Contemporary jazz composer and guitarist Obiedo had an eclectic musical background during his youth, spent in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Here the sounds of Miles Davis, Henry Mancini, Antonio Carlos Jobim and the imported soul and pop of Motown Records influenced his early musical persona.
Probably the greatest influence on his embryonic career, however, was the James Brown revue, whose funky, percussive guitar sound was the platform on which Obiedo built his technique. He joined organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith on a U S tour in 1974, then ECM Records trombonist Julian Priester on his first European outing in 1977. Ray also started his long association with the great Pete Escovedo which continues today....
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Contemporary jazz composer and guitarist Obiedo had an eclectic musical background during his youth, spent in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Here the sounds of Miles Davis, Henry Mancini, Antonio Carlos Jobim and the imported soul and pop of Motown Records influenced his early musical persona.
Probably the greatest influence on his embryonic career, however, was the James Brown revue, whose funky, percussive guitar sound was the platform on which Obiedo built his technique. He joined organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith on a U S tour in 1974, then ECM Records trombonist Julian Priester on his first European outing in 1977. Ray also started his long association with the great Pete Escovedo which continues today.
His own fusion band, Kick, included a young Sheila E. on drums and Sonny Rollins associate Mark Soskin on keyboards. In the mid 80s his reputation grew as one of California's finest exponents of jazz, pop and fusion. His other outlet during this time was the pop-rock vehicle Rhythmus 21, wherein he worked with other prominent session musicians from the Bay Area. His own session experience is considerable, having partnered artists including Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Lou Rawls, Grover Washington Jr., Bill Summers, Brenda Russel and The Whispers.
Joining him will be a number of special guests such as DAVE MATHEWS, a known pianist and is the current keyboard player with Santana, has appeared on 7 of Etta James' recordings, such as Life, Love and the Blues (Grammy nominee), Heart of a Woman (Grammy nominee) Matriarch of the Blues (Grammy nominee) and Burnin' Down the House Live at the House of Blues (Grammy nominee). Known in the bay area as an eclectic musician with the ability to play many musical styles in an idiomatically correct fashion, Dave has worked and/or recorded with a number of diverse artists.
KARL PERRAZO, born and raised in San Francisco's Mission District, has gone on to play with the best in Pop, Jazz, Rock and Latin Music. The self-taught musician is currently playing with the Santana Band. He has recorded 3 albums with Santana, one being a Live album in South America.
He has also recorded and played with Malo, Jorge Santana, Cal Tjader, Dizzy Gilespie, Andy Narrel, Ray Obiedo, Tom Coster, Pete and Coke Escovedo, Dennis Chambers, Sheila E., The Artist, Mariah Carey, Paquito D' Rivera and is on the latest John Lee Hooker album.
JEFF CRESSMAN is a native of San Francisco who began playing trombone in the same Berkeley Public School Jazz Project that encouraged such contemporaries as Peter Apfelbaum, Benny Green and Joshua Redman. Jeff first recorded with Santana on the "Supernatural" album and then appeared on the Supernatural 2000 world tour including performing in the 2000 Grammy awards telecast and "Supernatural Live - An Evening with Carlos Santana and Friends" television special and DVD.
Jeff's recent musical projects include a new CD release "Mondo Rama" with Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra for Narada Records, the Playboy Latin Jazz Christmas CD with Sheila E. and Pete Escovedo, "Madre Rumba, Padre Son" with Edgardo Cambon's Candela and "Round Trip" with Rebeca Mauleon.
George's has pulled out all the stops and booked the incredible silky, smooth and soulful vocals of TONY LINDSAY, who is back in the SANTANA lineup. Tony Lindsay has 11 Grammy’s on his mantle after spending 20 years as Santana's lead vocalist. He has traveled on several world tours and recorded on seven CDs: Milagro (1992), Supernatural (1999), Shaman (2002), Ceremony (2003) and Food for Thought (2004), Ultimate Santana (2007) and Multi-Dimensional Warrior (2008).
As an individual, Tony has recorded or performed with several artists, including Tevin Campbell, O'Jays, Al Jarreau, Steve Winwood, Johnny Gill, Teddy Pendergrass, Aretha Franklin, and Lou Rawls.
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