About the artists

DENISE JANNAH

Biography

Music for listening
Mi tana gana di Mirabu Dense Jannah
It s only a paper moon Denise Jannah
Groovin High Denise Jannah

-“This woman can make you dream, cry, and fall in love. What more could you desire…” (The Music Advocate)

-“Quite simply, Denise Jannah is one of the best jazz singers to come along in the 25 years I’ve been writing about music.” (Award winning jazz author and critic Gary Giddins in the “Village Voice”)

-“Jannah’s voice is fine – rich , certain and teeming with a candor undiminished by the artifice of record-making.” (Down Beat)

-“If you’re having trouble keeping track of the score of female singers swamping the current jazz scene, let me save you some trouble: Denise Jannah is worth your time.” ( Detroit Free Press)

-“Her voice is so direct, the delivery so fresh and clear that she will surely withstand the test of time.” (Jazz Times)

Denise Jannah was born in Suriname, South America. With her family she moved to Holland in the mid seventies. For 4,5 years she studied Law at the University of Utrecht , but her love for music made her change her course: she enrolled into the Conservatory in Hilversum and completed her studies there, also earning her degree as a vocal educator.
In 1989 she won third prize at the Internationales Liederfestival “Menschen und Meer” in Rostock, former D.D.R. In that year she also was offered an important part in the musical “A Night at the Cotton Club” in which she starred in 347 performances in Holland, Germany and Belgium.

Her first album, “Take It From The Top” she recorded in 1991 with Timeless Records (Wageningen, Holland ). In that same year she won the “Golden Microphone” at he National Jazz Vocal Contest in Breda, Holland. 1991 was also the first year (of many) in which she performed at the international North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Holland.
In 1992 Jannah won first prize at the international Golden Orpheus Festival in Burgas, Bulgaria. There she also won third prize in the extra competition where the contestants were required to sing a composition by a Bulgarian composer (not necessarily in Bulgarian).
In 1993 Denise Jannah recorded her second album for Timeless Records: “A Heart Full Of Music”. This album was recorded in New York. For this album she received her first Edison Jazz Vocal Award (important Dutch music award, comparable to the US Grammy Award).
All through the years Jannah’s musical activities included numerous concerts in clubs, theaters and concert halls, teaching, and appearing in many television- as well as radio programs.
In 1995 she was contracted by the prestigious label Blue Note Records (New York, USA). Her first album with them was “I Was Born In Love With You”. On this album she was featured also with a Big Band. (Recorded in New York)
In 1995 she was contracted by the prestigious label Blue Note Records (New York, USA). Her first album with them was “I Was Born In Love With You”. On this album she was featured also with a Big Band. (Recorded in New York)
Also in 1996 was the premiere of the movie- documentary “Denise Jannah, New Lady In Jazz” made by renowned Dutch film director Hans Hylkema, who is known for his music documentaries.
Among the highlights in 1997 was her performance for the European Union in The Hague, Holland in the Hall of Knights in January, and performing in May in the same Hall for Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of Holland, former president Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham-Clinton, and heads of states of Europe in the "commemoration of 50 Years Marshall Help Plan for Europe”. In the meantime she had toured in a.o. Chili and Japan.
In 1997 Jannah was offered one of the leading parts in “Joe, The Musical”.
In 1998 Denise Jannah and Marjorie Barnes were the leading ladies in Fats Waller’s musical show “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ”, (European Tour). The “Ain’t Misbehavin’ “ cast performed for Mrs. Rodham-Clinton when she hosted a reception during her visit to Holland that year.
In 1999 Jannah’s fifth album was released: “The Madness Of Our Love”, also on Blue Note Records and recorded in New York. This album was nominated for the Edison Jazz Vocal Award. Also in 1999 she performed at the prestigious “Spoleto Festival” In Charleston, South Carolina (USA). In a huge ‘live’ broadcast (54 countries) during the change of the Millennium Jannah performed the song "Different Colours, One Rainbow" (her own lyrics) with about 100 children at the Dam Square in Amsterdam. The program was called “Hello 2000”. Also in January she opened the Barbados Jazz Festival, at the same time opening for Wynton Marsalis’ Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra. Apart from leading her own group Jannah had also performed several times as a featured guest with the Willem Breuker Collective.
In 2000 their album “Thirst!” was released, on which Jannah performed 5 songs. She was again nominated for the Edison Jazz Vocal Award for her contribution to Willem Breuker’s album. The Willem Breuker Collective has been around for 27 years and has toured all over the world. Jannah has joined them on trips to Italy, Switzerland and France.
In July 2000 Jannah was presented with the Edison Jazz Public Award, during her 7th appearance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Holland. In 2001 Jannah performed in Curaçao for the Curaçao Jazz Foundation, and at the festival “Jazz en Tête” in Clairmont-Ferrand, France. In 2002 she performed at “Printemps du Jazz” in Nîmes, France.

