Dr. Walter Barr- Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Arranger
Bringing many years of performance experience to Ritmo Latino, Walter’s performances credentials include work with Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Dizzy Gillespie, Gladys Knight, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Terence Blanchard, Wynton Marsalis, Henry Mancini, Marvin Gaye, Lou Rawls, Dave Brubeck, Johnny Mathis plus many others. Walter is a Bach Trumpet/Artist clinician and is a Professor Emeritus at The Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Fransisco Mejias – Congas, Bata, Coro
Fransisco Mejias, hailing originally from Santurce, Puerto Rico, enjoys the reputation of being one of the Nation’s top congeros and latin orquesta leaders. His performance credentials include work with the renowned Dizzy Gillespie, pianist Clare Fischer, salsa artist Tito Nieves, Gato Barbieri, Eddie Santiago, the late great Pete El Conde Rodriquez. plus many others. Francisco is the leader of Conjunto Colores, Colorado’s most popular Salsa Band.
Gonzalo Teppa – Double Bass
Hailing from Lara, Venezuela, Gonzalo Teppas brings amozing performance experience to Ritmo Jazz Latino. His performance credentials include work with Slide Hampton, Dave and Don Grusin, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Chris Potter, Conrad Herwif, John Von Ohlen, Ron Miles and many others. In addition to his jazz performance background, Mr. Teppas also has extensive international orchestral performance experience. Currently he serves as an adjunct teaching professor at both the University of Wyoming and Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Cristine Barbosa – Vocalist, Pianist, Composer
Cristine Barbosa’s unique vocal stylings in English, Spanish and Portuguese have made her one of the most sought-after performers in the Southwest. She has shared the stage with Eddie Palmieri, Gato Barbieri, Luciana Souza, and has been a featured artist at Aspen Jazz, the St. Lucia Jazz Festival, the Santa Fe Jazz Festival, Taste of Colorado, and the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Early in her career, Cristine assembled a top-notch Latin-Jazz/Salsa group, touring Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Howard Hernandez – Timbalero, Latin Percussionist
A 1996 graduate of the prestigious La Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana, Cuba, timbalero Howard Hernandez has toured throughout Latin America with some of the world’s finest salsa groups. Of special note is his work with the highly popular Los Conquistadores de la Salsa and La Orquesta Camaguey. Howard relocated to the U.S. in 2001 and has been the mainstay timbalero for the popular salsa group, Conjunto Colores.
Justin Adams – Keyboards
Justin Adams, pianist extraordinaire holds degrees in Music Performance from The Metropolitan State University of Denver and Master or Music in Jazz Performance from the University of Denver. For the past 16 years he has served as musical director for jazz vocalist Lanny Garret and has also performed with famed Brazilian trumpeter Claudio Roditi, NEA Jazz Master / Cuban Jazz Legend Candido Camaro, Ron Miles, Don Byron, Joan Rivers, Ann Hampton Calloway, Wayne Newton, and Jos Piscopo. Justin teaches jazz piano at Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado at Denver.
Dr. Peter Ellingston – Keyboards & Percusssion
Dr. Peter Ellingson currently serves as Senior Instructor of Music Performance at the University of Colorado Denver where he established and directs Voz de la Clave, a salsa and Latin-jazz ensemble. With a unique background as both a percussionist and jazz pianist/composer Pete has performed with Brian Lynch, Wayne Wallace, Luis Conte, Jerry Gonzales , and Michael Spiro. His jazz and Afro-Cuban compositions can be heard on the Manuel Lopez Trio release, Searching Out.