as a social and musical craft: gathering players, shaping atmosphere, and protecting the songā€™s identity through the recording process. A JazzTimes conversation captures how seriously he takes that craft, framing production as its own discipline and describing a catalog that runs deep into dozens of albums.

Recognition has followed that breadth. Yellowjacketsā€™ long GRAMMY history is well documented by the Recording Academy, and Haslipā€™s own credits include multiple GRAMMY wins and a long run of nominations an indicator not just of playing excellence but of sustained relevance across projects and decades. Musically, his signature is lyricism with authority: a full tone, precise articulation, and harmonic intelligence that lets the bass function as both anchor and melodic counter-voice. Even when working at the highest technical level, his lines remain singable always serving the music first, which is exactly why so many artists trust him with the foundation.

Gergő Borlai

Gergő Borlai represents the modern fusion drummer at full bandwidth: explosive technique, deep time, and an ear for arrangement that turns virtuosity into story. Originally from Hungary, he developed early as a professional player in his teens and later expanded into an international career as a session, touring, and recording drummer, as well as a composer and producer. The through-line is not just speed or precision, but the ability to make complex rhythmic information feel like momentum odd meters that breathe, metric shifts that land like downbeats.

Borlaiā€™s discography and live profile connect him to a broad network of high-level fusion and contemporary jazz artists guitar heroes, modern bass innovators, and cross-genre projects where the drummer is expected to carry both precision and personality. Industry bios and festival line-ups regularly cite an unusually high volume of recordings and performances, alongside an awards footprint tied to his work in Hungary and beyond: gold-record acknowledgements, major national prizes, and prominent international visibility.

His career has also been marked by headline milestones in the drumming world. In 2019 he placed third in Modern Drummerā€™s reader poll for ā€œBest All-Around Drummer,ā€ and in 2021 a legacy manufacturer released a signature snare drum developed with him. A 2025 profile also notes that his 2020 solo album The Missing Song was in consideration for GRAMMY recognition, while his broader public presence has grown through clinics and educator roles that bring his approach to drummers worldwide.

Importantly, those achievements have not pulled him away from the working drummerā€™s craft; they have amplified it. Borlaiā€™s most consistent calling card is that he makes technical content feel human groove-first, reactive to the band, and always aimed at lifting the music rather than displaying the machinery.

Michele Papadia

Michele Papadia is an Italian keyboardist, composer, arranger, and producer whose career has been built in the engine room of contemporary blues and groove-based music: touring bands, high-pressure sessions, and the day-to-day discipline of making songs work. His musical identity is rooted in Afro-American traditions blues, funk, soul, and jazz filtered through a modern playerā€™s toolkit: Hammond organ authority, electric-piano nuance, clavinet bite, and a producerā€™s instinct for what a track needs.

Papadiaā€™s profile is strongly tied to long-term collaborations, especially in the international blues-rock circuit where consistency and trust matter. A vivid example comes from Ana Popovicā€™s own account of making the album Power (2023): Papadia described as working with her for 17 years at that point sent keyboard parts for the earliest demos, and those original parts were kept in the final masters while other elements were recorded around them. It is a telling detail: he is not only a live band member, but a foundational voice in the production chain, shaping arrangement and feel from the earliest stage.

In interviews, Papadia has also described formative ā€œprofessional rites of passageā€ that map his path from Italy to the wider touring world: high-level encounters, sessions, and tours that placed him in demanding contexts where taste and reliability matter as much as vocabulary. Those experiences sit behind his practical musical philosophy: the blues is not a museum piece but a living language, strengthened by groove, call-and-response, and the ability to support a singer or guitarist while still adding harmonic depth.

Across his work as a musician and educator, Papadiaā€™s signature is the same: parts that lock the pocket, color the harmony, and make the song feel inevitableā€”whether on a festival stage or inside the studio, where a great take can become the identity of the record.

Quotes

Hinds

Haslip

Papadia

Borlai

BOOKING REQUEST
22
Jan, 2026
Dany Noel Cuban Collective ā€” Detalles | Cuban Jazz / Latin Jazz (CU/ES)

Dany Noel Cuban Collective ā€” Detalles | Cuban Jazz / Latin Jazz (CU/ES)

Dany Noel Cuban Collective

Cuban Jazz / Latin Jazz (CU/ES)

Ā AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE
2026 | July / August / September

Style

A journey of fusion from the heart of Cuban Latin Jazz: Afro-Cuban pulse, modern harmony and funk propulsionā€”DETALLES turns micro-textures into big emotion, on record and on stage.

Profile

Recognized as one of the most versatile and expressive bassists on the international scene, Dany Noel is a key figure in the evolution of contemporary Latin Jazz. Originally from Cuba, he is a bassist and composer who has found his voice within the vibrant world of Latin Jazz. With a strong background in both traditional Cuban music and contemporary jazz, he has been part of major ensembles both on the island and internationally.

He stands out for his virtuosity, rhythmic sensitivity, and his ability to craft a unique musical languageā€”one where Afro-Cuban roots meet jazz, flamenco, funk, and wider world-music colours. In his latest project, DETALLES, Dany Noel offers a sonic fusion that transcends genres, blending Latin Jazz with Afro-Cuban elements and funk. This work highlights not only his prowess as a bassist but also his vision as a producer and architect of a contemporary proposal full of nuance, colour, and emotion.

DETALLES is an invitation to listen beyond the obvious: to dive into the textures of rhythm and harmony, and to rediscover the richness of Cuban music from a modern, global perspective. More than just an album, it is a musical statement where technical precision meets heartfelt emotion. Each piece is carefully crafted to showcase the beauty of the small, the intimate, the essential. Dany Noel leads from the bass with eleganceā€”also with his voiceā€”and with the rhythmic drive that defines his signature.

Originally conceived as a trio recording, the project explores subtleties of rhythm and melody with a modern, minimalist aesthetic. In its live version, DETALLES evolves into something bigger: a vibrant collective experience with a full band of eight musicians on stage. With the expanded line-up, the music becomes a thrilling performanceā€”where improvisation, polyrhythms and the energy of live interplay connect the audience to the pure essence of contemporary Latin fusion.

Details

DETALLES blends Latin Jazz with Afro-Cuban elements and funk, balancing technical precision with a direct emotional narrative.

Studio-born as a trio-minded concept with a modern, minimalist aesthetic, the repertoire expands live into a full-band set that amplifies energy, polyrhythm and real-time interaction.

The live format features bass and voice at the centre, surrounded by piano, electric guitar, trumpet, drums, percussion and two backing vocalistsā€”built for call-and-response, groove development and open improvisation.

(ā€œNoel was ripping through a fast solo while simultaneously vocalising it.ā€ ā€” Sebastian Scotney, London Jazz News, 2016-10-02)

Line-up

Dany Noel | Bass & Voice
Cuban-born bassist/composer; bass-led writing, vocal phrasing and Afro-Cuban rhythmic drive at the core of the project.

AdriƔn Esteves | Piano
Modern voicings and montuno-derived comping; harmonic colour and rhythmic propulsion.

