World Fusion Events Signature Artists




​A new re-designed is coming soon, in the meantime, please visit our Artist's websites for further information, or send us an e-mail: Laura@worldfusionevents.com! 

Thank you for your interest!


FLAMENCO


Jose Luis Rodriguez: Flamenco Guitarist 
​ www.joseluisdelapaz.com

 
Jose Luis de la Paz (1967) is an award-winning guitarist, recognized in all three disciplines of the Flamenco Art. He is a composer, virtuoso and performer whose original compositions range from the most traditional to the most experimental forms in flamenco music. Following the oral traditions of the form, he became the prized pupil of the legendary Mario Escudero at the age of 15.
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In 1995 he appeared in Felix Grande's book "Agenda Flamenca" as one of the best guitarists in Spain.
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He was the musical director for the Ballet Cristina Hoyos for ten years (the star of Carlos Saura’s films) and has accompanied numerous famous Flamenco singers and dancers such as, Carmen Linares, Jose Mercé, Arcángel, El Pele, Argentina, Manolo Marin, Pastora Galván, Isabel Bayón, Antonio Canales, Farruquito, Concha Buika and Belen Maya among others.
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Additionally, he recently collaborated with the LA Philharmonic and Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, under the artistic direction of Siudy Garrido Company in “El Amor Brujo.”
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In 2015, Jose Luis debuted a piece of musical history at the Miami Dade Auditorium entitled "Avalon: Suite for Flamenco Guitar and Orchestra,” in collaboration with Alex Conde(arrangements/orchestration). This work is the first of its kind composed in the US by Spanish artists with a national and international cast.
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In 2016 he released his newly remastered CD "Escenas de Yerma" originally commissioned by Ballet Andaluz and Ballet Cristina Hoyos and performed live throughout Europe and Japan. That same year, he was nominated for the US Artist Fellowship. 
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Jose Luis is currently working on the Soundtrack for the movie "Finding Compás" by Kathy Douglas and he is finishing a new cd of Sephardic music and flamenco guitar for Susana Behar (singer).
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He will interpret the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra in November 2017 and will be touring with the Florida Symphony Orchestra and Siudy Garrido in “El Amor Brujo.”
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Jose Luis is co-founder with Niurca Marquez (choreographer/dancer) of Nu Flamenco Collaborative, an organization that aims to introduce US audiences to the cultural heritage of flamenco and its emerging artistic expressions.
 
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JAZZ


Francesco Cataldo
www.francescocataldo.eu

         The Francesco Cataldo Quintet has toured with some Jazz greats in Europe and this will be his touring debut in the United States.
Francesco Cataldo was recently singled out by Jazzwise as “a musician of great sensitivity, a prolific composer whose work is heavily influenced by life in the Mediterranean.”

In 2012 he recorded "Spaces" (AlfaMusic) at Sear Sound Studios in New York. For this New York session, Cataldo was joined by bassist Scott Colley, alto saxophonist David Binney, pianist Salvatore Bonafede, drummer Clarence Penn, cellist Erik Friedlander, who blended seamlessly into the spirit of the leader’s compositions.  On April 2014 Francesco was joined on stage by pianist Kenny Werner for “Spaces” launch tour in Italy.

Francesco Cataldo is a triple threat handling guitars, compositions and arrangements. The diversity in Cataldo's compositions are striking and his artistic voice is one of those rare moments when an artist is playing from somewhere far deeper than their soul.
The well-conceived and richly delivered debut album underlines the creative forces that push the music ahead into new territory. There is a strong suggestion of the ECM aesthetic in the pacing and sound of this disc but in generally has a warmer and livelier feel that that. The set mixes calm beauty and rhythmic muscle for compelling music.

“Spaces” includes 13 tunes, some inspired by Italy’s stunning cities (Rome, Perugia, Siracusa and its old city, Ortigia), lovely melodies (Algerian Waltz, Your Silence -  a Cataldo solo, Tourist in My Town), and the title track, the longest piece and so intimate the musicians seem to be addressing the listener, as well as each other.

