Maracas

Maracas
Classification	idiophones
Musicians
Machito, Monguito

Robert Plant playing maracas

The sound of maracas

Maracas ( pronunciation (help·info), sometimes called rumba shakers) are a native instrument of Latin America. They are a percussion instruments (idiophones), usually played in pairs, consisting of a dried calabash or gourd shell (cuia "cue-ya") or coconut shell filled with seeds or dried beans. They may also be made of leather, wood, or plastic.^[1]

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Often one ball is pitched high and the other is pitched low. There is evidence of clay maracas used by the natives of Colombia 1500 years ago.^{[citation needed]} The word maraca is thought to have come from the Tupi language of Brazil, where it is pronounced 'ma-ra-KAH'. They are known in Trinidad as shac-shacs.^[2]

Although a simple instrument, the method of playing the maracas is not obvious. The seeds must travel some distance before they hit the leather, wood, or plastic, so the player must anticipate the rhythm. One can also strike the maraca against one's hand or leg to get a different sound. Band leader Vincent Lopez hosted a radio program in the early 1950s called Shake the Maracas in which audience members competed for small prizes by playing the instrument with the orchestra.

Maracas are heard in many forms of Latin music and are also used in pop and classical music. They are considered characteristic of the music of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica and Brazil. Maracas are often played at celebrations and special events. In rock and roll, they are probably most identified with Bo Diddley, who wrote the song "Bring it to Jerome" about his maraca player, Jerome Green (who also played maracas for Chuck Berry). Maracas are also very popular with children and are commonly included in the instruments of the rhythm band.

List of notable maracas performers[link]

References[link]

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Joan Sebastian
Joan Sebastian at Pepsi Center on August 22, 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Jose Manuel Figueroa
Also known as	El rey del jaripeo, "El Poeta De Juliantla", "El Huracán del Sur"
Born	(1951-04-08) 8 April 1951 (age 61) Julianta, Guerrero,  Mexico
Genres	Mariachi Banda Latin Pop / Mexican pop
Occupations	Singer/Composer, Actor
Website	Joan Sebastian

Joan Sebastian (pronounced: [xoˈan seβaˈstjan]) (born in Juliantla, Guerrero, in 1951) is a popular Mexican singer and songwriter. He has composed hundreds of songs and been a regular staple on the top-40 charts in Mexico since his career began in 1977. His music is a mixture of Latin pop, ranchera and grupera music. His success is not only found in music but also in his short acting career when he became the main protagonist of a Mexican soap opera. In 1996 he made his acting debut in the Mexican soap opera Tú y Yo (You and I) sharing credits with Maribel Guardia (his former wife and mother to one of his sons) the soap opera became an instant televised hit.

Background[link]

Before he had a big successful music career Jose Manuel Figueroa (Joan Sebastian's legal name) passed most of his childhood from place to place. At age eight he was sent away by his parents to Guanajuato for school. When he was eleven he return to Juliantla, his native town, this return inspired him to begin formally composing. But he was sent off again to a monastery in Morelos where he was under the care of father David Salgado. Due to the influence Father Salgado had on Sebastian he took the decision of becoming a priest. So at age 14 he enrolled in the Seminario Conciliar de San Jose(located in Cuernavaca, Morelos). But he soon realized that music was his true calling so when he was 17 years old he abandoned the seminary to dedicate himself completely to the music business.

Meanwhile he made a living as an administrative assistant in a vacationing resort in Oaxtepec, Morelos, where he would sing through the intercom. It was in that resort that Sebastian found the incentive he needed to pursue his singing dream more aggressively. The year was 1968 when Joan Sebastian encountered Angélica María (a famous Mexican actress) who was looking for a place to stay. While she waited she asked him if he sang and the following day he sang for her six songs. Angélica María suggested to Sebastian that he record the songs and gave him the telephone number of Eduardo Magallanes, a music producer. Without hesitating Sebastian moved to Mexico City and began knocking on doors until Chucho Rincon from Discos Capitals agreed to listen to him and thus began Sebastian's artistic career. He recorded his first disc and the positive results came fast when in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, the song "Descartada" sold 12 thousand copies. previous. His most recent production up to date is "Secreto de Amor" which was released in 2000 and sold over 1 million copies.

In February 2001 Joan received the prestigious award "Premio Lo Nuestro a la Música Latina" as recognition of his career, during 2003 Sebastian received the Songwriter of the universe Award for the second time at the 11th Annual El Premio ASCAP. He was awarded "The Silver Pen Award" in 2000, and was named el jefe

Personal life[link]

Joan Sebastian remains one of the most famous singers and songwriters Mexico has. Although he had been diagnosed with cancer in 1999, it did not stop him from creating music.^[1] His versatility has help him remain in the popular taste of the public.