Dani Morales | Drums
Drum-set architecture that shifts between tight funk articulation and open Latin-jazz swing.

Haime VƔzquez | Congas
Afro-Cuban percussion layers, tumbao-support and conversational accents with the drum set.

RaĆŗl Venegas | Guitar
Electric-guitar colours: rhythmic hooks, counterlines, and textural support for the melodic writing.

Julio Rigal | Trumpet
Brass lead voice: melodic statements, bright call-and-response and improvisational lift.

Agnese | Backing Vocals
Vocal textures and rhythmic unisons; expands the chorus dimension of the live set.

Elizabeth | Backing Vocals
Backing-vocal power and phrasing; reinforces the groove and opens timbral contrast in the arrangements.

Discography Highlights

DETALLES (album, 2024)

Intercambio (album, 2022)

Haciendo Camino (album, 2020)

Por la Habana (album, 2017)

Tinta Unida (album, 2013)

CONFIDENCE (album, 2013 ā€” with Dario Chiazzolino)

ProposiciĆ³n (album, 2011)

Dime Si TĆŗ Sabes (album, 2006 ā€” as Duo Chocolate)

Mi Sentir (album, 2007)

QUOTES

  1. ā€œNoel was ripping through a fast solo while simultaneously vocalising it.ā€ ā€” Sebastian Scotney, London Jazz News, 2016-10-02

  2. (Translation) ā€œThe bottom-end of things is held firm by the superb rumbling of Dany Noelā€™s bass lines.ā€ ā€” Raul Da Gama, Latin Jazz Network, 2020-12-10

  3. ā€œThe accompaniment ā€¦ is punchy and crisp on a wide soundstage ā€¦ā€ ā€” Peghead Nation (review), 2020-09-12

  4. (Translation) ā€œI started playing at the age of 10ā€¦ and I donā€™t think Iā€™ll ever stop as long as I have the strength.ā€ ā€” Dany Noel (quoted), Laura Lipari, LetteraEmme, 2022-05-18

  5. (Translation) ā€œDany Noel Cuban project ā€” Detalles ā€¦ā€ ā€” WhatsApp message (provided by user), 2026-01-21

REVIEWS / ARTICLES

REVIEW: Alex Wilson and Friends at the 2016 London Latin Jazz Festival ā€” London Jazz News ā€” Sebastian Scotney ā€” 2016-10-02

David Broza: en Casa LimĆ³n ā€” Latin Jazz Network ā€” Raul Da Gama ā€” 2020-12-10

David Broza Celebrates the Spanish Guitar ā€” Peghead Nation ā€” 2020-09-12

Article: Dany Noel presents ā€œIntercambioā€ at Retronoveau (Thursday jazz night) ā€” LetteraEmme ā€” Laura Lipari ā€” 2022-05-18

Article: Dany Noel Confluence Trio at ā€œIl Torrioneā€ (Oct 21) ā€” Informagiovani Ferrara ā€” 2023-10-19

City programme announcement: ā€œMadrid, a Christmas postcardā€ fills the city with musicā€¦ ā€” madrid.es ā€” 2025-11-21

City programme announcement: Madrid lives a Christmas full of music and tradition ā€” madrid.es ā€” 2025-12-12

Track page: ā€œBriga Ā· Dany Noel (Detalles)ā€ ā€” YouTube (Provided to YouTube by CDBaby) ā€” 2024-04-08

Internal / provided material: ā€œEN ā€” Dany Noel Band ā€” Detallesā€ (PDF, undated)

BOOKING REQUEST
15
Jan, 2026
AfroCuban ReuniĆ³n

AFROCUBAN REUNIƓN | Afro-Cuban Jazz Fusion CU/RE

AfroCuban ReuniĆ³n

Dany Noel, Meddy Gerville, Dani Morales

Afro-Cuban Jazz Fusion (CU/RE)

Ā AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE

2026 | June 11th to 28th

Line Up

Dany Noel | Bass & voice
Chucho ValdĆ©s, Horacio ā€œEl Negroā€ HernĆ”ndez, Roy Hargrove, Diego El Cigala, Bebo ValdĆ©s, Buika, Tony Succar, Nella, Ojos de Brujo, Giovanni Hidalgo, Omara Portuondo, Changuito

Meddy Gerville | Keyboards & voice
Wyclef Jean, Randy Brecker, Giovanni Hidalgo, NguyĆŖn LĆŖ, Horacio Hernandez, Dominique Di Piazza, Louis Winsberg, Lionel LouĆ©kĆ©

Dani Morales | Drums & percussion
Jorge PĆ©rez, Aurora GarcĆ­a, Jorge Vera, RaĆŗl Venegas, Miguel NĆŗƱez, Albita, Lolita, Christian Tonos

Pitch

Three islands, one groove: maloya from RĆ©union, Afroā€‘Cuban folkloric drive, and modern jazz harmony.
Singing bass & voice, percussive keys, and drums that pivot from danceā€‘floor clarity to open improvisation.
A rhythmā€‘forward trio set designed for jazz and world stages.

Style

AfroCuban ReuniĆ³n is a threeā€‘way conversation between RĆ©union Islandā€™s maloya pulse, Afroā€‘Cuban folkloric drive, and contemporary jazz harmony. Dany Noel anchors the sound with a singing bass and voiceā€”tumbao weight, melodic counterlines, and storytelling phrasingā€”while Meddy Gerville answers with percussive keys, chantā€‘like motifs, and Creoleā€‘tinted voicings that keep the music ritualā€‘leaning and modern at once. Dani Morales keeps the current moving: Afroā€‘Cuban pulse on the kit and timbales, elastic swing, and sharp dynamic turns that let the trio flip from groove to open improvisation without losing the body.

Profile

AfroCuban ReuniĆ³n brings together three musicians shaped by deep, placeā€‘specific traditions and an outwardā€‘looking jazz language. Meddy Gerville carries the circular, tranceā€‘leaning energy of maloya into a keyboard vocabulary that can sound percussive, orchestral, or prayerā€‘like. Dany Noel turns Afroā€‘Cuban forms (son, rumba, bolero) into open frameworks for interplay, using bass and voice as equal melodic forcesā€”supporting, commenting, and occasionally leading. Dani Morales completes the triangle with a drummerā€‘percussionistā€™s command of Afroā€‘Cuban timelinesā€”cĆ”scara and songo logic on the kit, timbal color when neededā€”building layered grooves that stay danceā€‘clear while opening space for improvisation.

The result is vivid and immediate: rhythmā€‘forward, melodically direct, and improvisational at its core.

Repertoire

The trioā€™s set blends originals and tradition. As Noel puts it: ā€œWeā€™d play Meddyā€™s tunes, my Latinā€‘jazz themes, and a traditional Cuban song sung by meā€”with jazz always in the influence.ā€ Expect a journey that can touch bolero, son and guaracha, alongside contemporary jazz improvisation.