Francesco Cataldo's name appears in "Italian Jazz Dictionary" (Flavio Caprera, Feltrinelli 2014).
The magazine "Musica Jazz" included Francesco Cataldo Quintet in the list of Top Jazz Groups 2014.
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“…The CD’s stretched notes, aerial atmosphere and preference for moods over beats and rhythms point to the ECM aesthetic…” Downbeat Magazine



Beverly Ritz: Solo Jazz Pianist
www.ritzymusic.com

       Beverly Ritz is a highly respected pianist, composer, and recording artist. Born in Washington, D.C., she grew up listening to beautiful music. When her father drove her to school, she was inundated with the sounds of classical music. In the house, her mother listened to the songs of Jobim and Mancini on popular radio. Beverly began to write down the music she heard in her head even before starting piano lessons at the age of 8. By the time she was in 3rd grade, Ritz realized she had a God-given mission to write, record, and perform music that would transform the moods and lives of its listeners.
 
Beverly's recording, BY ROWDY CREEK, was endorsed by Jessica Williams, George Kahn, and Tim Merritt. Along with George Cables' album, it was chosen as one of the top 25 CDs of 2007 by www.Indie-Music.com. It was the first Ritz recording to get airplay on NPR stations.
 
The 2009 release, LACEY MAE, set a record for airplay with all nine tracks broadcast on "Saturday Night Jazz" in 9 weeks on KMHD in Portland, Oregon!! The album--with liner notes by jazz critic Scott Yanow--continues to receive airplay on NPR and jazz stations across the USA.
 
BUDDY AND ME, Beverly's 2013 release, allowed Beverly to achieve goals she set for herself as a child--hearing her music on the radio countless times.
 
BLUES FOR DJANGO, the 2016 album, has been named one of the top 15 CDs of the year by renowned jazz critic Luis Raul Montell of The Jazz Global Beat.
 
Her reputation as a recording artist has opened the doors to many prestigious music venues, including: The Performing Arts Center in Newport, Oregon, The Lincoln City Cultural Center, The Inn at Otter Crest & Café Mundo in Oregon, and The Eureka Inn and Patrick Creek Lodge in Northern California.
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Ralph Peterson: Jazz Drummer 
www.ralphpetersonmusic.com

 Ralph Peterson plays Drums with all bands except the Generation Next Big Band which he plays Trumpet.

  • Aggregate Prime
  • Messenger Legacy
  • Triangular (Ralph Peterson Trio)
  • The Fo’tet
  • The PAC Quartet
  • The Sextet
  • The Unity Project
  • Generation Next Big Band (Ralph plays trumpet with this group)

Ralph Peterson Jr. is an American jazz drummer and bandleader.
Four of Peterson's uncles and his grandfather were drummers. Peterson himself began on percussion at age three. He was raised in Pleasantville, where he played trumpet at Pleasantville High School and worked locally in funk groups. He applied to Livingston College and Rutgers to study drums, but he failed the percussion entrance exam and enrolled as a trumpeter instead, graduating in 1984.

In 1983, he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers as the second drummer, playing with him for several years. He worked with Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison in 1984 and with Walter Davis (1985, 1989), Tom Harrell (1985), Out of the Blue (1985–88), Branford Marsalis (1986), David Murray, Craig Harris (1987), James Spaulding (1988), Roy Hargrove (1989), Jon Faddis (1989), Dewey Redman and Mark Helias (1989), and Wynton Marsalis (with the Count Basie ghost band).

During the 1990s, Peterson played as a sideman with Jack Walrath, Craig Handy, Charles Lloyd, Kip Hanrahan (1992), Bheki Mseleku, Courtney Pine, Steve Coleman, George Colligan, Stanley Cowell, Mark Shim, and Betty Carter. He began recording as a leader around 1988, with a quintet V, or Volition, with Terence Blanchard, Steve Wilson, Geri Allen, and Phil Bowler. He also worked with Allen and Bowler as a trio in Triangular; Essiet Essiet replaced Bowler for their 1988 recording. In 1989 he recorded in quartet format as Fo'tet with Don Byron, Steve Wilson (later Bobby Franchesini), Melissa Slocum (later Belden Bullock), and Bryan Carrott. After living in Canada for some time, he returned to Philadelphia, where he worked with Fo'Tet and recorded as Triangular Too with Slocum and Uri Caine. He also led the group Hip Pocket, with whom he played trumpet.

