Chabot College Jazz Department Presents their May 19th Salsa Concert, with Grammy Award-Winning Trombonist, Francisco Torres, as Guest Artist. Featuring Chabot College Jazz Ensemble and Even Swing Jazz Orchestra (dir. Jon Palacio Jr.) and special guests, Moreau Catholic High School Jazz Ensemble (dir. Ted Newton)

About our Guest Artist: Francisco Torres is a trombonist, arranger, composer, and educator who hails from the state of Sonora, Mexico. He is the musical director for the legendary Poncho Sanchez and a member of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, John Beasley’s Monkestra, and the Clare Fischer Big Band. He has been a part of several Grammy winning records including Latin Soul (Poncho Sanchez), ¡Ritmo! (Clare Fischer), That’s How We Roll and Life in the Bubble (Gordon Goodwin). For the past several years, he has produced several Poncho Sanchez albums, earning five Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations for Best Latin Jazz Album.

As a sideman Francisco’s album credits include Pitbull, Frank Ocean, Michael Bublé, Ray Charles, The All-American Rejects, Jennifer Lopez, David Bowie, Robbie Williams, Brian Setzer, Ricky Martin, Los Lobos, Spoon, Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Eminem, Jackie Greene, Ry Cooder, Angélique Kidjo, Alejandro Fernández, Juan Gabriel, Jenni Rivera, Rocío Dúrcal, Sammy Nestico, John Beasley, Joey DeFrancesco, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Terence Blanchard, Pete Escovedo, Bill Cunliffe, Giovanni Hidalgo, Rebeca Mauleon, Francisco Aguabella, and the legendary Bob Dylan. He has performed with Santana, Cachao, Arturo Sandoval, Joey DeFrancesco, Stanley Clarke, Bill Holman, James Moody, Roy Hargrove, Nathan East, Alex Acuña, Natalie Cole, The Manhattan Transfer, Sheila E., and Harry Connick Jr.

Film credits include Dance with Me, Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Informant!, Charlie St. Cloud, and Penguins of Madagascar. Television appearances include Saturday Night Live and The Late Show with Craig Ferguson (Spoon), The Tonight show (Aretha Franklin), American Music Awards (Jennifer Lopez), Latin Grammys (Celia Cruz), NBA All Star Game (Rihanna and Kanye West), as well as American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Duets, Alma Awards, the Grammy Awards, and a regular on the Dancing With The Stars orchestra. Apart from the Big Phat Band and Monkestra, he has been lucky to perform with some of the best big bands in Los Angeles including Bill Holman, Bob Mintzer, Sammy Nestico, Bill Cunliffe, Budman/Levy, Emil Richards, Frank Capp, Gerald Wilson, Gregg Field, and Tom Kubis.

As an educator, Francisco is an in-demand clinician and guest artist. In 2013, he was selected as director of the 2013 SCSBOA All-Star band which featured some of the finest high school jazz musicians in Southern California. Also an accomplished arranger and composer, he has been commissioned by several high schools and universities for big band compositions including Texas A&M University Kingsville, Northgate High School, Crescent City Superband, and the aforementioned SCSBOA All-Stars. He has also written arrangements for Ry Cooder, Angelique Kidjo, and Los Lobos. In 1998, he helped Jose Rizo create and conceive Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars, a collection of the best Latin jazz musicians in the Los Angeles area, who included Justo Almario, Luis Conte, Alex Acuña, Al McKibbon, Poncho Sanchez, Francisco Aguabella, and Otmaro Ruiz.

About Moreau Catholic High School Instrumental Music: MCHS Band and Orchestra Program provides opportunities for students at every level of music development. They offer a comprehensive course of study for band, jazz ensemble and orchestra. Students of all levels perform in seasonal concerts, and honors students also perform in adjudicated music festivals. Moreau Catholic band and orchestra students have performed in Japan, Hawaii, Canada, New Orleans, and Orlando.

The Honors Jazz Ensemble has performed in Funabashi, Japan three times, under the direction of Instrumental Music Director Ted Newton.

About Chabot College Jazz Studies: The Jazz Studies has attained national recognition for several decades. It has garnered awards from Reno Jazz Festival, Pacific Coast Jazz Festival, Santa Cruz Jazz Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival. Through the years, the Chabot Jazz ensembles have performed all over the U.S. including several trips to Japan. The Chabot College Jazz Studies areas covers very unique offerings including Jazz Piano, Jazz Theory and Improvisation as well as numerous award winning Jazz ensembles on many levels.

For more information about Chabot College Jazz Studies,
Visit us at: www.chabotcollege.edu/jazz 
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook/chabotjazz