Members

Dany Noel

Cuban bassist and vocalist with deep roots in Latin jazz and flamenco, Noel is a bandleader and a soughtā€‘after collaborator. His writing privileges groove and songā€‘form, while his bass lines stay vocal and narrativeā€”often doubling as a second melodic voice. He coā€‘founded ITALUBA with Horacio ā€œEl Negroā€ HernĆ”ndez (Grammyā€‘nominated for ITALUBA 1), and has participated in multiple awardā€‘winning projects (Latin GRAMMY and other international recognitions).

(ā€œInvites us on a fresh and fascinating musical journey that shows the essence of Latin jazz and the culture of his country.ā€ ā€” Ladbroke Hall, 2025-03-07)

Meddy Gerville

Gervilleā€™s keyboard work fuses Creole songfulness with modern jazz touch: leftā€‘hand ostinati, chantā€‘like motifs, and harmonies that open the music without diluting its roots. His phrasing balances clarity and surpriseā€”often building long arcs over steady, ritualā€‘like cycles. As a vocalist he favors direct, earthy delivery that sits naturally inside the groove.

(ā€œGrooves from the first noteā€¦ and the set is a fine one.ā€ ā€” Peter McLaren, Jazz in Europe, 2017-02-14 ā€” translated)

Dani Morales

Madridā€‘based Cuban drummer and percussionist (kit & timbales), Morales moves fluently between Afroā€‘Cuban vocabulary, jazz time, and highā€‘energy stage formats. Documented in European listings with Dany Noelā€™s trio and in PatĆ”x lineups, he plays as a groove architect: tight timeline control, quick orchestrations across the kit, and a clear sense of lift that keeps melodies and vocals supported without overā€‘filling.

(ā€œWith Dani Morales on drumsā€¦ they deliver highā€‘quality music from the first moment and never stop surprising.ā€ ā€” Natalia Eseverri, El ArcĆ³n de Natalia, 2024-10-03 ā€” translated)

Awards

  • Dany Noel ā€” ITALUBA 1 (Grammy nomination, Best Latin Jazz Album, 2004); participation in Latin GRAMMYā€‘winning projects (incl. El ƚltimo Trago; MĆ”s De MĆ­).

  • Meddy Gerville ā€” Pianā€™Austral competition prize (2000) (as reported in musician bios).

  • Dani Morales ā€” No independently verifiable major awards found in dated mainstream sources reviewed; documented performance credits with Dany Noel Trio and PatĆ”x in European press.

Releases

Dany Noel

  • INCOHERENTE SOCIEDAD (feat. Chabuco) ā€” Single ā€” 2025-12-17

  • Detalles ā€” Album ā€” 2024-04-08

  • Intercambio ā€” Album ā€” 2022-04-26

Meddy Gerville

  • Tropical Rain ā€” Album ā€” 2025-02-12

  • LĆØr larivĆ© ā€” Single ā€” 2024-12-16

  • Le larm dan mon ziĆ© (version SĆ©ga) ā€” Single ā€” 2023-11-22

Dani Morales

  • La razĆ³n ā€” Single (YOSU LAROCA) ā€” 2025-12-13

  • CĆ”ntale a la Vida ā€” Single (Albita & Lolita) ā€” 2025-08-22

  • Traigo de Todo (feat. Dany Noel) ā€” Single (Christian Tonos) ā€” 2025-07-31

Press

All excerpts below are translated into English for editorial use. Keep the original links for verification.

Project

  • ā€œAfroCuban Reunionā€¦ closes the XXIV editionā€ ā€” Jazzitalia (staff), 2025-08-04
    Excerpt: ā€œAn intense sonic journey between RĆ©union, Cuba and Europeā€¦ maloya, Afroā€‘Cuban and modern jazzā€¦ colors, ancestral rhythms and improvisation.ā€

  • AFROCUBAN REUNION ā€” artist page ā€” BeatOnto Jazz Festival (staff), 2025-07-02
    Excerpt: ā€œA trio that fuses RĆ©union roots, Afroā€‘Cuban energy and contemporary jazzā€¦ bold improvisations and rhythms that speak to heart and body.ā€

Noel

  • ā€œDany Noel Cuban Project ā€” Jazz & Dinnerā€ ā€” Ladbroke Hall (event page), 2025-03-07
    Excerpt: ā€œA fresh and fascinating musical journeyā€¦ the essence of Latin jazzā€¦ bolero, son, guarachaā€¦ and unreleased original songs.ā€

  • ā€œDany Noel Trio feat Ivo Neame & Jorge Perezā€ ā€” EFG London Jazz Festival (event listing), 2023-11-11
    Excerpt: ā€œA new project led by Cuban bass virtuoso and singer Dany Noelā€¦ā€

  • ā€œEn Casa Limonā€ (album review) ā€” Phillip Woolever, All About Jazz, 2021-01-24
    Excerpt: ā€œPercussionist Israel SuĆ”rez and bassist Dany Noel provide admirable support throughout.ā€

Gerville

  • ā€œTropical Rain ā€” Meddy Gerville Trioā€ ā€” Dot Time Records (label page), 2017-02-17
    Excerpt: ā€œGrooves from the first noteā€¦ and the set is a fine one.ā€

  • Meddy Gerville ā€” musician bio ā€” All About Jazz (staff), 2017-07-18
    Excerpt: Mentions maloya roots and the Pianā€™Austral prize (2000).

Morales

  • ā€œCrĆ³nica Ā«PatĆ”xĀ» (Teatro Cervantes, MĆ”laga)ā€ ā€” Natalia Eseverri, El ArcĆ³n de Natalia, 2024-10-03

  • Excerpt: ā€œWith Dani Morales on drumsā€¦ highā€‘quality music from the first momentā€¦ never stop surprising.ā€

Sources

https://www.jazzitalia.net/beatonto-jazz-festival-afrocuban-reunion-e-lisa-manosperti-chiudono-la-xxiv-edizione/
https://www.beatontojazz.com/index.php/il-jazz-festival/edizione-2024/artisti?id=171&task=view
https://iltaccodibacco.it/puglia/eventi/300242.html
https://www.cronachetarantine.it/2025/08/06/jonio-jazz-festival-si-chiude-con-il-trio-afrocuban-reunion/

https://ladbrokehall.com/live-programme/jazz/dany-noel-cuban-project-4/
https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/events/dany-noel-trio-feat-ivo-neame-jorge-perez
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/en-casa-limon-david-broza-s-curve-records__32628

https://www.dottimerecords.com/news/2017/2/17/tropical-rain-meddy-gerville-trio
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/meddy-gerville

https://www.laringhiera.net/eventi/portanapoli-in-jazz-reloaded-levento-per-sostenere-la-fondazione-cittadella-della-carita/
https://madridenvivo.com/viernes-18-jazz-con-sabor-a-club22/
https://elarcondenatalia.es/cronica-patax-teatro-cervantes-malaga/
https://www.subbeticahoy.com/articulo/lucena/festival-jazz-principal-protagonista-programacion-cultural-mayo-lucena/20240508215349028910.html
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/canarias-jazz-y-mas-2025-jazz-festival-alba-festival-review
https://cadenaser.com/asturias/2025/04/21/jazz-en-el-centro-casi-tres-decadas-mostrando-un-genero-que-gana-adeptos-en-gijon-ser-gijon/

