Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco

Saturday, August 13, 2011 | Castellano Latin Stage | 12pm

According to Mary Ellen Hunt of the San Francisco Chronicle, the group is “Far from a kiddie show...[this] group of about 15 young musicians, who range in age from 10 to 18 years old, displays a serious professionalism.” Founded in 2001 by Bay Area bandleader and San Francisco State University faculty member John Calloway, along with Arturo Riera and Sylvia Ramirez, LJYE’s mission is to preserve the traditions of Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban music by teaching it to youth and to create role models for aspiring student musicians.

The group’s repertoire features Latin jazz classics and original compositions at a level that has landed them gigs at the KCSM Jazz Festival, KGO Radio, Yerba Buena Gardens, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the world-renowned jazz club, Yoshi’s. LJYE has shared the stage with legendary performers such as the great Cuban bassist, Cachao, piano virtuoso Chuchito Valdes, Latin jazz heavyweights Poncho Sanchez and Clare Fischer; and the Grammy Award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra. LJYE was chosen as one of the top youth bands in Northern California in the 2004 YouthQuake competition and won First Place (Youth Music) in Carnaval San Francisco in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. The Ensemble is honored to be Youth Artists-in-Residence at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens Festival since 2005. In 2006 they released the CD LJYE – Live at Yoshi’s, and in 2010 brought out Generaciones featuring the legendary percussionist Armando Peraza.

ljye.com