Peterson currently teaches at Berklee College of Music in Boston and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.



 
CONTEMPORARY JAZZ

Rob Tardik
www.robtardik.com

In a career spanning over two decades, Canadian artist Rob Tardik has established himself as a multi-award winning guitarist and contemporary jazz/world instrumental music artist. He has performed at venues across North America, including the prestigious Glenn Gould Theatre in Toronto. Rob enjoyed a stellar release with his 2011/12 3rd CD release Balance, Energy, Laughter, Love (B.E.L.L.) which spawned 3 U.S Billboard singles two of which went Top 10. Rob was featured on the cover story for the Oct/Nov 2012 issue of Smooth Jazz News Magazine and his single “Christmas Morning” was Billboard’s most added holiday track in 2012. B.E.L.L. also made the top 50 list of 2012 on SmoothJazz.com coming in at #15 and was a top 10 album (#6) in Smooth Jazz News Magazine, 2011. Café Jazz Radio named Rob the #1 Canadian Smooth Jazz Artist for 2011 and B.E.L.L. its #1 CD for 2011 and “East Meets Wes” the #1 single of the year.
 
Rob recently placed 1st overall in the instrumental category in the prestigious 2017 IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards), for his acoustic fingerstyle song titled “Voyageur” off his Moments album. He has finished working on his upcoming 6th album SYNERGY, which is now available starting November 2017, with the first title track single debuting as the #1 added track on the Billboard contemporary jazz charts. His 2016 holiday track “Christmas Moments” and his sultry fall romantic single, “Eros” (Passion) both debuted as one of the most added tracks on the Billboard U.S Smooth Jazz charts, from his 5th Album “Moments” released in November 2015.
 
Rob’s earlier two singles in 2016, “Right of Passage” and “Hang Time” were the #1 most added new tracks on the Billboard Smooth Jazz charts. Rob released his 4th studio CD “Limitless” at the end of summer 2013. His first single “One World” went to #1 on the charts for 3 weeks in summer/fall 2013. In 2010, Rob won the prestigious Canadian Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the Year; and held the #1 spot on the U.S.-based, Music Choice Contemporary Jazz charts for 4 weeks in Sept/Oct 2010. Rob is currently on the guitar faculty at Centennial College, Metal Works Institute, and the Merriam School of Music and studied music at York University in Toronto. He has worked for Roland Canada as a guitar product specialist. Rob also holds diplomas in Recording Engineering from TRW and in Media Arts from Humber College. Rob has also been honoured, being named Mississauga’s 2007 “Established Performer of the Year”, and nominated again in 2016, and 2017. This award was previously won by Oscar Peterson and Rik Emmett. Rob is currently endorsed by Godin Guitars, Roland Canada and D’Addario Music.
 
 


LATIN JAZZ

THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC PROGRAM 
 
THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC SERIES FOR CHILDREN
Fosters friendship and dialogue through dance, music, stories and the arts from various Latin countries and neighbors from other countries – in short, a cultural collaboration! The exchanges bring people and cultures closer together. Also, the Children’s Language of Music Series opens doors to music and culture by bringing together the best art teachers for a fascinating learning experience. Our programs can be tailored for Pre-school age to High School students.
 
THE LANGUAGE OF LATIN JAZZ – A CULTURAL AND MUSICAL DIALOGUE
Aims to produce educational events in domestic and international markets that expose people to the roots of Latin American art, culture and music. The Language of Latin Jazz Series encourages business development and partnerships through music, the arts, cuisine, beverages and marketplaces based on rhythms and influences from the Caribbean and the East and West Coasts.
 
SIGNATURE BAND
The Language of Latin Jazz Band features a rotating cast of world-class musicians from the U.S. and points in between.  They are highly respected first call musicians who are recognized domestically and internationally for their contributions to Latin Jazz and Latin music. The upcoming recording by the Fusion All-Stars will be a collaborative effort and features the music of pianist Zaccai Curtis.
 
FUSION MARKETPLACE
Our fun and exciting short-term shopping experience is a vibrant cultural marketplace that focuses on carefully curated purveyors of the most exceptional goods and the experience of shopping experience of Latin America.










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