Denise Jannah is a person of many interests. She is a vocalist actress, educator, theatre vocal coach, composer and lyricist, who has made her mark in the world of jazz but who does not at all shy away from other styles like Latin, Fusion or World music. She claims her artistic freedom and loves to blend styles, of course also including her rich Surinamese cultural background. She is multilingual, from which she also benefits in her music. Jannah has been teaching Jazz at the World Music department of the Conservatory in Rotterdam, Holland for several years. Numerous have been her private classes, workshops and master classes. As a theatre vocal coach she has worked with theatre companies as “De Nieuw Amsterdam” and “Theater Cosmic”, both in Holland. She has been a vocal coach for 7 theatre productions so far, including “Antigone” and "Regenboogvrouwen" (For "Coloured Girls Who Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Was Enough" from Ntozake Shange, USA). She was last vocal coach for “Romeo ‘N Juliette, A Caribean Xperienz” from Theater Cosmic, spring 2003 and "Ajax From Africa" from th New Amsterdam Fall 2003.

Denise Jannah has been featured as a guest with numerous bands, groups and orchestras throughout the years. Besides touring with her own group she has, among others, performed with the Orchestra of the Royal Dutch Navy, the Orchestra of the Royal Dutch Air Force, the Royal Police Orchestra, The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rosenberg Trio (she also toured Holland with them in the fall of 2002), the Cyrus Chestnut Trio (USA), the renowned Dutch men’s choir Maastreechter Staar, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band (USA), the Metropole Orchestra, the Holland Big Band, the Dutch Jazz Orchestra, the Bob Belden Big Band (USA), the Berget Lewis Gospel Train and of course the Willem Breuker Collective. She has furthermore shared the stage with distinguished colleages such as the well-known soul singer Eddie Floyd, (“Knock on Wood”), jazz veteran extra-ordinaire vocalist Jon Hendricks, pianists John Hicks and Kenny Barron. International tours and/or performances included countries such as Suriname, South Africa, the Caribbean, the Netherlands Antilles, Canada, Japan, Indonesia, several European countries and the United States. Jannah has also performed for the Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima, former president Kenneth Kaunda from Zambia and former president Nelson Mandela from South Africa, and on a separate occasion for Mr. Mandela’s wife Mrs. Graça Machel Mandela.

In the fall of 2003 she played one of the leading parts in the music theatre production “Jona” from Willem Breuker (Willem Breuker Collective) and Karel Deurloo, based on the book of Jona from the Bible.

Early 2002 Jannah started to set poetry to music, and has been singing poetry in literary festivals in Holland, Suriname, South Africa, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and Indonesia. On January 17 2004 her first album containing only vocal poetry was released, and titled “Gedicht Gezongen” (Poetry Performed). This is her first self-produced album, which she has licensed to Plattèl Music 2004, and her 6th album all together as a leader.

For more info please visit: http://www.denisejannah.nl

Sidemen of Denise Jannah at Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival 2009

Dave Ronchi Matthew

Jazz pianist, Composer and Arranger. A graduate of the Conservatory of Puerto Rico and Berklee College of music in Boston. Studied Music Education and Jazz Composition /Arranging. Ronchi has an extensive music career starting at the age of 14.

