Born in Kozani, Greece, Christos Rafalides can't remember a time when he wasn't surrounded by music. The influence of his older brother led him to the piano at the age of seven. He began his studies in classical percussion at the age of fourteen, and by the time he was twenty he was working with some of the best Orchestras in Greece. Christos believed he would continue his career as a classical percussionist, until one evening when he heard pianist George Cables with the group of Billy Cobham, “here was this guy, playing with his shoes off, conveying so much feeling through his instrument... I knew I wanted to be able to express myself like that." From that moment, Christos knew he would be a jazz musician.
Christos found his personal voice as a player and composer when he established 'Manhattan Vibes', a jazz group with a modern sound, which revealed his developing affinity for Latin and other world music. The group's eponymously titled CD featured the talents of Grammy award winner John Benitez on bass and Steve Hass on drums, two of the most respected young players on the contemporary music scene. The legendary trumpeter Randy Brecker also appears as a special guest. In Jazz Times' magazine's 2002 Year In Review issue, the recording was held as, "...one of the top-ten jazz recordings of 2002".
Recent highlights include a performance as featured soloist with the Orchestra of Colours, performing Thanos Mikroutsikos' ‘Music Stories’ at the Athens Concert Hall; appearing, along with Mike Stern and Dave Weckl, on George Fakanas' critically acclaimed ‘Domino’ CD; featured soloist with Maria Farantouri (Athens Festival) at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus; adding his vibraphone and marimba textures to the recent recordings of vocalists Chaka Khan, Christy Baron, Italian pop artist Jovanotti, Greek singer-songwriter Alkinoos Ioannidis. He also played on the soundtrack of Michaels Moore’s latest film ‘Capitalism, a love story’.
His latest collaboration with Greece’s legendary composer Mimis Plessas led to the release of two projects, both based on Plessas’ music from the 60s: the album ‘Ηχώ/Echo: the music of Mimis Plessas’ (Emarel Music) featuring Evi Siamanda on vocals and the soon-to-be released duo recording ‘We Two’ (Emarel Music) featuring Mimis Plessas on piano and Christos on vibraphone. He also collaborated with pianist Sergio Salvatore in a duo recording entitled ‘Dark Sand’. Salvatore and Rafalides began playing together in 2007, and have gone on to travel throughout the United States with notable performances at New York's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
Whether in the studio or in concert, Christos continues to maintain a busy schedule. Recent highlights include the debut of his new band ‘Jazz Mediterraneo’ and a United States tour with renowned Italian artist Jovanotti.
Photo by Alexandros Lambrovassilis
Christos Rafalides - Vibes
Sergio Salvatore - Piano
Since he began recording at the remarkable age of 11, Sergio Salvatore's superb musicianship has led to recordings that have featured such notable players as Chick Corea, Michael & Randy Brecker, Gary Burton, Jay Anderson, Danny Gottlieb and William Kennedy, and shows with - among others - Gary Burton, Dave Grusin, Delfeayo Marsalis, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, and Grover Washington, Jr.
Sergio began playing at a very early age and was performing in public by the time he was four. His father, Luciano Salvatore, is a music teacher who majored in classical piano at Boston University and the Berklee College of Music. After teaching at Berklee for five years, Luciano created his own music school North Jersey Music Labs, which specializes in teaching improvisation. It wasn't long before Sergio became his father's star pupil.
Early in 1992, a home video of one of Sergio's performances came to the attention of the Director of A&R at GRP Records. A live audition at the Salvatore household followed soon after resulting in the recording of Sergio's self-titled debut album for the label, cutting seven original tunes and receiving critically-favorable response to the record.
The 1994 follow-up on GRP, Tune Up, included compositions by Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Wayne Shorter, and Chick Corea and led to appearances with the American Jazz Philharmonic and to performances in Japan, Italy, Canada and at selected venues in the U.S. including Carnegie Hall and the Ravinia Jazz Festival. In 1996, Sergio recorded Always A Beginning, an all-acoustic album for Concord Jazz Records that featured his keyboard artistry in a trio setting, alongside bassist John Patitucci and drummer Peter Erskine. Subsequently, Always A Beginning was selected as one of JazzTimes magazine's favorite albums of the year.
