Album Notes

Joan Velez is an artist with a passion for jazz and latin music, he has a unique, big, sensual, and very percussive signature sound, his music is a new refreshing Experience. Born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Velez began playing drums at age 11 before migrating to Tenor Saxophone one year later. While a student at the prestigious La Escuela Libre de Música in Arecibo he started listening to artist like: Nelson Rangell, David Sanborn, Miles Davis, Ed Calle, Kirk Whalum, Grover Washington, Euge Groove, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Michael Brecker, and Paquito D’ Rivera which had the greatest impact on his playing. In 1996 enrolled at the Universidad de Interamericana de Puerto Rico with a major in jazz performance under the great teachers Ricardo Pons and Angel David Matos. In 2000, Joan Velez received the Berklee College of Music “Outstanding Musicianship” Certificate. He has performed in jazz festivals and he has shared the stage witt jazz artists such as Mike Arroyo, Angel David Matos,Nick Colionne, Travis Vega, Johannes Linstead, Ricardo Pons, Nidya Caro, Raymond Rousseu, Jimmy Rivera, Travis Vega, Glen Monroig, Chris Zamora, Nick Schneider, Bruce Oscar, Rodney Reed Zawacki, Robin Watson, Ken Champion and others

Cristian Velez was born in 1979 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. By the time he was 11 years old he start playing percussion, guitar, trumpet and bass. At 16 he became a professional musician, playing percussion, drums, and singing in local churchs and bands. A few years later, Cristian began a student of the great drummer David Rivera, professor at Univ. Interamerican of P.R.. Very influnced by the music of Giovanni Hidalgo, Airto Moreira, Cepeda Family among others. Cristian Style its just a collage of the world rhythms.