About six months ago Dr. Jelena Cingara formed a latin music band that is currently doing a Buena Vista Social club tribute, but future plans include Celia Cruz tribute, jazz, and original works. The band members also include Ariacne Trujillo (singer)! Please see our music samples below. We have so far done various concerts in the NYC area at Piano piano, and have engagements coming up at Saint John’s in the Village in Greenwich village, and planning several others as well. We have a great interest and love for Latin music and are enjoying the exploration! If you are interested in booking the band, you can email me:)
About the band members bios:
Ariacne Trujillo:
http://www.ariacne.com/
Grammy nominee Ariacne Trujillo Duran is considered one of the virtuoso pianists,arranger and vocalist from the New York area .She was born in Havana, Cuba, where she had an extensive career since age 4,as a classical concert pianist and composer,performing at age 14, with the tops Cuba’s symphonic orchestras.Since she arrived in New York City in 2002,Trujillo has been leading numerous significant projects as well as working as a lead singer, arranger, pianist and director for the position for the off-Broadway production “Carmen to Havana and Back.”
Trujillo’s musical essence is full of strength,mastery, versatility, charisma, sympathy and an energy that captivates. With her virtuosity on the piano, her powerful and flexible voice and the freshness and peculiarity of her arrangements, she mixes the genres of her native Cuba, with passages of classical music, and the style that she has perfected in her more than 20 years in the Cosmopolitan city of New York. One of Trujillo’s compositions was included in Terri Lyne Carrington’s book New Standards, published by Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice.
Trujillo graduated with a Suma Cum Laude degree in Music from New Jersey City University, and has a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance in the specialty of Voice and Piano,her teaching experience includes clinics at Berklee College of Music, New York University and Duke University, Virginia.Mannes School of Music,Lehman College,Berklee Valencia,as well as Universities and conservatories in Peru,Colombia,Greece,Spain,Brazil and Costa Rica.
Trujillo has performed, shared a stage, and recorded with legends such as Paul Simon, Paquito D. Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Gadd, Jonny Pacheco, John Scofield, Javier Limón, Steve Turre, Brian Lynch, Lew Soloff, Taj Mahal, Diego El Cigala, Alain Perez, Jimmy Bush, Justo Betancourt , Isaac Delgado, Gloria Trevi and Esperanza Spalding.
For Donations please email me at: jelenacingara@gmail.com:)
Xito Lowell trombone
Born in Colón, Panama, Jose Antonio Lovell Montenegro (born October 7, 1993), better known as Xito Lovell is a trombonist, composer, performer, and singer based in New York City. At the age of seven, he began his music tutelage. In 2010, he enrolled in Conservatorio Nacional de Musica de Panamá, later graduating in 2012. Subsequently, he enrolled in Universidad Nacional de Panama, pursuing a trombone-performance major. Over the past few years, Lovell has participated in several events and festivals such as Panama Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz festival, American Folk Festival, Glastonbury Festival (England), Afro-latino Festival (NYC), Atlas Golden Fest (Panama), Carmen from Havana and Back (Off-Broadway), among many others. In 2013, the trombonist received a full-scholarship to study at the prestigious Berklee College Of Music in Boston, MA. In 2018, he graduated from Berklee with a Bachelor of Music Performance, specializing in Trombone. Throughout his career, the Panamanian-native has had the opportunity to share stages and collaborate with several world-renowned artists: Ruben Blades, Residente, Arturo O’Farril & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Pedro Capo, Tony Succar, Omar Alfanno, Luisito Quintero, Roberto Quintero, Carlos Garnett, Vitin Paz, Tia Fuller, Terence Blanchard, Pedrito Martinez, John Benitez, Orquesta Guayacán, Tony Vega; Not to mention, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Ruben Rodriguez, George Garzone, Pedro Carrero, Charlie Cardona, Toto la Momposina, Liz Wright, Angel Lopez, Andy Montanez, Tito Nieves, Los Adolecentes, Camila Fernandez, Javier Limón, Ruben Rodriguez, Leo Genovese, Louie Vega, Mike Ciró, Sean Jones, Xiomara Laugart, and other notables.
Many Marquez Congas
Carlos Mena bass
Carlos Mena comes from a family of professional musicians and continues to honor his family tradition to this day. He began playing music professionally as a percussionist when he was seven years old with acclaimed folk musicians from South America.
He soon discovered his passion for the bass and made it his primary instrument upon which to hone his musicianship and technique. As a teenager, he received a scholarship to study in Switzerland at the Zurich University of the Arts, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music and Pedagogy. He continued his studies in New York City, where he received his Master of Arts in Music at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.
Carlos is a multi-instrumentalist who plays electric bass, acoustic bass, guitar, piano, and small percussion. He is an accomplished soloist, arranger, music director, and composer and has become a highly sought-after performer, playing alongside many renowned musicians in NYC and abroad.
Facundo Colman bongos and bell
Facundo Colmán was born on February 27 in Montevideo Uruguay. He is a percussionist with a notable career that began professionally at the age of 11 in Uruguay. He is one of the most esteemed percussionists on the New York music scene today. Facundo is an experienced percussionist in many styles, world music, Latin jazz, pop and other genres, especially the Uruguayan folk music “Candombe”. Currently in New York, he has shared the stage with legends of salsa and Latin Jazz groups such as José Alberto "El Canario", Tony Succar, Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Pedro Arroyo, Ray Sepúlveda, Roberto Blades, David Pavon, Fruko and his treasures, Viti Ruiz, Hildemaro, Maelo Ruiz, Tony Vega, Frankie Negron, Hildemaro, Adolescents, Adalberto Santiago, Roberto Lugo, Josimar and his Yambú, Willie González, Papo Rosario, Luisito Carrión, Mayito Rivera, Christian Alicea , Jhonny Rivera, Miles Peña, Anthony Colón and Los Hacheros. Facundo is the teacher of the Afro-Uruguayan percussion workshop "Candombe del Futuro" for children.
Roman Lajara - tres
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, New York based Grammy and Latin Grammy nominee guitarist, tresero and composer Román Lajara is one of the most exciting players of his generation. His passion for Jazz, Latin Music, and Arabo-Andalusian Music has allowed him to create a unique voice on his instrument. Mentored by Grammy award winner Michael Mossman, he became a vital member of the Latin jazz scene, Sharing the stage and recording with Richard Bona, Paquito d’Rivera, Marcus Miller, but also Latin legends such as Ruben Blades, Willie Colon, Jose Alberto “El Canario”, Gloria Trevi and Diego Torres. On April 30th2024 Roman was selected by UNESCO and Herbie Hancock Institute to play and arrange a musical segment for International Jazz Day Global Concert, hosted in Morocco by Oscar winner Jeremy Irons. This International Event is the biggest Jazz concert in the world, gathering millions of viewers thru PBS and all social platforms.