Family[link]

Sebastian is the father of eight children who he has had with different partners throughout his life. Their names are José Manuel Figueroa (who is also a singer and composer), Juan Sebastián, Trigo de Jesús, Sarelia, Julián (son of Maribel Guardia), Marcelia, Joana Marcelia y Juliana.

Trigo de Jesús, his third oldest, was shot in the back of the head after one of Joan Sebastian's concert in Texas on August 27, 2006. Trigo had been trying to control the crowd after the show. He was transported to the McAllen Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

On June 12, 2010, Juan Sebastián was shot dead in Cuernavaca, Morelos, after arriving at a night club with some friends and being refused entrance.^[2] Joan Sebastian said that his son's death had nothing to do with the Mexican drug cartel.

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• www.joansebastian.com OFFICIAL website
• Biography at Musicamania (Spanish)
• Starpulse.com – Discography
• Biography at Chalino.com

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Alberto Vazquez (born August 23, 1955) is an American actor, screenwriter, teacher, director and producer. He founded the Alberto Vazquez Actors Workshop, organized primarily for beginners, semi-trained and working actors.

Performances[link]

TV[link]

The Good Wife, Law & Order, Sopranos, Criminal Intent, Walker, Texas Ranger, Rosa's Shoes, As the World Turns, Without a Trace, The Jury, Third Watch, Deadline, SPF-30,High Tide, Reasonable Doubts, Forensic Files, Brisco County Jr., America's Most Wanted, Ed, Third Watch, The Street, Running Mate.

Film[link]

W.E.,Michael Clayton, My Soul to Take, Zooman, 25/8, Imaginary Heroes, Superheroes, From Other Worlds, The Legend of 1900,Ed TV, Wag the Dog, T.N.T, Family Business, Crocodile Dundee II, Fear:Anxiety & Depression, White Hot, Defiance, Short Eyes, Power, Saturday Night Fever, Slow Dance in the Big City, Heroes.

Broadway[link]

Cuba and his Teddy Bear.

Off-Broadway[link]

Street Car Named Desire, First Class, Eulogy for a Small Time Thief, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Leather Heart

External links[link]

• Official bio
• Alberto Vazquez at the Internet Movie Database
• Filmreference bio

Mates of State
Background information
Origin	Lawrence, Kansas, United States
Genres	Indie pop
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Barsuk, Polyvinyl
Associated acts	Vosotros
Website	Official website
Members
Kori Gardner Jason Hammel

Mates of State are an American indie pop duo, active since 1997.^[1] The group is composed of the husband-and-wife team of Kori Gardner (vocals, organ, synthesizer, piano, electric piano, and occasional guitar) and Jason Hammel (vocals, drums, percussion, and occasional synthesizer).

Over the course of the band's fourteen year career, they've released three EPs and six full-length, studio albums. Their seventh album Mountaintops was released on September 13, 2011.

History[link]

Gardner and Hammel met in Lawrence, Kansas,^[2] while both were involved in relationships with other people. Although they exchanged e-mails regularly, they didn't get together until three months later when they were both single again, and were inseparable from then on. They originally played together in a four-piece rock band called Vosotros,^[3] in which they both sang and played guitar. Shortly after the couple moved to California in 1998, Gardner began teaching and Hammel applied to medical school.^[4] They both opted later to devote their time to making music and touring together instead and ultimately, the two of them got married in 2001. Gardner and Hammel originally lived together in San Francisco, and in 2004 they moved to East Haven, Connecticut.^[5] In February 2007, they sold their house in East Haven and are currently living in Stratford, Connecticut.

Gardner and Hammel have two daughters, Magnolia, born in 2004, and June Elizabeth, born in 2008. For the band, touring is a family affair, with both daughters going on the road with their parents. Gardner currently writes a blog, Band on the Diaper Run, that appears on Babble.com. In it, she recounts their experiences of life on the road and the unique circumstance of touring with two young children in tow.^[6]

The main instruments used by the band in early recordings were drums and the electric organ. Although they both started out playing the guitar, they found they ended up fooling around with the organ and drums in their practice space more often than with more traditional instruments. However, in later recordings, the band moved away from their signature, organ-dominated sound and incorporated additional instrumentation. Evidence of this sound progression is first heard on the "All Day EP" and continues into "Bring It Back", their fourth studio album. Ultimately, they abandoned the organ completely on their fifth album, "Re-Arrange Us".^[7]

Mates of State songs are notable for their male/female vocal harmony, shifting rhythms, and quirky song structure – most tracks comprise distinct, almost disjointed movements. Both members sing with great intensity, often in the upper ranges of their voices, and often simultaneously sing different, complementary melodies and lyrics. Tempos are nearly always fast, with beats often resembling those found in electronic club or dance music.

