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October 29, 2007
Vibrations:
The Best of Western and
Afro Cuban Percussion
David Johnson
Classical Percussionist
Michito Sanchez
AFRO CUBAN PERCUSSIONIST
Bubba Jackson MODERATOR
 David
Johnson plays vibraphone, marimba and percussion
regularly with the Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, the Kim Richmond Jazz
Orchestra, the World At Peace with Yusef Lateef, pianist Roger Williams,
Dual Force, the CalArts New Century Players and XTET. He has worked with a
wide range of artists including Dave Brubeck, Mel Torme, Maureen McGovern,
Green Day, Pierre Boulez, Dean Drummond, Stephen Hartke, George Benjamin
and Mauricio Kagel.
Johnson has played in the
percussion sections of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Long Beach
Symphony, the Santa Barbara Symphony, the Cabrillo Festival, the Ojai
Festival, the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood and occasionally in
the Los Angeles television and film industry. He has performed with the
California E.A.R. Unit, the Southwest Chamber Music Society, the
Independent Composers Association, Composers Inc., Pacific Serenade and
the Philharmonic New Music Group. From 1974 to 1977 he was in residence at
Northern Illinois University with the historic Blackearth Percussion
Group. He has recorded for CRI, Opus One, Delos International, Nine Winds,
Seabreeze, K2B2, Jazz Harp, Meta YAL, Warner Brothers and New World. He
was the winner of the 1995 Percussive Arts Society composition competition
with his piece Quartz City for vibraphone soloist and percussion
quintet. He was a featured artist/clinician at the 1997 Percussive Arts
Society International Convention in Anaheim California. He has been
teaching at the CalArts since 1990.
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 Bubba
Jackson is an award
winning veteran radio and television personality and has extensive insight
and experience in the global music industry. He is a seasoned concert
producer with years of experience working with national and local artists.
Jackson's production experience includes: The African American Music
Festival, Riverside Jazz Festival, Doheny Blues Festival, Winter Blues at
the Luckman on Cal, State, L.A., Big Time Blues Festival, Juneteenth
Celebration in Long Beach, Central Avenue Jazz Festival, Los Angeles, the
Watts Towers Jazz Festival, the Old Pasadena Jazz Festival, and the Prince
Hall Shriner’s Concerts in Los Angeles, St Louis and New Orleans. Please
note the Juneteenth Celebration is a gospel festival.
His extensive on-air experience includes serving as Program Director and
Music Director for XM Satellite Radio, Jackson also contributed his
talents as guest on-air host on KPCC (pledge drives) in Pasadena, CA; KJAZ
San Francisco; KLON FM Long Beach; KADX, KBPI and KDKO plus KRMA TV and
KNBC TV in Denver and EUROJAZZ in Holland.
Mr. Jackson has received numerous awards, among them a Certificate of
Recognition for Community Service from California State Senator Diane
Watson, a Certificate of Appreciation from late Los Angeles Mayor Tom
Bradley, and Best DJ from The Jazz Corner KLON- 88.1 FM.
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 Michito
Sanchez
Michito Sanchez will never forget the day he was called to
supply percussion in sessions with both Crosby, Stills & Nash and Elton
John. Naturally all days cannot be as auspicious, but one such as that is
an indication of the caliber of musicianship Sanchez has become known for.
There have been countless musical highlights -- the Rolling Stones, Don
Was, Bruce Hornsby, Robert Palmer, Herbie Hancock, Placido Domingo, Luis
Miguel, Glenn Frey and an endless list of sessions, videos and live
performances in every genre of music.
Such success was the dream for the kid growing up in New Jersey. While the
family jam sessions during the snowy nights were rough around the edges,
music seeped into the blood of this boy. As a first generation born
American of Cuban parentage, bongos were a constant fixture in the Sanchez
household and between those and the pots and pans, the youngster was able
to cut his early musical teeth. Then after attending some bata and rumba
jam sessions, Michito was hooked.
When Sanchez enrolled in Los Angeles City College, his father knew he was
serious about music as a profession. He had hoped for a more secure
profession for his son, but that opinion never effected Michito's burning
desire to play music or his commitment to excel at it.
"I learned how to play show tunes and how, while you're still playing one
tune, you must be looking to the next chart which is about to start any
second. It was great working with dancers and being exposed to their lingo
and it was a learning experience just on how to be on the road, how to
deal with hotels, people, etc."
As soon as the job ended after two years, the phone began to ring. Sanchez
had already earned a sterling reputation that would employ him with local
bands such as Claire Fischer, Rudy Regalado & Chevere, The L.A. Salsa
Society Orchestra, Bongologic and Cecilia Noel & the Wild Clams. At the
same time, he toured for eight years with John Denver alongside Elvis'
rhythm section, guitarist James Burton and bassist Jerry Scheff. When he
left Denver in the spring of 1990, it was to join Crosby, Stills & Nash.
There have been so many memorable situations like a recent Don Was
drumless project where he worked beside Herbie Hancock and percussionists
Shiela E., Lenny Castro, Mike Fisher, Curt Bisquera and Was on bass. For
the most part, the challenge remains choosing the proper instrumentation
to provide the right sound and texture to complement the music.
Oftentimes, he's the last ingredient to be added to the musical pot and
it's his ability to choose just the right seasoning that completes the
project.
But a great percussionist never thinks just about his part. Even though
the part may consist only of a strike of a cowbell or a groove on a
shaker, Sanchez is contemplating the whole musical picture. "I love drums
and percussion, but it's really music I love," he states.
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