Following his relationship with Concord Records, Sergio joined the roster of N2K Encoded Music, a New York based media/technology company focusing on music and the Internet. There he recorded his first decidedly contemporary jazz recording produced by Chuck Loeb and including veterans Steve Gadd (drums), Will Lee (bass), John Patitucci (bass), Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), Bob Mintzer (soprano saxophone), and David Charles (percussion).
In 2008, Salvatore released Dark Sand, a duet project with virtuoso vibraphonist Christos Rafalides to critial acclaim from major jazz press including Downbeat, JazzTimes, and AllAboutJazz.
In addition to performing frequently with Mr. Rafalides throughout the world, Sergio has been writing music for a variety of settings including solo piano, trio, and quintet. Mr. Salvatore also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusettes.
Photo by Alexandros Lambrovassilis
Sergio began playing at a very early age and was performing in public by the time he was four. His father, Luciano Salvatore, is a music teacher who majored in classical piano at Boston University and the Berklee College of Music. After teaching at Berklee for five years, Luciano created his own music school North Jersey Music Labs, which specializes in teaching improvisation. It wasn't long before Sergio became his father's star pupil.
Early in 1992, a home video of one of Sergio's performances came to the attention of the Director of A&R at GRP Records. A live audition at the Salvatore household followed soon after resulting in the recording of Sergio's self-titled debut album for the label, cutting seven original tunes and receiving critically-favorable response to the record.
The 1994 follow-up on GRP, Tune Up, included compositions by Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Wayne Shorter, and Chick Corea and led to appearances with the American Jazz Philharmonic and to performances in Japan, Italy, Canada and at selected venues in the U.S. including Carnegie Hall and the Ravinia Jazz Festival. In 1996, Sergio recorded Always A Beginning, an all-acoustic album for Concord Jazz Records that featured his keyboard artistry in a trio setting, alongside bassist John Patitucci and drummer Peter Erskine. Subsequently, Always A Beginning was selected as one of JazzTimes magazine's favorite albums of the year.
Following his relationship with Concord Records, Sergio joined the roster of N2K Encoded Music, a New York based media/technology company focusing on music and the Internet. There he recorded his first decidedly contemporary jazz recording produced by Chuck Loeb and including veterans Steve Gadd (drums), Will Lee (bass), John Patitucci (bass), Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), Bob Mintzer (soprano saxophone), and David Charles (percussion).
In 2008, Salvatore released Dark Sand, a duet project with virtuoso vibraphonist Christos Rafalides to critial acclaim from major jazz press including Downbeat, JazzTimes, and AllAboutJazz.
In addition to performing frequently with Mr. Rafalides throughout the world, Sergio has been writing music for a variety of settings including solo piano, trio, and quintet. Mr. Salvatore also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusettes.
Photo by Alexandros Lambrovassilis
Mike Pope - Bass
I was born in Bowling Green, OH in 1970. My parents, David and Ann Pope, are both musicians of an unusually high caliber. Saturday mornings often found me lying half awake in bed listening to my dad tear through the Liszt b minor Sonata or a Rachmaninoff Etude Tableau with true world-class skill. Watching my mother walk to the piano after returning home from a movie to play her favorite song from the score she’d just heard for the first time was just part of the routine. Discussions of the key of a piece on the radio, or complaints of turntables running sharp were regular occurrences in the car on the way to the music building where they taught. And no, they weren’t checking the pitch against anything…except their ears.
