RAY VEGA

A native of the South Bronx, RAY VEGA is a veteran of the bands of Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Mario Bauza, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Hector LaVoe, Johnny Pacheco, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez and Louie Ramirez to name a few. Ray has now established himself as one of the innovators of the New York Jazz trumpet scene. A multi-talented trumpeter, percussionist, composer, and arranger, he presents Jazz from a refreshingly original and contemporary perspective. His two recordings on the Concord Picante label, his self-titled debut "Ray Vega", and "Boperation", along with his 1st release on the Palmetto label "Pa'lante" have been well received by critics, audiences and musicians alike. Vega's 2nd Palmetto CD "Squeeze, Squeeze" was released in Feb.2004 and has also received critical acclaim including Four Stars in Down Beat Magazine. BIO

ALEX STEWART

A jazz saxophonist and ethnomusicologist from New York City, Alex Stewart performed with many leading jazz and popular musicians before coming to Vermont in 1999. He has just returned from a nine-month Fulbright fellowship in Mexico where he was researching Afro-mestizo music on the Pacific coast. Besides jazz and African American music, his interests include Spanish language, Latin music, music copyright law, snorkeling and skiing. BIO

RICK DAVIES

is the founder and director of Jazzismo, the Summertime Jazz ensemble-in-residence program based in New York that has featured bassist Harvie Swartz, trumpeters Chocolate Armenteros and Ray Vega, and many of the finest salsa and Latin musicians. A trombonist and teacher, Davies earned his Ph.D. in jazz history from New York University. BIO

TOM CLEARY

was a finalist in the competitive Kennedy Center Jazz ambassadors program and studied jazz at Hampshire College, UMass, and UVM before becoming an accomplished educator and jazz pianist. He has taught students ranging from the elementary school to college level in schools and music programs in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont.BIO

STEVE FERRARIS

a drummer and arts educator, has performed and taught rhythm and drumming for all ages nationally and internationally since 1985. He has been involved with the New Hampshire Council on the Arts, Very Special Arts New Hampshire, Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, and UVM, among other institutions.BIO

JEFF SALISBURY

drummer, has played with Albert King and Cold Blood, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Linda Tillery, and many other artists in rhythm-and-blues and jazz. A former artistic advisor for the Discover Jazz Festival, Salisbury was commissioned by the Flynn to compose and perform original percussion quartet music in 2003.BIO

JOHN RIVERS

is an active free-lance bassist throughout the region. John is currently teaching applied Jazz bass at the University of Vermont, Johnson State College, as well as running a private teaching studio through Advance Music in Burlington, Vermont. John peforms in Garuda, Jazzismo, the Juliet McVicker Trio, and the James Harvey Two. John has performed the world over with artists including Arturo Sandoval, Othello Molineaux, Ira Sullivan, Karl Berger, Kim Pensyl and Phillip Hamilton. BIO