Has performed with several international artists such as: Red Rodney, Ced Ride, Walter Beasley, Carla Thomas Izalin Calister, Zamana Kitoki, Curacao Latin jazz ensemble, Steel pan player Konki Halmeier, Argentinean Guitar genius and G.R.P. Recording Artist Luis Salinas.

In 1980 Ronchi has set a new trend in Curacao by creating a new blend of Jazz and native work songs. These songs were sung using the Gene language. (Gene is an old African language, which was spoken in Curacao).

This new blend has been so well accepted that it became the new way to go for the other jazz musicians in Curacao and in Holland. As an arranger Ronchi has worked with several music groups and has arranged for Different Tumba and Calypso Kings in Curacao. As a composer he won the CBU festival in Guyana With his composition " Loving you is my life". He's now working on his debut CD that will be ready in this year. Performances in: U.S.A. Curacao, Holland, Puerto Rico, Mexico, St.Martin, Aruba, Bonaire, Cuba, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Guyana. Ronchi still performs with their group Avila Blues Band and you're always welcome at the Avila Beach Hotel where you can listen to Ronchi play those the beautiful Jazzy notes.

Contacts: E-Mail ronchi.m@interneeds.net

Pierre Dunker

Name: Pierre Dunker Date of birth/place: December 20th, 1971 in Curacao N.A. First sounds Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Tjaikovsky, Miles Davis, Mahalia Jackson, Edme Gurme, Daniel Santos, Jose Feliciano, BeeGees, EWF, Astrud Gilberto just to mention a few. Musical background - Music Theory and Solphege courses - Self study on jazz concepts and improvisation. Worked or shared stage with mainly Denise Jannah (NL), Amina Figarova (NL), Bart Platteau (NL), Israël Gonzales (CUBA), Pernel Saturnino (CUR/USA), Steve Turrintine (USA), Miles Peña (USA), Gary Weill (VEN), Ced Ride (CUR), Wim Statius Muller (CUR), Robert Rojer (CUR) and Hans Dulfer (NL). Currently I'm still writing music and working with Jean-Jacques Rojer (guitarist) in his jazz trio. We have a 70-80's band called 4 real. I'm also working with Ced Ride (local vocalist) on a interesting project called "singing poetry".

HANS DULFER

Biography

Music for listening
A Night at the Sheraton Hans Dulfer
Front Runnin Hans Dulfer

The Artist

DULFER is beyond introduction in most European countries, where BIG BOY hit the album charts during 1994- 1995. In his home country The Netherlands he also reached the Top-10 singles chart with the hard hitting Streetbeats. In Japan Mickey Mouth was the hit single of the album, endearing him to a huge audience that had no clue as to what type of act 'Dulfel' was.

Mid-1995 Dulfer made his first concert tour in Japan, where at the time he was hot with the single Hyperbeat, his first GOLD record and as such a milestone in his career. Dutch television followed him around, gasping at the pace of this 'monster of jazz' (also the name of the EMI sub-label Dulfer is on). To the amazement of his fans and sheer panic of his Japanese bodyguards, Dulfer personally shook everybody's hand after the gig. He made a lasting impression on his young, pop oriented audience.

In his own country Dulfer has already impressed several generations of audacious music lovers, and still does. He has fronted many bands, known several artistic ups and downs and paid his dues.

The Facts

Born May 28, 1940, in Amsterdam, Hans Dulfer touched his first TENOR SAXOPHONE in the mid-fifties. Behind this choice was his strong belief that the tenor was the most powerful, widest ranging instrument around at the time. To see a parallel with one side of the man's character, is not far from the point. Notorious big sound tenor players like Ike Quebec and Big Jay McNeeley are among his heroes, their stage acts the pure and powerful examples of the kind of showmanship Dulfer adored and adopted for himself.

