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For immediate release
AFRO LATIN JAZZ BIG BAND WORKSHOPS AND MORE. Latin Jazz artist Bobby Matos receives Artist in Residence Grant

For the Second year in a row, LifeForce Jazz recording artist and Latin jazz icon Bobby Matos has been awarded an "Artist In Residence" grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. Matos will be balancing his busy performing and touring schedule to lead an "Afro Latin Jazz Workshop Band" in a series of FREE weekly workshops and rehearsals hosted by the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood.

The purpose of the Afro Latin Jazz Workshop residency project is to addresses the misinformation and lack of education about the Latin jazz genre, one of the most important and vibrant forms of jazz today. "We're aiming at those musicians who trained in High School and College jazz bands, and never got the grounding in Latin jazz," says Matos. "Of course, we're accepting other musicians that have the desire to play Latin jazz."

The audition (and orientation) process begins on Saturday, October.11 at 11 AM at The Musician’s Institute, 6752 Hollywood Blvd).(street parking accessible) Students with a letter of recommendation from their school band director will not have to audition, but they should come to the orientation (with their letter).The basic requirement is competency on any instrument and the ability to learn and play band arrangements, fax recommendation letters to (323) 662-3750.

The Saturday classes have 3 components. The first focuses on the important functions of the Afro Cuban percussion section. The second clarifies the rhythmic figures that are the "keys" to unlocking the "codes" of Latin music for all instrumentalists. It will also give students a historical perspective by screening video performances of many of the masters of the genre. The third section is devoted to learning and rehearsing classic latin jazz arrangements by these same masters.

The project schedules 15 weekly workshops and rehearsals and 2 performances in Los Angeles community venues. Interested students can contact Bobby Matos at 213 273 8332 or email bobbymatos@hotmail.com

Bobby Matos is an award winning Latin jazz artist who performs frequently with his Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble. This year, in addition to performing at many venues in southern California (including LACMA, the Levitt Pavillion, and more), they will also be playing at the San Jose Jazz festival (San Jose, CA) , the Barranquijazz Festival (Barranquilla and Medellin, Colombia) and venues in Montana, Connecticut, and New York.

He follows 6 critically acclaimed CDs for the Ubiquity/Cubop label with 4 groundbreaking releases for LifeForce Jazz. His latest recording, "Gratitude" is in stores and online. "Gratitude" features a wide range of Latin jazz sounds that reflect influences from Cuban Charanga to John Coltrane. The members of the ensemble contribute 8 originals reflecting inspiration from their families and their musical heroes. There is also a thoroughly latinized version of an old standard that becomes a danzon-mambo, and 3 classic tunes from Miles Davis, Tito Puente, and NY Charanga hero, Lou Perez.

Bobby Matos endorses, and uses LP timbales, congas, cowbells, Paiste cymbals, and Remo drumheads exclusively.

Musicians Institute, the world’s most innovative school of contemporary music and recording, offers degree and certificate programs in performance (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, voice), audio engineering, music business, independent artist development, music video & film and guitar design, construction and maintenance.

Musicians Institute has been an accredited member institution of the National Association of Schools of Music (www.arts-accredit.org) since 1981 and is licensed to operate in the State of California by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

These workshops and concerts are made possible in part by
a grant from The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of
Los Angeles ####CONTACT: Bobby Matos bobbymatos@hotmail.com or tel: 213 273 8332

Bobby Matos “Gratitude” (LifeForce Jazz)

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