https://music.apple.com/gb/song/la-raz%C3%B3n/1858799462
https://music.apple.com/us/song/c%C3%A1ntale-a-la-vida/1831832681
https://music.apple.com/us/song/traigo-de-todo-feat-dany-noel/1825000509

https://danynoel.bandcamp.com/album/haciendo-camino
https://www.solarlatinclub.com/2020/10/dany-noel-haciendo-camino/

https://music.apple.com/it/artist/dany-noel/308604677
https://music.apple.com/us/album/intercambio/1620621654
https://music.apple.com/us/album/detalles/1739050670

https://music.apple.com/us/album/tropical-rain/1791218875
https://music.apple.com/us/album/l%C3%A8r-lariv%C3%A9-single/1783481921
https://music.apple.com/us/album/le-larm-dan-mon-zi%C3%A9-version-s%C3%A9ga-single/1713117826

https://www.latingrammy.com/awards/11th-annual-latin-grammy-awards-2010
https://www.latingrammy.com/artists/tony-succar/34354-01
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Grammy_Award_for_Best_Traditional_Tropical_Album
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Grammy_Award_for_Best_Salsa_Album

BOOKING REQUEST
3
Oct, 2025
Ari Hoenig Trio | Contemporary Jazz, Neo-bop, Post-bop (USA)

ARI HOENIG TRIO | Contemporary Jazz, Neo-bop, Post-bop (USA)

Ari Hoenig Trio

Contemporary Jazz, Neo-bop, Post-bop (USA)

AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE
2026 | April, July, October/November
AriHoenigTrio ARI HOENIG TRIO | Contemporary Jazz, Neo-bop, Post-bop (USA)
AriHoenigTrio ARI HOENIG TRIO | Contemporary Jazz, Neo-bop, Post-bop (USA)
AriHoenigTrio
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Line-up

Ari Hoenig | Drums
Jeanā€‘Michel Pilc, Kenny Werner, Pat Martino, Joshua Redman, Wayne Krantz, Richard Bona, Chris Potter, Shirley Scott

Gadi Lehavi | Piano
Ravi Coltrane, Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Ron Carter, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Eddie Gomez

Ben Tiberio | Double Bass
Joel Ross, MarĆ­a Grand, Veronica Swift, Immanuel Wilkins, Shai Maestro, Ben Wendel, Aaron Goldberg

Style

A drummerā€‘led trio where melody and rhythm are inseparable: Hoenigā€™s metric imagination sings from the kit.
Lehavi supplies a luminous, Jarrettā€‘toā€‘Coreaā€‘tinged lyricism that floats yet speaks with intent.
Tiberio anchors with supple time, modern counterā€‘lines and a sonorous, singing tone.

Overall profile

Philadelphiaā€‘born drummer/composer Ari Hoenig has long redefined the drum set as a melodic instrument; in this trio he crystallizes that vision with Gadi Lehavi (piano) and Ben Tiberio (double bass). Across Golden Treasures (2022) and Tea for Three (2024) the group frames standards and originals with elastic time, conversational counterpoint and a keen sense of narrative. The language is contemporary jazzā€”postā€‘/neoā€‘bop vocabulary, modal hues and polyrhythmic designā€”yet the touch remains songā€‘driven. Hoenigā€™s lines arc and resolve; Lehavi shades harmony with airy voicings and singing rightā€‘hand rhetoric; Tiberio balances clarity and weight, often guiding form with melodic bass motion. The groupā€™s ā€œband DNAā€ emphasizes Rhythm/Groove (metric modulation; oddā€‘meter fluency), Interplay/Roles (leader as melodic voice; chamberā€‘like listening) and Harmonic Vocabulary (postā€‘bop with modalā€‘chromatic color). The result is a trio sound that moves from tight inner clock to widescreen lyricism, built for audiences that prize both sophistication and heart.

Member details

Ari Hoenig ā€” Drums
Melodic drumming, polyrhythms and metric modulations are central to Hoenigā€™s compositional voice. With this working trio he refines a chamberā€‘like, dialogueā€‘first approach documented on Golden Treasures (2022) and Tea for Three (2024). Expect shifting forms, clear song shapes and drum melodies that sing. (ā€œA convergence of three exceptional musical personalities whose creativity, connection and dialogic interplay deserve repeated opportunities.ā€ ā€” Artur Moral, All About Jazz, 2025ā€‘05ā€‘20)

Gadi Lehavi ā€” Piano
Telā€‘Avivā€“born, New Yorkā€“based pianist whose lyricism and touch align with the Jarrett/Corea lineage while remaining personal. A close associate of Ravi Coltrane and selected by Chick Corea for JALCā€™s ā€œMusicians of the Future,ā€ Lehavi brings floating time, luminous voicings and agile, singing lines. (ā€œThe lightestā€‘touch piano trio one can imagineā€¦ a case of the caress rather than the assault.ā€ ā€” Sebastian Scotney, LondonJazzNews, 2016ā€‘05ā€‘15)

Ben Tiberio ā€” Double Bass
A modern, songā€‘aware bassist heard with Joel Ross, Veronica Swift and Immanuel Wilkins, and as a leader on Rare Peace (2021). His sound couples round acoustic presence with articulate counterā€‘melody; time feels both grounded and elastic. (ā€œThe bassist and composer Ben Tiberio delivers an exceptional debut here.ā€ ā€” Take Effect Reviews, 2022ā€‘04ā€‘01)

Discography

  • Golden Treasures ā€” Ari Hoenig Trio (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2022)

  • Tea for Three ā€” Ari Hoenig Trio (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2024)

Quotes

Ari Hoenig

ā€œA convergence of three exceptional musical personalities whose creativity, connection and dialogic interplay deserve repeated opportunities.ā€Ā  Artur Moral, All About Jazz, 2025ā€‘05ā€‘20 ā€”Ā https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tea-for-three-ari-hoenig-fresh-sound-new-talent

ā€œA bigā€‘band celebrationā€¦ as thrilling and cool as taking a deep dive in someone elseā€™s poolā€¦ focusing a wellā€‘deserved spotlight on Hoenigā€™s voice.ā€ Ed Enright, DownBeat (Editorsā€™ Picks), 2022ā€‘05ā€‘01 ā€”Ā https://downbeat.com/reviews/editorspicks/2022-05

ā€œThe trioā€¦ a fluid, unified vibeā€¦ all elements leaping together into the frayā€¦ while still swinging.ā€ Dusty Groove (album blurb), 2024ā€‘12ā€‘13 https://www.dustygroove.com/item/221596/Ari-Hoenig%3ATea-For-Three

Gadi Lehavi

ā€œThe lightestā€‘touch piano trio one can imagineā€¦ the caress rather than the assault.ā€Ā  Sebastian Scotney, LondonJazzNews, 2016ā€‘05ā€‘15 ā€”Ā https://londonjazznews.com/2016/05/15/round-up-review-second-day-of-inntoene-2016-austria-al-foster-quartet-gadi-lehavi-trio-marcio-faraco-ruthie-foster-bruno-heinen-and-kristian-borring-etc/