I started playing piano as soon as I could reach the keyboard. It was a central part of life in our house, as it is now in mine. But as a young musician I always had a thing for bass lines. Any time I picked a song out of the ether and wanted to play it on the piano I wound up playing a melody and a chord tone or two in my right hand, and an active bass line that sort of acted like counterpoint in my left. My parents, being musically alert, suggested maybe I’d be a bass player. After hearing more electric bass oriented music like Pat Metheny and Weather Report and started picking out bass lines and playing them on an acoustic guitar I had around the house. My brother Dave and I used to play Metheny tunes together on two classical guitars. Ultimately, at age 11, I convinced my dad to buy me a bass.
My first teacher, Jeff Halsey, is one of the most fundamentally important influences in my development. What I learned from him at that point in my life was exactly what I needed to learn. There’s no question in my mind that I wouldn’t understand what being a bass player is as well as I do had it not been for Jeff. He encouraged me to play acoustic bass and got me swinging. While studying with him I started playing with the Bowling Green State University Lab Band. I was only 15 years old and it was a great opportunity and challenge.
Around 1997 I met a couple of bass guitar builders named Vinny Fodera and Joey Lauricella that went by the company name, Fodera Guitars. They are, in my opinion, the best bass guitars made. I ended up doing OEM electronic work for them. I designed and started manufacturing the Fodera internal preamplifier which became a standard item in Fodera basses starting around 1998. Over the years I’ve grown in that area and have started my own line of products under the company name, Michael Pope Design which includes some ultra high performance outboard bass preamplifiers. I continue to do custom work as well as design work for Fodera, who remains my only OEM client.
Since moving here. I’ve continued to tour and play locally as well as in NYC on both electric and acoustic bass. I’ve also built a studio in my house for doing my own projects as well as small production projects for others. I do remote recording there on both electric and acoustic bass. I teach some and am anxious to do some online lessons as well.
Photo by Alexandros Lambrovassilis
I started playing piano as soon as I could reach the keyboard. It was a central part of life in our house, as it is now in mine. But as a young musician I always had a thing for bass lines. Any time I picked a song out of the ether and wanted to play it on the piano I wound up playing a melody and a chord tone or two in my right hand, and an active bass line that sort of acted like counterpoint in my left. My parents, being musically alert, suggested maybe I’d be a bass player. After hearing more electric bass oriented music like Pat Metheny and Weather Report and started picking out bass lines and playing them on an acoustic guitar I had around the house. My brother Dave and I used to play Metheny tunes together on two classical guitars. Ultimately, at age 11, I convinced my dad to buy me a bass.
My first teacher, Jeff Halsey, is one of the most fundamentally important influences in my development. What I learned from him at that point in my life was exactly what I needed to learn. There’s no question in my mind that I wouldn’t understand what being a bass player is as well as I do had it not been for Jeff. He encouraged me to play acoustic bass and got me swinging. While studying with him I started playing with the Bowling Green State University Lab Band. I was only 15 years old and it was a great opportunity and challenge.
Around 1997 I met a couple of bass guitar builders named Vinny Fodera and Joey Lauricella that went by the company name, Fodera Guitars. They are, in my opinion, the best bass guitars made. I ended up doing OEM electronic work for them. I designed and started manufacturing the Fodera internal preamplifier which became a standard item in Fodera basses starting around 1998. Over the years I’ve grown in that area and have started my own line of products under the company name, Michael Pope Design which includes some ultra high performance outboard bass preamplifiers. I continue to do custom work as well as design work for Fodera, who remains my only OEM client.
Since moving here. I’ve continued to tour and play locally as well as in NYC on both electric and acoustic bass. I’ve also built a studio in my house for doing my own projects as well as small production projects for others. I do remote recording there on both electric and acoustic bass. I teach some and am anxious to do some online lessons as well.
Photo by Alexandros Lambrovassilis
Vince Cherico - Drums
Vince Cherico is a dedicated musician and drummer performing in many musical styles and situations, especially Jazz, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music.
From 1995 - 2006 he was the drummer for the late Ray Barretto and his “New World Spirit” Sextet. There, Vince developed his reputation in Latin Jazz while touring the world, recording six CD’s and earning two Grammy nominations.
