Cuenca / Bollenback / Blades

Drummer Sylvia Cuenca, originally from San Jose, now living in New York, has performed for 17 years with trumpet legend Clark Terry at venues such as the Village Vanguard and Blue Note in New York City. She toured internationally for 4 years with saxophonist Joe Henderson, including trio settings with Henderson and bassists Charlie Haden or George Mraz.

Ms. Cuenca has performed with such jazz luminaries as Billy Taylor, Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Frank Foster, Red Holloway, Jimmy Heath, Al Grey, Frank Wess, Michael Brecker, Houston Person, Etta Jones, Jon Faddis, Dave Stryker, Ed Cherry, Dianne Reeves, John Hicks, Geoff Keezer, John Handy, Lew Soloff, Marian McPartland, Hilton Ruiz, George Cables, James Spaulding, Kenny Drew Jr., Frank Foster, Randy Brecker, Emily Remler, and Helen Merrill.

She has released two recordings as a leader, "The Crossing" and "Exit 13."

She has appeared at Chez Hanny with Jared Gold and Ed Cherry, and Jared Gold and Brian Levy.

http://www.sylviacuenca.com/

Paul Bollenback was raised just outside NYC, and began playing guitar at age 7. He majored in music at the University of Miami, then studied for eight years with Baltimore-based professor of Theory/Composition Asher Zlotnick.

In 1987 he made his recording debut on saxophonist Gary Thomas’s "Seventh Quadrant" (Enja), and in 1990 established a working relationship with organ legend Joey DeFrancesco, an association that continues to this day, and has produced eighteen recordings.

He has released eight cds as a leader, as well as appearing on dozens of recordings with others.

He has performed or recorded with Gary Bartz, Paul Bley, Charlie Byrd, Terri-Lyne Carrington, Herb Ellis, Steve Gadd, Geoffrey Keezer, Mike LeDonne, Joe Locke, Jack McDuff, Chris McNulty, James Moody, Mark Murphy, David “Fathead” Newman, Jim Snidero, Carol Sloane, Gary Smullyan, Gary Thomas, Grady Tate, Stanley Turrentine, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Buster Williams.

http://www.paulbollenback.com/

Wil Blades has become the San Francisco Bay Area’s first call Hammond organist and is rapidly gaining momentum internationally. He has been named “Rising Star” on organ in the Downbeat critics poll every year since 2006.

"Field Notes" is the latest of his three cds as a leader, and "Shimmy" by the Billy Martin and Wil Blades Duo is now out on Amulet/Royal Potato Family Records.

In addition to performing with legendary artists such as John Lee Hooker and Dr. Lonnie Smith, Wil has performed and recorded with Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, Joe Louis Walker, Don Braden, Donald Harrison, Nicholas Payton, Karl Denson, Will Bernard, Scott Amendola, Charlie Hunter, Stanton Moore, Billy Martin, Anders Osborne, Jason Marsalis, Herlin Riley, Betty Joplin, Eddie Marshall, Herbie Lewis, and John Scofield.

He has appeared at Chez Hanny with Ed Cherry, and Will Matthews.

http://www.wilblades.com/

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