ā€œA major rising force on pianoā€¦ known for revelatory work with Ravi Coltrane.ā€Ā  Rusty Aceves, SFJAZZ ā€” On The Corner, 2024ā€‘07ā€‘18 ā€”Ā https://www.sfjazz.org/onthecorner/articles/five-things-you-should-know-about-gadi-lehavi/

ā€œIsraeliā€‘born prodigyā€¦ invited at thirteen to play with Coltrane at the Village Vanguard and Birdland.ā€ All About JazzĀ (SFJAZZ review), 2022ā€‘05ā€‘10 ā€”Ā https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ravi-coltrane-at-sfjazz-center-ravi-coltrane

Ben Tiberio

ā€œThe bassist and composer Ben Tiberio delivers an exceptional debut hereā€¦ a diverse and well thoughtā€‘out listen.ā€ Ā Take Effect Reviews, 2022ā€‘04ā€‘01 ā€”Ā https://takeeffectreviews.com/april-2022/2022/4/1/ben-tiberio

ā€œTiberio plays mostly upright bassā€¦ I really love that sound.ā€ Sea of Tranquility, 2021ā€‘12ā€‘27 ā€”Ā https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?id=23414&op=showcontent

Personnel on Joel Rossā€™ KingMaker: Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax), Jeremy Corren (piano),Ā Benjamin TiberioĀ (bass), Jeremy Dutton (drums)ā€¦ DownBeat (review credits), 2019ā€‘05ā€‘03 ā€”Ā https://downbeat.com/reviews/detail/kingmaker

Reviews

Ari Hoenig: Tea For Three ā€” Album ReviewĀ / All About Jazz / Artur Moral / 2025ā€‘05ā€‘20 /Ā https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tea-for-three-ari-hoenig-fresh-sound-new-talent

Editorsā€™ Picks May 2022: Ben Markley Big Band with Ari Hoenig ā€” Ariā€™s FunhouseĀ / DownBeat / Ed Enright / 2022ā€‘05ā€‘01 /Ā https://downbeat.com/reviews/editorspicks/2022-05

Paredā€‘back jazz drumming from Ari Hoenig and his fine trioĀ / Marlbank / ā€” / 2024ā€‘12ā€‘20 /Ā https://marlbank.net/2024/12/20/pared-back-jazz-drumming-from-ari-hoenig-and-his-fine-trio/

Tea for Three ā€” Album pageĀ / Fresh Sound New Talent (Blue Sounds) / ā€” / 2024ā€‘12ā€‘13 /Ā https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/ari-hoenig-albums/57444-tea-for-three-digipack.html

Golden Treasures ā€” Album pageĀ / All About Jazz / ā€” / 2022ā€‘01ā€‘06 /Ā https://www.allaboutjazz.com/album/golden-treasures-ari-hoenig

Ari Hoenig: Golden TreasuresĀ / Jazz Journal / FranƧois van de Linde / 2022ā€‘08ā€‘30 /Ā https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2022/08/30/ari-hoenig-golden-treasures/

ROUNDā€‘UP REVIEW: Inntƶne 2016 ā€” Gadi Lehavi TrioĀ / LondonJazzNews / Sebastian Scotney / 2016ā€‘05ā€‘15 /Ā https://londonjazznews.com/2016/05/15/round-up-review-second-day-of-inntoene-2016-austria-al-foster-quartet-gadi-lehavi-trio-marcio-faraco-ruthie-foster-bruno-heinen-and-kristian-borring-etc/

Five Things You Should Know About Gadi LehaviĀ / SFJAZZ (On The Corner) / Rusty Aceves / 2024ā€‘07ā€‘18 /Ā https://www.sfjazz.org/onthecorner/articles/five-things-you-should-know-about-gadi-lehavi/

Ravi Coltrane at SFJAZZ CenterĀ / All About Jazz / ā€” / 2022ā€‘05ā€‘10 /Ā https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ravi-coltrane-at-sfjazz-center-ravi-coltrane

Ben Tiberio ā€” Rare Peace (review)Ā / Take Effect Reviews / ā€” / 2022ā€‘04ā€‘01 /Ā https://takeeffectreviews.com/april-2022/2022/4/1/ben-tiberio

Tiberio, Ben: Rare PeaceĀ / Sea of Tranquility / ā€” / 2021ā€‘12ā€‘27 /Ā https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?id=23414&op=showcontent

Vibraphonist Joel Ross to release debutĀ KingMakerĀ / Blue Note (press) / ā€” / 2019ā€‘03ā€‘29 /Ā https://www.bluenote.com/vibraphonist-joel-ross-to-release-debut-album-kingmaker-out-may-3/

Complete Discography ā€” Ari HoenigĀ / Official site / ā€” / 2025ā€‘10ā€‘03 (accessed) /Ā https://www.arihoenig.com/complete-discography

12
Jun, 2025
Blackbyrds Groove Collective

BLACKBYRDS GROOVE COLLECTIVE by Blackbyrd McKnight | Funk (USA)

BLACKBYRDS GROOVE COLLECTIVE | P-Funk (USA)

BLACKBYRD McKNIGHT – BOBBY SPARKS
DENNIS CHAMBERS –Ā GARY GRAINGER

AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE

2026 | JANUARY 16th/26th

BlackByrdGrooveCollectiveTITLE4tetR BLACKBYRDS GROOVE COLLECTIVE by Blackbyrd McKnight | Funk (USA)
BlackByrdGrooveCollectiveTITLE4tetR BLACKBYRDS GROOVE COLLECTIVE by Blackbyrd McKnight | Funk (USA)
BlackByrdGrooveCollectiveTITLE4tetR
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Lineā€‘Up

BlackByrd McKnight | Guitar
Parliamentā€‘Funkadelic, Herbie Hancock, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Dennis Chambers | Drums
Santana, John Scofield, George Clinton, John McLaughlin

Bobby Sparks | Keyboards
Snarky Puppy, Prince, Marcus Miller

Gary Grainger | Bass
John Scofield, Pockets (Earth, Wind & Fire protƩgƩ), Acoustic Alchemy, Bill Evans

Overview

BlackByrds Groove Collective is a onceā€‘inā€‘aā€‘generation allā€‘star ensemble uniting four iconic voices from the worlds of funk, jazzā€‘fusion and highā€‘octane improvisation. At its core stands legendary guitarist DeWayne ā€œBlackbyrdā€ McKnight (Parliamentā€‘Funkadelic, Herbie Hancock/Headhunters, Red Hot Chili Peppers), whose cuttingā€‘edge work helped shape the sound of a musical revolution. This new lineā€‘up pairs McKnight with the heavyweight rhythm section of Gary Grainger (John Scofield, Pockets ā€” Earth, Wind & Fire protĆ©gĆ© band, Acoustic Alchemy, Bill Evans, Luther Ingram) and Dennis Chambers (Santana, John Scofield, George Clinton/Pā€‘Funk, John McLaughlin), plus the kaleidoscopic keys of Bobby Sparks (Snarky Puppy, Prince, Marcus Miller) ā€” an elite unit designed for maximum pocket, fearless interplay and modern show impact.