In 1998, Vince first performed with The Caribbean Jazz Project, which began lasting musical associations with both Paquito D’Rivera and Dave Samuels. Vince performs periodically with Paquito D’Rivera’s Quintet and from 2006 to the present; Vince has played with Dave Samuels and The Caribbean Jazz Project.
In 2004, Vince was picked to be the drummer for the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s, Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and soon recorded the CD “Una Noche Inolvidable” which received a Grammy nomination. Two years later Vince recorded the CD, “Song For Chico” and won the 2008 Grammy Award for “Best Latin Jazz Album”.
From 2008 - 2009 Vince was featured with the Dee Dee Bridgewater Quintet, touring and performing many concerts with highlights at Carnegie Hall, the “main stage” at the 2009 Monterey Jazz Festival and a feature NPR broadcasted performance live at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
Vince recently recorded with the legendary Manhattan Transfer on their newest CD: “The Chick Corea Songbook” on the song "The Story of Anna & Armando (Armando's Rhumba)".
Vince received another Grammy nomination in 2009 for the CD “Things I Wanted To Do” with Chembo Corniel. Vince has also recently performed or recorded with Claudia Acuna, Eric Alexander, Randy Brecker, Ray Bryant, Joe Lovano, Filo Machado, Eddie Palmieri, Arturo O’Farrill, Cristina Pato, David Sanchez, Diane Schuur and pop artist Jessica Simpson.
Vince tours and performs worldwide but is also a passionate educator and clinician. He has taught and given Master classes around the United States from New York to Alaska, as well as in Europe, Mexico, South America and Asia. Vince is a faculty member of the famous Drummers Collective and Queens College Jazz Program and teaches privately in his own Manhattan studio.
When at home in New York City, Vince can be seen Sunday nights with the Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra at the famed Birdland Jazz Club.
Photo by Alexandros Lambrovassilis
From 1995 - 2006 he was the drummer for the late Ray Barretto and his “New World Spirit” Sextet. There, Vince developed his reputation in Latin Jazz while touring the world, recording six CD’s and earning two Grammy nominations.
In 1998, Vince first performed with The Caribbean Jazz Project, which began lasting musical associations with both Paquito D’Rivera and Dave Samuels. Vince performs periodically with Paquito D’Rivera’s Quintet and from 2006 to the present; Vince has played with Dave Samuels and The Caribbean Jazz Project.
In 2004, Vince was picked to be the drummer for the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s, Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and soon recorded the CD “Una Noche Inolvidable” which received a Grammy nomination. Two years later Vince recorded the CD, “Song For Chico” and won the 2008 Grammy Award for “Best Latin Jazz Album”.
From 2008 - 2009 Vince was featured with the Dee Dee Bridgewater Quintet, touring and performing many concerts with highlights at Carnegie Hall, the “main stage” at the 2009 Monterey Jazz Festival and a feature NPR broadcasted performance live at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
Vince recently recorded with the legendary Manhattan Transfer on their newest CD: “The Chick Corea Songbook” on the song "The Story of Anna & Armando (Armando's Rhumba)".
Vince received another Grammy nomination in 2009 for the CD “Things I Wanted To Do” with Chembo Corniel. Vince has also recently performed or recorded with Claudia Acuna, Eric Alexander, Randy Brecker, Ray Bryant, Joe Lovano, Filo Machado, Eddie Palmieri, Arturo O’Farrill, Cristina Pato, David Sanchez, Diane Schuur and pop artist Jessica Simpson.
Vince tours and performs worldwide but is also a passionate educator and clinician. He has taught and given Master classes around the United States from New York to Alaska, as well as in Europe, Mexico, South America and Asia. Vince is a faculty member of the famous Drummers Collective and Queens College Jazz Program and teaches privately in his own Manhattan studio.
When at home in New York City, Vince can be seen Sunday nights with the Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra at the famed Birdland Jazz Club.
Photo by Alexandros Lambrovassilis