At seventeen Dulfer embarked on a musical career that stretches itself to this very day. Jazz was his first love and it will be his last. Mind you, not the dull cocktail jazz of established tastes, but its grassroots mentality of social comment in music. This, as Dulfer likes to spell out, is not limited to a specific historical period, but an eternal truth about jazz. Along the way Dulfer picked up just about anything that was musically hip -he even tuned in to punk attitudes only to find out that he had been a punk at heart all his life. His bands HEAVY SOUL INC. and REFLUD (DULFER spelled backwards), were notorious in clubland. Many top musicians in their own right now, have played in one or two of Dulfer's bands. In turn, Dulfer contributed to national top bands in the jazz, rock and blues field. International stars regard him as their friend.

Dayjobbing was a bare necessity for a jazz musician who supports a family of three. Slowly but surely though Dulfer reached the point where he could wave goodbye to his longtime occupation of selling cars - a job in which he excelled to the point of twice winning the national GM Car Seller Award. In 1990 he was appointed general director of the famous rock venue PARADISO (the continental home of the ROLLING STONES and DAVID BOWIE) in Amsterdam. Here he instituted club nights for the hip hop and jazzdance scenes, a futuristic approach for a rock club. In the same year his formation of the group TOUGH TENORS caused an uproar all over the country for its loudness and its often unpredictable output. Dulfer just LOVES his reputation.

His work as a BAND LEADER and NATIONAL NIGHTTIME RADIO DEEJAY completely absorbed him after leaving the alien world of club management. Dulfer was on his way to be a well respected member of the musical establishment. The board of the North Sea Jazz Festival gave him the prestigious BIRD AWARD in 1993 to mark his outstanding contributions to jazz life in Holland. He could have retired on his highest jazz note.

Instinctively however he rescued himself from the danger of slowly fading away. He gave his musical career a decisive injection, abandoning his onetime vow never to record again. BIG BOY was the result of this NEW DIRECTION. It all started rolling from there.

The Legend

Notorious. Utterly unconventional. A Living Legend. Hans Dulfer loves to push the limits of acceptable mid-life behaviour a little bit far. This has made him the darling of jazz- and pop refugees alike. He is not one to go with the flow. Call it a way of life. Holland's 'eternal teenager 'is an amazing story teller. Name a jazz great and Dulfer knows something nobody knows. Name a type of music and Dulfer will tell you how to evaluate it historically. 'Never let the truth get in the way of a good story' is his motto.

The building of his own legend is high on his agenda, if he would have one. Where the legendary Hans Brinker used his finger to stop the menacing water, Hans Dulfer pulls the plug. Witnesses to his wild stage performances can never really grasp the effect it has on them. The mysterious side of the process of making music, is a constant inspiration for Dulfer. He gives credit where credit is due: the jazz heritage and the rock'n'roll attitude. For him they're branches of the same tree.

'Don't put your head above the mowing field,' is a well known saying that is abundantly used in Holland. Dulfer has always defied this socalled wisdom, while petty criticism never stopped haunting his daring steps. His sense of humor, deeply rooted in Amsterdam folkways, guides him through the snake pit with virtuosity.

Legends in the making thrive on exaggeration and bold self exposure, keeping themselves far from the writing of factual history. Characteristically Hans Dulfer is his own man, resisting the pressure of predictability. In 1993 he refused to be included in a photography book of Dutch Rock Heroes. He is the only one who has been bitterly missed from its pages, and he knew it. To him it was more special to be missed than to be in the company of many

The Man

Dulfer is often narrowly pinned down by critics as a 'big mouth', a street fighter and someone who refuses to be his age. In fact, he also is a lovely person, even shy at times, always the first to praise other people's musical abilities to the full. Because of his being around for quite some time, he combines the best of many worlds and is the country's main inspirational figure for starting musicians. He has toured constantly and there are few people who have not at least seen Dulfer once. His cry to take an independent stance is heard by many, in and outside the music world.

At the same time, it is difficult, not to say impossible, to quote this language twister in unmistakeable oneliners. He loves to be contradictory, knowing everything in life is relative, especially success. Just hours after touchdown from Japan, its screaming crowds and full houses, he was playing deep jazz for a small, mature audience in an off- off club at the outskirts of Holland. And genuinely enjoying both extremes of the basic experience of making music.