This configuration has never shared the stage in this exact combination, and thatā€™s the point: the chemistry is fresh, the language is shared, and the result is a live experience with festivalā€‘level energy and clubā€‘grade intimacy. Expect tight arrangements, deep groove, explosive solos and a set that moves like a wellā€‘oiled film sequence ā€” strong open, dynamic arc, and a closer built for standing ovations.

What Happens On Stage

(Audience Experience)

  • Instant impact: the show opens on an unmistakable groove, hook forward, FOHā€‘ready sonics from bar one.

  • Pocket first: Grainger and Chambers lock a lowā€‘end foundation that is both muscular and elastic; time feels big, confident and danceable.

  • Call & response: McKnightā€™s riffcraft and Sparksā€™s harmonic colors bounce lines and hits back and forth, creating genuine conversation on stage.

  • Dynamics that breathe: halfā€‘time drops, stopā€‘time breaks, doubleā€‘time lifts and unison hits that cue audience response without derailing flow.

  • Signature moments: guitar features over vampā€‘based codas, talkbox/leadā€‘synth eruptions, and a drumā€‘andā€‘bass spotlight with precision fireworks.

  • Memorable close: a reprise/medley that leaves an earā€‘worm designed for highlight reels and social clips.

Artistic Direction & Sound Design

  • MD direction: McKnight keeps arrangements lean and focused. Themes are concise, solos are purposeful, transitions are musical ā€” no dead air.

  • Keys palette: Sparks blends Rhodes/Clavinet with contemporary synth layers; strategic synthā€‘bass doubling adds extra weight on select sections.

  • Bass authority: Graingerā€™s tone is round yet articulate, supporting harmony while carving melodic counterlines and songā€‘withinā€‘theā€‘song motifs.

  • Drum engine: Chambers brings microā€‘time accuracy and massive dynamic headroom; ghost notes and a granite backbeat make the pocket feel inevitable.

  • FOH notes: tight kick, present bass, midrange clarity for guitar/keys, stereo keys bus L/R; fast changeovers and short line checks.

Repertoire & Set Flow

The set weaves original material from the Collective with modern takes on the Headhunters/Pā€‘Funk canon and select features that spotlight each member. BPMs, keys and textures are sequenced for an arc that works equally well in 60/75/90ā€‘minute formats. The center slot allows for measured improvisation; the final third ramps energy for a festivalā€‘grade finish.

Why It Works (For Promoters & Festivals)

  • Bankable musicianship: four topā€‘tier players with headline rĆ©sumĆ©s; rockā€‘solid reliability and worldā€‘class stagecraft.

  • Scalable show: translates from 400ā€“1200ā€‘cap clubs to main festival stages; compact footprint, big sound.

  • Audience value: musically sophisticated yet accessible; instant hooks and physical groove.

  • Marketing narrative: ā€œbrandā€‘new superā€‘band configurationā€ + ā€œmasters of the pocketā€ is a storyline that converts across trade and consumer media.

  • Content engine: the show generates highā€‘impact clips (drops, finales, features) optimized for social and press.

Member Profiles (What They Bring)

Blackbyrd McKnight ā€” Guitar / MD
A living architect of the Pā€‘Funk vocabulary with a rock edge: razorā€‘sharp riffing, fearless lead voice and a producerā€™s ear for pacing and dynamics. McKnight aligns the set around groove integrity and the dramatic turnarounds that make a live show memorable.

Bobby Sparks ā€” Keyboards
A colorist and catalyst whose roots in gospelā€‘jazz and modern fusion translate to Rhodes warmth, Clav bite and synthā€‘lead attitude. Sparks expands the harmonic field, shapes transitions and delivers the kind of feature moments that audiences talk about.

Gary Grainger ā€” Bass
The anchor and architect of the low end: impeccable intonation, authoritative tone and a DC/Baltimore pocket culture that fuses funk, R&B and jazz. Graingerā€™s PRS signature lineage and bandā€‘leader sensibility keep the groove deep and the lines musical.

Dennis Chambers ā€” Drums
A onceā€‘inā€‘aā€‘lifetime drummer whose backbeat authority, microā€‘timing and dynamic control set an elite standard. Chambers drives the ensemble with stadiumā€‘grade punch and studioā€‘grade precision ā€” the dropā€‘toā€‘hit moments become events.

Marketing & Positioning

  • Taglines: Funk authority, jazz freedom, rock energy. Ā· The pocket elite. Ā· Four masters, one groove.

  • Imagery: onā€‘black or colorā€‘gel portraits with instrument focus; video capture of drops/climaxes; short memberā€‘ID bumpers for socials.

  • Copy block (short): A new superā€‘band led by Pā€‘Funk legend Blackbyrd McKnight, with Bobby Sparks (keys), Gary Grainger (bass) and Dennis Chambers (drums). BlackByrds Groove Collective blends funk, jazz and rock into a highā€‘impact live show: deep pocket, fearless interplay and a finale built for standing ovations.

Technical Snapshot (for buyers)

  • Set lengths: 60/75/90 min.

  • Changeover: lean patch, short line check; IEM preferred, click optional for cues.

  • Backline: professional standard; detailed rider on request (bass/amp, drums, keys minimal list).

  • Advance: press kit, photo assets, social IDs and staging plot available upon confirmation.

Availability

European tour window: 16ā€“26 January 2026. (Additional holds on request.)

Press Excerpts

ā€œThe Making of ā€˜God Make Me Funkyā€™ by The Headhunters… became one of the mostā€‘sampled grooves ever, thanks to Herbie Hancockā€™s funky fusionists.ā€
ā€” Uncut Magazine, January 2025

ā€œThe Seventies were the building blocks for who and what I was to become. Now it’s time to fly on until I become a nebulous mist.ā€
ā€” Blackbyrd McKnight, Guitar World, November 2024

ā€œFunk master Blackbyrd McKnight, on stage with Pā€‘Funk, gets freaky with the Framus Diablo Pro.ā€
ā€” Premier Guitar, 2018

ā€œBlackbyrd McKnight is one of the greatest guitar players around.ā€
ā€” George Clinton, Premier Guitar, 2016

ā€œMcKnightā€™s guitar can become a sarod, synthesizer, melotron, and laser all at once.ā€
ā€” Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One

ā€œA jammin’ stomp of Pā€‘Funkā€™s ā€˜Tear the Roof Off the Suckerā€™… highlighted by an appearance by Funkadelic/Headhunters guitar great Blackbyrd McKnight.ā€
ā€” Los Angeles Magazine, 2025

ā€œMcKnight played a customized teal Stratocaster, squeezing out a tone so sharp and hot it could cut through steel.ā€
ā€” RIFF Magazine, 2020

ā€œMcKnight launched into a cosmological guitar solo… with tones that shredded away my shortcomings, my insecurities and my sins.ā€
ā€” The Daily Lobo, 2019

ā€œA jazzā€‘funk solo affirming that he is indeed a rock god.ā€
ā€” Eponymous Review, 2019

ā€œOne of the most epic guitar jams of all time… McKnight channeled the spirit of Eddie Hazel beautifully.ā€
ā€” Soundblab, 2018

ā€œBlackbyrd McKnight… a tenā€‘minuteā€‘plus guitarmageddon… the most ridiculously ignored player in popular music.ā€
ā€” B24/7, 2017

Blackbyrd Groove Collective ā€” Member Profiles

(Selected Credits)

A compact, promoterā€‘friendly module for press kits, oneā€‘sheets, and web pages.

