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 appeared at Chez Hanny with Jared Gold and Ed Cherry, Jared
Gold and Brian Levy, Cuenca/Bollenback/Blades, the Peter Zak Trio, the
Roni Ben-Hur/Harvie S Trio, the Peter Horvath Trio, and the Sylvia
Cuenca Trio.
Born in Oakland, CA, saxophonist Craig Handy attended Berkeley
High
School’s reputable Jazz Program, and North Texas State University,
where he won the coveted Charlie Parker Scholarship.
Handy moved to New York in 1986 and began several associations with
formidable artists including Art Blakey, Roy Haynes, Abdullah
Ibrahim, the Mingus Dynasty Band, Betty Carter, and Dee Dee
Bridgewater.
In 1992 he lead his first of two recordings on Arabesque Records,
"Split Second Timing", which featured Ed
Simon, Ray Drummond, Ralph Peterson, Jr., and Robin Eubanks. Two years
later he followed up with
"Introducing Three For All + One", with Charles Fambrough and
Ralph Peterson, Jr.
In 1995, he continued playing with the new critically acclaimed band
“Chartbusters”, featuring Donald Harrison, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Idris
Muhammad, and recorded two releases on the NYC and Prestige labels.
Handy toured with Herbie Hancock throughout 1996 to mid-1999, and led
two more recording projects on the Sirroco label – 1999’s "Reflections
in Change' and 2000’s "Flow". By this time he had amassed performing
and recording credits with Cedar Walton, Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson,
George Adams, Freddie Hubbard, and Wynton Marsalis.
Pianist Peter Horvath has been perfecting his craft
since the
age of 6 when he began taking classical piano lessons. Born in
Budapest, Hungary, he attended the Bela Bartok Conservatory of Music.
At age 17, he won the National Jazz Combo Competition in Gyor, Hungary.
Two years later he moved to Austria to attend the Vienna Conservatory
of Music.
Establishing himself quickly in the Austrian jazz scene, he began
playing and touring with jazz notables such as Leo Wright, Louie
Austen, etc.
In 1983, Peter moved to the U.S., where he studied at the Berklee
College of Music in Boston. He has since performed, recorded and toured
with a long line of world-class artist, including jazz greats Bobby
Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Richie Cole, Ernie Watts, Eddie Henderson,
Charles McPherson, Benny Maupin, Victor Bailey, Lenny White, Arturo
Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Marcus Miller, Pee Wee Ellis, Bob Mintzer, Bob
Sheppard, Craig Handy, Tiger Okoshi, Lalah Hathaway, Melba Moore,
Ledisi, Keith Washington, Rosie Gaines, Ray Obiedo, Pete Escovedo, and
the Oakland Symphony.
Peter is currently on faculty at the California Jazz Conservatory,
Saint Mary’s College of California, and Stanford Jazz Consortium.
He appeared previously at Chez Hanny with Jeff Chambers, Charles
McNeal, Doug Webb, Michael Zilber, and the Peter Horvath Trio.
Essiet Okon Essiet first received critical acclaim more than a
decade
ago as a member of saxophonist Bobby Watson's post hard bop group
Horizon He has long since established himself as one of New York's
premier bassists.
His first big break came in 1982 when he met Chicago based
percussionist Famoudou Don Moye. Moye asked Essiet to join his quartet
and during that same year the bassist met Abdullah Ibrahim, the famed
South African pianist. Working with Ibrahim, Essiet toured the globe
splitting his time between Europe and the US during the period from
1982 to 1986. Eventually Essiet settled in NYC. Two years later, he
joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and remained in the group
until the famed drummer/teacher's passing in 1990.
He has performed and recorded with Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, James
Moody, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Cedar Walton, Sam Rivers,
George Adams, Pat Martino, Kenny Burrell, Jackie McLean, Frank Morgan,
Kenny Barron, Louis Hayes, Ben Riley, Jimmy Cobb, Billy Higgins, Billy
Hart, Art Farmer, Abby Lincoln, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Billy Cobham,
Bennie Maupin, Al Foster, Eddie Henderson, Steve Turre, Jon Faddis,
Bobby Watson, Victor Lewis, Kenny Garrett, Kenny Kirkland, Mulgrew
Miller, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Mike Stern, Kevin Mahogany, Kurt Elling,
Fort Apache Band, Danilo Perez, Claudia Acuna, Geri Allen, Ralph
Peterson, Greg Osby, Javon Jackson, Tim Hagens, Kevin Hays, and Bill
Stewart.
He appeared previously at Chez Hanny with the Peter Zak Trio.