2/12/09 El Clan Destino

The ensemble El Clan Destino features music inspired by African and Cuban traditions as well as American Jazz and Funk. The quintet is comprised of some of the area’s strongest players: Nick Moran of Madison’s New Breed Quintet and Dumate on bass and vocals; Jamie Ryan of African West and the New Breed Quintet on percussion and vocals; Vincent Fuh of Madisalsa and the Oakwood Chamber Players on keyboards and vocals; and Francisco Martinez of the Tony Castaneda Latin Jazz Sextet on drums.

In addition to performing their original compositions, the group’s members will provide background musical and historical information on the classic, sacred, folkloric, and contemporary Afro-Cuban rhythms they use. This program would have wide appeal to the Latin, Jazz, and Hispanic communities and anyone interested in understanding more about the African Diaspora.

Vincent Fuh, keyboards and coros, Nickolas Moran, electric and upright bass, coros, Francisco Martinez, drumkit, timbales, lead voice and coros, and Jamie Ryan, congas, bata, percussion, lead voice and coros. When Martinez moved to Madison, Wisconsin, from Florida in 2004, Madisalsa members Fuh and Moran saw a rare opportunity to form the band they'd long considered but never thought possible. Martinez, a veteran of Florida's latin music scene, brought an exciting and powerful drumming style that would become the centerpiece of this band. Add Ryan, a veteran of the Tony Casteneda Latin Jazz Sextet, newly returned to Madison, and the quartet would be complete. While the quartet features hard-hitting renditions of works by Chucho Valdez, Michel Camilo, and Chano Dominquez (all innovators in latin jazz piano), the members have expanded their material to include progressive originals and arrangements of indigenous sacred and secular vocal music of Cuba.