DeWayne ā€œBlackbyrdā€ McKnight ā€” Guitar / Musical Director

A living architect of the Pā€‘Funk vocabulary with a rock edge and deep jazzā€‘fusion fluency. Razorā€‘cut riff design, fearless lead voice, and a producerā€™s ear for pacing and dynamics. As MD, McKnight keeps the show grooveā€‘first, tightly arranged, and built for big payoffs.

Selected credits: Parliamentā€‘Funkadelic Ā· George Clinton & Pā€‘Funk All Stars Ā· Herbie Hancock / The Headhunters Ā· Red Hot Chili Peppers Ā· Bernie Worrell.

Dennis Chambers ā€” Drums

Microā€‘timing precision, granite backbeat, and unmatched dynamic headroom. Chambers propels the band with stadiumā€‘grade punch and studioā€‘grade control; drops turn into events and unison figures stay laserā€‘tight at any BPM.

Selected credits: Parliamentā€‘Funkadelic (George Clinton) Ā· John Scofield Ā· John McLaughlin Ā· Santana Ā· Mike Stern Ā· Niacin Ā· CAB.

Bobby Sparks ā€” Keyboards

A colorist and catalyst: Rhodes/Clavinet heritage meets modern synth architecture and talkbox/leadā€‘synth attitude. Sparks expands the harmonic field, sculpts transitions, and delivers the kind of spotlight moments audiences remember.

Selected credits: Snarky Puppy Ā· Prince Ā· Marcus Miller Ā· Kirk Franklin Ā· Lalah Hathaway.

Gary Grainger ā€” Bass

The lowā€‘end anchor and architect: authoritative tone, immaculate intonation, and a DC/Baltimore pocket culture that fuses funk, R&B, and jazz. Natural melodist in counterlines, rockā€‘solid bandleader instincts, and total reliability on any stage.

Selected credits: John Scofield Ā· Pockets (Earth, Wind & Fire protĆ©gĆ© band) Ā· Acoustic Alchemy Ā· Bill Evans (sax) Ā· Luther Ingram Ā· PRS Band Ā· Grainger (Phase Iā€“III).

Notes for Buyers

  • Set formats: 60 / 75 / 90 minutes Ā· compact changeover Ā· FOHā€‘ready mix guidelines available.

  • Assets: portrait onā€‘black / colorā€‘gel imagery, short memberā€‘ID bumpers, highlight drops/closers.

  • Advancing: full tech riders and stage plot on request.

27
May, 2025
Bobby Sparks

BOBBY SPARKS II | Fusion Jazz (USA)

BOBBY SPARKS II

AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE
2025 | NOVEMBER TOUR CANCELLED

2026 | TBA

Bobby1 BOBBY SPARKS II | Fusion Jazz (USA)
Bobby1 BOBBY SPARKS II | Fusion Jazz (USA)
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Bobby Sparks II ā€“ Keys, Composer, Producer ā€“ US

A master of groove, texture, and genre fusion, Bobby Sparks II is one of the most explosive and versatile keyboardists of his generation. Known for his work with Snarky Puppy, Marcus Miller, Prince, Herbie Hancock, Kirk Franklin, Snoop Dogg, and St. Vincent, Sparks blends jazz, funk, gospel, soul, hip-hop, and cinematic sound design into a powerful and unmistakable musical voice.

His live project brings together a collective of high-caliber musicians, creating an electrifying stage experience. The music is dynamic, unpredictable, and deeply rooted in the traditions of Black American Music, while pushing boundaries with cutting-edge improvisation and production sensibility.

Bobby Sparks II’s performances have been described as orchestral and raw, mixing the lush textures of analog synths and organs with high-impact rhythm sections and searing solos. Whether itā€™s a small club or a major festival, the energy is magnetic and the musicality is second to none.

Live Line-Up

Bobby Sparks ā€“ Keys

Snarky Puppy, Prince, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Snoop Dogg, St. Vincent

Jay Mack ā€“ Bass

Erykah Badu, Kirk Franklin, Mononeon

Keith Anderson ā€“ Sax

Roy Hargrove, Marcus Miller, Kanye West, Erykah Badu

Cam ā€“ Guitar

Nile Rodgers, Musiq Soulchild

DeAnthony McGee ā€“ EWI

Snarky Puppy, Kirk Franklin

Adarian Roberts ā€“ Drums

Tye Tribbett, Kirk Franklin

Official website: https://bobbysparksmusic.com/

17
Apr, 2024
Wayne Krantz Power Trio ft. Evan Marien & Josh Dion

WAYNE KRANTZ TRIO ft. EVAN MARIEN & JOSH DION | Fusion Jazz (USA)

WAYNE KRANTZ SUGAR TRIO
ft. Evan Marien & Josh Dion

AVAILABLE IN EUROPE
2025 | MARCH

WayneKrantzPowerTrioftEvanMarienJoshDion WAYNE KRANTZ TRIO ft. EVAN MARIEN & JOSH DION | Fusion Jazz (USA)
WayneKrantzPowerTrioftEvanMarienJoshDion WAYNE KRANTZ TRIO ft. EVAN MARIEN & JOSH DION | Fusion Jazz (USA)
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Line up

Wayne Krantz | Guitar

Steely Dan, Michael Brecker, Donald Fagen, Billy Cobham, Chris Potter, David Binney, Carla Bley, Keith Carlock, Tim Lefebvre, Pino Palladino, Vinnie Colaiuta, John Patitucci, Tal Wilkenfeld, Anton Fig, Jeremy Stacey, Paul Stacey, Gabriela Anders, Kenny Wollesen, Nate Wood, Henry Hey, Owen Biddle

Josh Dion | Drums

John Scofield, Wayne Krantz, Bill Evans, Chuck Loeb, Esperanza Spalding, Lucius, Chris Thile

Evan Marien | Bass

Tigran Hamasyan, Tim Miller, Virgil Donati, Elliot Moss, Justin Brown, Allan Holdsworth, Dana Hawkins, Fredrik Thordendal, Plini, Aaron Marshall, J3PO, Cory Wong, Zac Zinger, Button Masher, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson

WAYNE KRANTZ

Wayne KrantzWayne Krantz was born in Corvallis, Oregon. He released his first album, Signals, in 1990, sporting an array of recognized jazz musicians such as Dennis Chambers, Don Alias, Anthony Jackson, and others.
In 1992, he formed a trio with bassist Lincoln Goines and drummer Zach Danziger and recorded two albums with them, Long To Be Loose (1993) and 2 Drink Minimum (1995), a live album, and began playing regularly at the 55 Bar, a jazz club in New York City. In 1996, Krantz released an acoustic album with Leni Stern, dubbed Separate Cages. After playing with Steely Dan for several years, Krantz formed a new trio in 1997 with Tim Lefebvre on bass and Keith Carlock on drums; on June 28, 2007, he played his final regular Thursday night gig at New York’s 55 Bar. As of October and November 2018, he is playing regularly at 55 Bar again with a rotating cast of sidemen.

