John Calloway, Ph.D. - Music Director
A multi-instrumentalist, award-winning composer, arranger, educator and performer, John is a virtuoso flutist in demand for recording sessions and performances in the U.S. and internationally. He has worked with many of the leading Latin and jazz artists of our time, including Max Roach, Israel "Cachao" Lopez, and Pete Escovedo. He is a founding member of the Grammy nominated Machete Ensemble, led by John Santos, and has composed and arranged much of their material. John teaches music in the San Francisco Unified School District, at San Francisco State University and at professional workshops and clinics. With his band, Diaspora, he has released two CD's, Diaspora and The Code. John has a M.A. Degree in music education and a Ph.D. in multi-cultural and international education. He is a co-founder of the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble. As music director, he selects the student members by audition, rehearses the group and creates compositions and arrangements for the ensemble. For more information on John's diverse musical accomplishments and his upcoming performance schedule, visit johncalloway.com. You can email John at music@ljye.com.
Sylvia Ramirez - Co-Director
Sylvia is a co-founder of the LJYE and manages all internal and external communication for the group. She is an Emmy Award-winning TV producer and has worked in Bay Area broadcasting since 1979. She was recognized as a "Woman of Achievement" by the Women's Fund and the San Jose Mercury News and won the National Community Service Award from Television Broadcast magazine for her public affairs productions. Sylvia has produced numerous specials for ABC-7 TV, KTVU Fox, and WB-20 TV, including the first broadcasts of the Carnaval and Pride parades. She is the Senior Producer for the KGO Radio Cure-A-Thon, a 24-hour broadcast annual event benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Sylvia has served on the Board of Directors of San Francisco School Volunteers and Casa Raza in San Jose. In 2005-2007 she co-chaired the Instrumental Music Department at San Francisco School of the Arts. Sylvia and husband Arturo Riera are the parents of Daniel Riera, a LJYE flutist for five years and a 2008 graduate of Berklee College of Music, and daughter Lauren. You can email Sylvia at info@ljye.com.
Arturo Riera - Managing Director
Arturo is an active member of the Bay Area arts and cultural community. A member of the Board of Directors of San Jose Jazz since 2005, he served two years as Chair. In April 2007 Arturo was elected Chair of the Board of San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. In 2007 he received the Latino Business Leadership award from the San Francisco Latino Chamber of Commerce, the first award ever given for Arts and Culture. In 2007 he received commendations from the United States House of Representatives, California State Legislature, California State Senate and the City and County of San Francisco recognizing his contributions to Bay Area arts and culture. A co-founder of The Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco, Arturo serves as the group's Managing Director. He co-founded Latino Entertainment Partners, an event production company specializing in Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban music. He produced The Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble's CD, LJYE Live at Yoshi's, released in January 2006. Arturo consults with manufacturer Latin Percussion and contributes articles to the company website, lpmusic.com. He is a prolific writer and photographer of the Bay Area Latin jazz scene. His articles, artist profiles, photographs and videos can be found on his website, MisterLatinJazz.com. Arturo's Latin jazz announcements can be followed on his Twitter page. He has worked in Bay Area broadcasting since 1981 and in 2008 was named Director of Sales for the CBS Television Station Group in San Francisco, cbs5.com. As Managing Director of the LJYE he handles all the bookings for the group and can be reached at bookings@ljye.com.
Members - 2008 to 2009
Ahkeel Mestayer - congas
Alex Nash - drumset
Antonio Del Barrio - piano
Adam Nash - guitar
Adeyemi Martinez - trombone
Canek Martinez - guitar, violin
Cecilia Sweet-Coll - piano
David Vazquez - timbales
Gilbert Fix - bass
Jonah Varon - congas
Juliana Cressman - violin
Julie Mendoza - vocals
Kai Stritter - alto sax
Katie Reutter - piano, vocals
Lawrence McDonald - drumset
Marcelo Perez - drumset
Mireya Leon - bass
Natalie Cressman - trombone
Nico Scolieri - flute
Noah Rosen - tenor sax, clarinet
Reuben Sandoval - trombone
Will Rubenstein - trumpet
Diana Contreras - vocals
Arak Baloyan - drumset
Omree Galoz - piano
Christian Navarro - trumpet
Members - 2007 to 2008
Alex Nash - drumset
Adam Nash - guitar
David Vazquez - timbales
Jonah Varon - congas
Lawrence McDonald - drumset
Maxime Stinnett - tenor/alto sax
Natalie Cressman - trombone
Nick Rives - bass
Noah Frank - trumpet
Nour Moussa - congas, percussion
Remi Spiro - congas
Antonio Del Barrio - piano
Cecilia Pena Govea - trumpet and vocals
Julie Mendoza - vocals
Jennifer Caravantes - vocals
Gilbert Fix - bass
Elias Santos - bass
Canek Martinez - guitar
Members - 2006 to 2007
Brama Sukarma - trombone
David Rust - piano
Alex Nash - drumset
David Vazquez - timbales
Elena Pinderhughes - flute
Eliana Athayde - bass
Jonah Varon - congas
Jordano Rios - trumpet
Maxime Stinnett - tenor/alto sax
Natalie Cressman - trombone
Nick Rives - bass
Noah Frank - trumpet
Nour Moussa - congas, percussion
Remi Spiro - congas
Samora Pinderhughes - piano
Will Ewing - drumset
Members - 2005 to 2006
Elena Pinderhughes - flute
Josue Caravantes - trumpet, vocals
Erik Stern - timbales
Hans Stern - piano
David Vazquez - timbales
Samora Pinderhughes - piano and percussion
Henry Corrigan Gibbs - bass
Eliana Athayde - bass
Darcell Epps - drumset
Charles Ferguson - drumset
Maxime Stinnett - alto sax
Jonah Varon - congas and percussion
Natalie Cressman - trombone
Brama Sukarma - trombone
Remi Spiro - congas
Members - 2004 to 2005
Daniel Riera - flute
Josue Caravantes - trumpet, vocals
Erik Stern - timbales
Hans Stern - piano
Samora Pinderhughes - piano and percussion
Henry Corrigan Gibbs - bass
Darcell Epps - drumset
Charles Ferguson - drumset
Oscar Thadeo - alto sax
Jonah Varon - congas and percussion
Max Miller-Loran - trumpet
Remi Spiro - congas
Members - 2003 to 2004
Daniel Riera - flute
Josue Caravantes - trumpet
Erik Stern - timbales
Hans Stern - piano
Samora Pinderhughes - piano and percussion
Henry Corrigan-Gibbs - bass
Darcell Epps - drumset
Charles Ferguson - drumset
Daniel Rogers - vocals
Jeff Stein - guitar
Jonah Varon - congas and percussion
Max Miller-Loran - trumpet
Members - 2002 to 2003
Daniel Riera - flute
Kyle Athayde - trumpet and vibes
Erik Stern - timbales
Hans Stern - piano
Samora Pinderhughes - piano and percussion
Gab Athayde - bass
Eric Mendez - congas and drumset
Jonah Varon - congas and percussion
Daniel Rogers - vocals
Oscar Thadeo - alto sax
Original Members - 2001 to 2002
Daniel Riera - flute
Kyle Athayde - trumpet and vibes
Sam Ferguson - vibes
Erik Stern - timbales
Hans Stern - piano
Samora Pinderhughes - piano and percussion
Elizabeth Dorman - bass
Eric Mendez - congas and drumset
Jonah Varon - congas and percussion