For more info please go to: http//www.hansdulfer.nl

MONTY ALEXANDER

Biography

Music for listening
St Thomas Monty Alexander
Stir it Up Monty Alexander
No woman no cry Monty Alexander

In a career spanning five decades, pianist Monty Alexander has built a reputation exploring the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica, finding in each a sincere spirit of musical expression. In the process, he has performed and recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe: Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare, among many others.

Born on D-Day (June 6, 1944) and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, he took his first piano lessons at age six but was largely self-taught. As a teenager, he witnessed concerts by Louis Armstrong and Nat "King" Cole at Kingston's Carib Theater. These artists had a profound effect on Alexander's own style. He formed Monty and the Cyclones in the late 60s and also recorded on sessions with musicians who would later form The Skatalites.

Alexander and his family came to the United States at the end of 1961. Less than two years later, while playing in Las Vegas with Art Mooney's orchestra, he caught the eye of New York City club owner Jilly Rizzo and his friend, Frank Sinatra. Rizzo hired the young pianist to work in his club, Jilly's, where he accompanied Sinatra and others. There he met Modern Jazz Quartet vibraphonist Milt Jackson, who hired him and eventually introduced him to former Charlie Parker collaborator and legendary bassist Ray Brown. Alexander recorded and performed with the two jazz giants on many occasions.

To this day, Alexander maintains a rigorous touring schedule worldwide, from jazz clubs to concert halls and at Jazz Festivals from South Africa to Montreux (Switzerland), and Australia. His musical collaborations span multiple genres and styles. His projects have been as varied as assisting Natalie Cole in her tribute album to her father, Nat "King" Cole in 1991 (that album, Unforgettable, won seven Grammy awards), performing George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" under the direction of Bobby McFerrin at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and recording the piano track for the film score of Clint Eastwood's Bird, a movie about the life of jazz titan Charlie Parker. In 2008, Alexander conceived and directed the acclaimed program Lords of the West Indies at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

In August 2000 Monty Alexander was awarded the title of Commander in the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government for outstanding services to Jamaica in his capacity as worldwide music ambassador. Monty was listed among the top five Jazz pianists in a recently published book, The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time (New York: Hal Leonard, 2005).

To date Monty Alexander has recorded over 70 albums as a leader. His most recent albums on the Telarc label include trio sessions, such as Impressions in Blue, and live concert recordings, such as Goin' Yard.

In the late summer of 2005, Alexander traveled to Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studio in Kingston, Jamaica, and teamed up with Jamaican top session players to record Concrete Jungle, a set of twelve compositions penned by Bob Marley and reinterpreted via Alexander's jazz piano-oriented arrangements. The resulting union of musical sensibilities digs deep into the Marley legend.

As a testament to his versatility, his latest release, The Good Life, on Chesky Records (Spring 2008), is a collection of songs written and popularized by one of his all time favorite artists, Tony Bennett.

Separate and apart from being the best musician he can be, Alexander's most important objective - whether his vehicle is reggae or jazz or soul, small combo or symphony - is to express the joy of music to all within earshot, regardless of prevailing differences in taste or culture. "My goal is to uplift," says Alexander. "The piano, to me, is a vehicle for connecting to other human beings. I'm very open to all forms of music. I'm not a bebop musician, I'm not a calypso musician, I'm not a reggae musician. I'm a musician who loves it all.

ALFREDO NARANJO Alfredo Naranjo y El Guajeo (Cacao Música)

Music for listening
Dile que venga - Comp. José Cheo Navarro
Mujer Divina - Comp. Héctor Rivera
Mueve - Comp. Alfredo Naranjo