Wayne Krantz’s first three solo albums were released on the jazz label Enja Records. His next three albums, 1999’s Greenwich Mean, 2003’s Your Basic Live, and 2007’s Your Basic Live ’06 were all released from Wayne’s private website. Like 2 Drink Minimum, these albums are excerpts of various sets at the 55 Bar. These albums also include more use of effects pedals, and are more unscripted and improvised than the previous three. He contributed to Donald Fagen’s release Morph the Cat, and toured with Fagen’s band in early 2006. He was featured on tenor saxophonist Chris Potter’s 2006 release, Underground.

Wayne Krantz signed with record label Abstract Logix to release his first studio record in over fifteen years. Krantz Carlock Lefebvre (2009) features the core trio of Krantz, Carlock on drums and Lefebvre on bass. In 2012, Krantz released Howie 61 (a reference to Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited), which includes performances by Keith Carlock, James Genus, John Patitucci, Charley Drayton, Tal Wilkenfeld, Vinnie Colaiuta, Anton Fig, Yasushi Miura, Jeremy Stacey, Paul Stacey, Pino Palladino, Gabriela Anders, Kenny Wollesen, Nate Wood, Henry Hey and Owen Biddle. In 2014, Krantz released “Good Piranha/Bad Piranha,” a live-in-the-studio album featuring his two dominant trio combinations at the time: Nate Wood/Keith Carlock and Tim Lefebvre/Nate Wood. The bands each recorded the same four cover songs with radically different improvisational results.

https://www.waynekrantz.com/

EVAN MARIEN

Evan MarienEvan Marien is an award-winning bassist, composer, producer, author, educator, and 3D artist, born and raised in the cornfields of Decatur, Illinois. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2009 and has lived in the NYC area since 2010.

Known for his collaborations with drummer Dana Hawkins, he has also performed in the bands of Tigran Hamasyan, Wayne Krantz, Tim Miller, Virgil Donati, Elliot Moss, Justin Brownā€™s NYEUSI, and was the last bassist to perform in guitar legend Allan Holdsworthā€™s band.

His latest release, ‘Elysian’ features Dana Hawkins, Tigran Hamasyan, Fredrik Thordendal, Plini, Intervals, J3PO, Tim Miller, Cory Wong, Zac Zinger, Button Masher, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson.

You can hear his bass playing on numerous albums such as Tigran Hamasyanā€™s ā€œThe Call Within,ā€ Virgil Donatiā€™s ā€œIn This Life,ā€ and ā€œRuinationā€, and Steve Huntā€™s ā€œConnectionsā€.

His playing can also be heard on the Mitski song ‘Nobody,’ for which he received a gold record for participating on the album ‘Be The Cowboy,’ as well as on the songs ‘Should’ve Been Me’ and ‘That’s Our Lamp’ from her most recent album, ‘Laurel Hellā€™.

In partnership with MadeMusicStudio, Evan has composed music for renowned brands such as AT&T, Lexus, and NPR. Most recently, he won a 2022 CLIO award for composing the sonic logo and anthem for Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

As an author, he has written numerous books about his distinctive Hexatonic method for the bass guitar, as well as created video courses describing his specialized right hand technique. His first book, ‘Transcriptions Vol. 1,’ was an Amazon Best Seller in its first week of release.

Evan is also a part-time faculty member at The New School in New York City, where he specializes in providing private lessons to the next generation of contemporary musicians.

Evan Marien is a MarkBass artist!

Evan Marien

https://www.evanmarien.com/

JOSH DION

Josh DionJosh Dion was born at the tail end of the disco funk era, when popular radio bore the sounds of Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and ‘four on the floor’ drum beats! Raised in Storrs, CT, Josh started playing his father’s drums before he even started kindergarten. He grew up playing drums to the simple and beat driven sounds of Nick Mason and Ringo Starr. He also lived across the hall from his older brother, who not only followed the Grateful Dead, but introduced him to Cream at the tender age of seven. Rightfully so, Cream, Zeppelin and the Stones led Dion to Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and beyond.

A prodigious talent, Josh started playing professionally at age eight and was invited to shed with the UConn Jazz Studies program by the time he was twelve. While he was impressing people with his percussion skills, he was playing piano and singing in his local church, developing talents which would eventually help him stand out even among the world class drummers in whose company he has now found himself.

After a stint in the music program at New Jersey’s William Paterson University, he has made New York City his home. Josh’s college days were greeted by an immersion in the Jam band scene with NYC funk band ulu, who toured the Eastern half of the US. Josh was soon noticed by jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb, who offered Josh an opportunity to be seen and heard by a whole new level of the music audience. From that platform, he has gone on to work with some of the major brand names of the music world: Candy Dulfer, Spyro Gyra, Will Lee, Pat Martino, Jeff Kashiwa, Jason Miles, Anthony Jackson, Edgar Winter, Randy Brecker, Bob James, Eric Marienthal, Til Bronner, Jim Beard, Ivan Lins and on and on.

Meanwhile, Josh Dion has been developing his solo career with the CD releases of the Josh Dion Band (www.joshdionband.net), their debut “Give Love” and the imminent “Josh Dion Band Live.” The Josh Dion Band has another studio release planned for early 2007.

“Give Love” was greeted with effusive praise by the UK’s Drummer magazine, who described it as “Brian Wilson meets Hall and Oates, with possibly Bruce Springsteen looking in and drums that sound like they were recorded at Muscle Shoals Studios. This is a collection of epic songs that build and move as songs used to in the old days when songwriters were exactly that and labels like Motown and Stax were market leadersā€¦Great voice, great drums and great, great tunesā€¦Dion is a young player that is going to create a very big impression indeed. Not only can this fella lay down a super funky beat, but he sings with a soulful voice that totally melts your mind…You are going to be hearing more from this extremely talented young musicianā€¦If there is any justice in this world, Dion will be huge.” YEAH!

Josh also enjoys nature-walking, driving, and attending history lectures.

GEAR LIST
Absolute Maple Nouveau
ABD-1518JF 18″x14″
ATT-1512J 12″x8″
AFT-1516 16″x16″
ASD-0545 14″x5.5″
MNS-1470EJ Elvin Jones Signature

https://www.yamaha.com/artists/joshdion.html

BOOKING ENQUIRY

What’s going on: https://www.coralriff.biz/events/