Kori Gardner, Stockholm 2005

Jason Hammel, Stockholm 2005

The band recorded one album on Omnibus Records before moving to Polyvinyl for their second and third full-lengths. In December 2005, the band signed with Barsuk Records and released two full-length albums and an EP of remixes on the label. Their latest album was released on their own label, MOS Records and was also produced by Gardner and Hammel themselves.

On October 11, 2004, the band held a contest for fans to create their own video for "Goods (All In Your Head)," the first track on their All Day EP. The winning entry, directed by G. J. Echternkamp, became the official video for the song and was aired on MTV on June 12, 2005. It and an all-dance video for the song, also directed by and featuring Echternkamp, are available for download in the Media section of the band's official site.

The band's fifth album, Re-Arrange Us, was released on May 20, 2008^[8] and for their tour in support of the album, Mates of State became a quartet by adding Lewis and Anton Patzner of Judgement Day as multi-instrumentalists^[9] to compliment the duo's sound on select songs.

On June 15, 2010, Mates of State released their sixth studio album, Crushes (The Covers Mixtape), which consists entirely of their cover versions of songs previously recorded by other musical artists,^[10] including "Long Way Home" by Tom Waits and "Son Et Lumiere" by The Mars Volta. Music videos have been made for two of the songs: Nick Cave's "Love Letter" and Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End." The former was directed by Daniel Garcia and the latter was produced in conjunction with ABC News for its indie rock program, "Amplified."^[11]

Their most recent album, Mountaintops, was released September 13, 2011 on Barsuk, the same independent label that released two of the band's previous records, Bring It Back and Re-Arrange Us. It is composed wholly of new original material.^[12]

Tours and performances[link]

Mates of State have performed all over the globe; in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia.

In the summer of 2001, they played shows with Superdrag and Beulah & later in the year opened for The Anniversary during the release tour for their album Your Majesty.^[13]

In 2003, Mates of State toured with Palomar.^[14]

In 2005, Mates of State toured with Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday, and performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas.

In 2006, Mates of State toured with Spoon and Death Cab for Cutie.^[15] Mates of State also provided support (alongside Au Revoir Simone) for We Are Scientists on their tour of the UK in November 2006.^[16]

During February–March 2007, Mates of State toured as the house band for WBEZ Chicago's This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass.^[17] Tour locations included New York, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Recordings of some of the band's performances during this tour were included in a 2008 episode entitled "What I Learned from Television".^[18] On Earth Day in 2007, Mates of State headlined the Concert for a Green Earth in Westport, Connecticut.^[19]

In 2008, they appeared again at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, in addition to performing at Lollapalooza in Chicago,^[20] the All Points West Music & Arts Festival in Jersey City, and the Pemberton Festival in Pemberton, BC.^[21] In 2009, they played at Diversafest in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans on Halloween weekend.^[22]

In 2010, they appeared on the children's television show Yo Gabba Gabba in Rochester, New York.^[23]

Since 2010, the band has toured with backing musicians Kenji Shinagawa on guitar and John Panos on trumpet, both graduates of the University of Miami.

On February 16th, 2012, the band kicked off a 9 day tour of the East Coast at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.^[24]

Appearances in Film & Television[link]

Films[link]

• Two of Us (2004). Produced, directed, shot, and edited by Thadd Day. Released by Hooked on Sonics!^[26]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• My Solo Project (Omnibus, 2000; later re-released on Polyvinyl, 2003)
• Our Constant Concern (Polyvinyl, 2002)
• Team Boo (Polyvinyl, 2003)
• Bring It Back (Barsuk Records, 2006)
• Re-Arrange Us (Barsuk Records, 2008) U.S. #140^[27]
• Crushes (The Covers Mixtape) (MOS Records / Constant Artists, Inc. / TuneCore, 2010)
• Mountaintops (Barsuk, 2011)

EPs[link]

• European Tour 2003 EP (Fickle Fame, 2003)
• All Day EP (Polyvinyl, 2004)
• Re-Arranged: Remixes Volume 1 (Barsuk, 2009)

