ysu • LATIN • nightt

 <<< featuring >>>

• Michael Spiro •• Dr. Glenn Schaft •• YSU Latin Percussion Group •  • YSU Latin Jazz  Combo •    

• March 11, 2000 • 8:00 p.m. • • Ford Theater •

 

Program:

YSU Latin Percussion Group

Bembe                                           Traditional Afro-Cuban

 Rumba Cycle                                     Traditional Afro-Cuban

      Yambu

      Guaguanco

      Rumba Columbia

Samba Batucada                    Traditional Brazilian, arr. G. Schaft

Intermission

YSU Latin Jazz Combo

 Selections to be chosen from the following:

 Slowvisor                                               Eddie Palmieri

Ladies In Mercedes                                Steve Swallow

Picadillo                                             Tito Puente

Sabor                                          Joao Donato

Pent Up House                                   Sonny Rollins

Afro Blue                                 Mongo Santamaria

Palmas                                         Eddie Palmieri

Manteca                         Dizzy Gillespie & Walter Fuller

Wes Side Stroll                                  Gary Aprile

King Jacob                                         Mitch Frohman

 

 

Latin Percussion Group Personnel:

Darren Allen - Rocky River              Jeff Booher - Willoughby

Chris Trzcinski - Euclid              Ron Coulter - Hermitage, PA

Craig Hill - Girard                                    Mike Yonchak - Masury

Paul Kunkemoeller - Cincinatti                Eric Ratica - Eastlake     

Prascilla Maynard - Diamond                   Dean Moore - Warren     

Brad Meehan - Boardman            Shane Russo - Cleveland      Scott Rauschenberg - Boardman  Aaron Smith - Bradford, PA

Craig Yarger - Bloomington, IL

 

Latin Jazz Combo Personnel:

David Evans - trumpet                    Mark Vollmer - trombone

Doug Butchy - saxophones                Shawn Pityk - piano

Kurt Kotheirmer - bass                  Jeff Booher - timbales

Craig Yarger - bongos                    Glenn Schaft - congas

 

Use of personal recording devices  is prohibited. 

This concert is being recorded by Dr. Lee Brooks of Concert Masters and compact discs are available via the order form in your program.

 

Thanks to

 Sabian Cymbals, Latin Percussion, Evans Drumheads, and for their support of Mr. Spiro's appearance and

for the door prizes for the clinic.

Joe Edwards and the Dana School of Music for the piano.

Tony Leonardi, Kent Engelhardt, and the YSU Jazz Studies Departmment for the sound system and the opportunity to direct the Latin Jazz Combo.

James Suggs and Brian Connell for running the sound.

YSU Theater Department for use of the Ford Theater.

Becky Keck for the publicity assistance.

Dr. Lee Brooks and Concert Masters for the recording.

All the students for their hard work and musicianship.

My graduate teaching assistant, Craig Yarger, for driving Michael Sprio where he needs to be - sorry it's so early.

Michael Sprio for sharing his musical expertise with us all. 

 Michael Spiro is an internationally acclaimed percussionist, recording artist, and educator, known specifically for his work in the Latin music field.  He has performed on hundreds of records, co-produced several instructional videos for Warner Bros. Publications (featuring such renowned artists as David Garibaldi, Changuito, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Ignacio Berroa), and produced seminal recordings in the Latin music genre, including, Orquesta Batachanga, Grupo Bata-Ketu, and Grupo Ilu-Ana. 

 

Mr. Spiro's formal education includes a Bachelor's Degree with Honors in Latin American Studies from the University of California, and three and a half years of graduate work in ethnomusicology at the University of Washington.  His practical education consists of a seven year apprenticeship with Francisco Aguabella and extensive study throughout Latin America.  He has studied in Cuba since 1984 with musicians such as Jose Luis Quintana "Changuito", Esteban Vega Bacallao, Daniel Diaz, and Juan Blanco of Orquesta Ritmo Oriental, Regino Jimenez, and Los Munequitos de Matansas.  In addition, in 1986 he spent two months training at G.R.E.S. Portela, the famous Escola de Samba in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

As an educator, Mr. Spriro is extremely active.  He has been a faculty member or artist in residence at the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, Mt. Holyoke, University of Massachusetts, Smith College, Wichita State University, Banff Center of the Arts, California State University at San Diego, and the Cornish Institute of the Arts, and has conducted clinics and master classes at numerous institutions throughout North America.

Mr. Spiro's recording and performing credits include such diverse artists as David Byrne, Dori Caymmi, Changuito, Alex DeGrassi, Ella Fitzgerald, David Garibaldi, Gilberto Gil, Giovanni Hidalgo, Toninho Horta, Bobby Hutcherson, Dr. John, Bobby McFerrin, Andy Narell, Ray Obiedo, Chico O'Farrill, Lazaro Ros, Carlos Santana, Shadowfax, Grace Slick, Clark Terry, McCoy Tyner, and Charlie Watts.  In addition, he has recorded soundtracks to such major motion pictures as Soapdish, Henry and June, True Stories, Walker, Eddie Macon's Run, and Dragon-The Life of Bruce Lee.

 He currently resides in San Francisco, California where he is an integral part of the Bay area music scene.  He maintains his position on the jazz faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, records and produces with groups throughout the West Coast, and is touring world-wide with his percussion trio "Talking Drums", which he co-leads with David Garibaldi and Jesus Diaz.  In 1996 his own recording, Bata-Ketu  was released on Bembe Records and is currently receiving international acclaim. 

 YSU Latin Percussion Group is directed by Dr. Glenn Schaft who is director of percussion studies at YSU.  The Latin Percussion Group is an integral part of the percussion ensemble program at YSU which also includes marimba ensembles and contemporary percussion groups.

 YSU Latin Jazz Combo was founded in the fall of 1999 and is directed by Dr. Glenn Schaft.  It is one of five jazz combos and three big bands which comprise the ensemble portion of the renowned YSU Jazz Studies Program The Latin Combo i performs music by Latin jazz masters such as Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, and Eddie Palmieri.