7" Singles[link]

• Mates of State/Fighter D Split (Omnibus, 1999)
• "It's the Law/Invitation Inn" (Omnibus, 2000)^[28]
• "Lower" (Devil in the Woods, 2001) *Note: split single with The Shins & Sparklehorse
• "Beehive State/Über Legitimate" (Snow Globe, 2001)
• These Days (Polyvinyl, 2002) *Note: split single with Dear Nora
• "Fraud in the '80s" (Moshi Moshi Records|Moshi Moshi, 2006)
• "Like U Crazy" (Moshi Moshi Records|Moshi Moshi, 2006)

Other releases[link]

• 2002 – "Why You Little..." on the compilation CD Ten Years of Noise Pop (Amazing Grease)
• 2005 – "Invitation Inn" on the compilation A House Full of Friends (Magic Marker)
• 2006 – "California" (Phantom Planet cover) on the compilation Music from the OC: Mix 6 (WEA)
• 2006 – "Popular Mistakes" on the compilation This is a Care Package (Exotic Fever)
• 2007 – "Jellyman Kelly" (James Taylor cover) on the compilation For The Kids III (RCA)
• 2008 – "Little Boxes" (Malvina Reynolds cover), was recorded as theme music for an episode of Weeds but never appeared on the program
• 2010 – "I Will Dare" (Replacements cover) is featured on The Onion's A.V. Club Undercover, with comedian Todd Barry on drums^[29]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site
• MySpace Music Profile
• Mates of State interview at SuicideGirls
• Mates of State live videos at scheduletwo.com
• Mates of State interview/performance at Minnesota Public Radio
• Mates of State in concert at NPR Music
• Interview with the Cornell Daily Sun
• G.J. Echternkamp's contest-winning video for "Goods (All in Your Head)"
• Echternkamp's dance video for "Goods (All in Your Head)"
• YouTube video of AT&T wireless commercial feat. Mates of State
• "Get Better" video on YouTube
• "True Love Will Find You In The End" video on YouTube

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Samuel Torres (born September 4, 1976) is a Colombian percussionist^[1] and composer. He was born in Bogotá, and started playing at age twelve and became involved with different bands in his hometown. Although, he received classical training, Torres was intrigued by the different styles and rhythms of the Latinamerican and jazz sounds. He graduated from the University of Javeriana in Music Composition.

In 1999, Grammy Award winner Arturo Sandoval contracted Torres and toured with him for four years. In 2000, Samuel Torres received the second place at the 2000 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition for Hand Percussion.

Throughout his career as a percussionist, Torres has performed with jazz artist Tito Puente, Chick Corea, Poncho Sanchez, Pete Escovedo, Dave Valentine, Michael Brecker, Don Byron, Claudio Roditi, Paquito D’Rivera, Caribbean Jazz Project, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Lila Downs, Candido Camero and Mike Stern among other great musicians.

Many of his performances include his participation in the Florida International University big band, the 5 de Mayo Celebration 2001 with Nashville Symphony, the Hollywood Bowl Latin Festival 2001 with the L.A. Philharmonic, 2001 Newport Jazz Festival in Madarao, Japan and many more.

Discography[link]

• 1996 "Piez Descalzos", Shakira (1996)
• "Golpeando Fuerte", Noelia (2000)
• "Faltaba Yo", Olga Guillot (2001)
• "Golpeando Fuerte", Noelia (2000)
• "My Passion for the Piano", Arturo Sandoval (2001)
• "Piano Amarillo", Arturo Hanlon (2001)
• "Smooth Ride", Frankie V (2001)
• "Colección de Oro", Shakira (2002)
• "Thalía", Thalía (2002)
• "Thalía (English), Thalía (2003)
• "Amar Sin Mentiras", Marc Anthony (2004)
• "Concord Picante 25th Anniversary Collection " – Various Artists (2005)
• "Duende", Romero (2005)
• "Thalía [Bonus Tracks]", Thalía (2005)
• "Always Going West", Mishka Tsiganoff (2007)
• "Folk's Songs", Jeff "Tain" Watts Presents Tain & The Eb (2007)
• "Refugee", Hector Matignon (2007)
• "Small Blue Thing", Jack Donahue (2007)
• "Something Still cool", Elli Fordyce/Jim Malloy (2007)
• "Sungbird (After Albeniz), Helen Sung (2007)
• "Bona Makes You Sweat", Richard Bona (2008)

DVD[link]

"Drums Solo Revisited" (2004)

References[link]