This fifth production by mallet percussionist Alfredo Naranjo, showcases this unique Venezuelan band-leader/composer at the top of his game. Classically trained, Naranjo started his musical career as a member of the Gran Mariscal of Ayacucho Symphonic Orchestra in Caracas, before entering the popular music scene. Surrounded by superb session musicians from Venezuela's capital city, as well as guest luminaries such as Jimmy Bosch, Luis Julio Toro, David Peña, Ali Bello, Pablo Gil, and Luz Mabel Medina, Naranjo unleashes a colorful repertoire of original scores and a handful of classic tropical favorites, all arranged by and featuring Naranjo on the vibraphone, xylophone, piano and other percussion instruments. He opens the recording with the selection Intro (a tasty Latín jazz composition), playing both the vibraphone and xylophone within a quartet format of piano, bass and batá drums. Mi socio (a dance-friendly mambo) follows, featuring Naranjo in a powerful tropical setting, with solos by guest artists Jimmy Bosch (trombone) and Pablo Gil (sax). Other favorites include the tracks Los Caballos, Baila, Master Tito (dedicated to Tito Puente) and the all time favorites Linda (a Pedro Flores composition) and Caramelo (penned by Roberto Puentes). If you like the music of Tito Puente and Joe Cuba, then you will really enjoy Alfredo Naranjo & El Guajeo. Kudos to Cacao Música for an excellent production and premium informative packaging.

Gabriel "Gebby" Saleh, a Bonaire born pianist, with his group called "Gebby and his Stars", has successfully launched at the end of last year a compact disc of his own inspired compositions of traditional Antillean music.
This new release for the first time edited by a group of musicians of Bonaire has resulted in a great acceptance by the general public and is presently triggering exciting listening and dancing mood at various presentations and shows on the island. They will be certainly performing in the other of the Antilles and the Netherlands very soon.

The musicians of the group are Sigfried "Fit" Molina, bass, Hubert "Iby" de Palm. Guitar, Johan "Joe" Gonesh, ukulele and Gebby Saleh, piano and leader. The general consultant of the group is Hershel Rosario, a very well-known and all-round musician himself on the Dutch islands in the Caribbean.

Gebby Saleh at an early age wanted to be a musician and chooses the piano as his preferred instrument that he was really interested to play in the future, reason why he kept studying music while practicing continuously on the piano. After joining and playing with many groups in the past he took some years of time-out and reflected on how to continue and in the meantime still practicing. In the first part of the year 2008 he met Sigfried "Fit" Molina who was looking for a computer printer and happened to meet Gebby at the computer-store where he was in charge of sales. This happy encounter ended with an invitation to continue talking about music and the possibility to revive the typical piano music which was the selective melodies of dance numbers like the waltz, mazurka, danza and tumba.

Gebby's band presents the nature and the character of the Antillean and Bonairean music embraced by the typical culture of the country, for that reason they wanted to preserve and enhance this traditional for the generation to come.

CABACO TRIO

CAnto, BAjo and COnga are the instruments that form CABACO Trio. Born in December, 2006 as a group that presents an unusual format due to its absence of melodic instrument. Conformed by Andreina Marcano - Vocals, Lando Tjin a Tsu - Bass and Carlos Jimenez - Latin Pecussion, all three with different musical background. Together they have taken care of performing different musical genres based on standard Afrocuban, Brazilian, Jazz & Latin Jazz music. Their music in a unique way has been entertaining all level of public on the island on special events, Restaurants & Hotels.

Carlos Alberto Jimenez is a percussionist from Venezuela. He studied and performed at the Music Conservatory of the "Orquesta Nacional Juvenil" in Venezuela, aswell as with Orlando Poleo, Oscar Valdez, Jonhy Almendra, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez and Eddy Bobe. During his years in Bonaire, Carlos' major interest has been the diffusion of Afrocuban music throught teaching Latin percussion, producing 2 radio programs "Rumba 91.1" and "Nos kos Latino" and writing for the local newspaper. Carlos also has performed with several bands on the island and now with "Dikazz" and "Cabaco Trio".

Andreina Marcano Gonzalez a vocalist from Venezuela, leaving in Bonaire for 20 years. Coming from a family of professional classic musicians, since an early age has participated in different choirs and vocal groups in Venezuela. She is a passionate vocalist well known for her smooth voice that performs Jazz & Latin Music with "Dikazz" and " Cabaco Trio" in various events, local Restaurants & Hotels.

Orlando Tjin a Sjoe is Bonaire's best bass player. He is a composer and arranger of local as well as international music. Lando, as we call him is a well experienced all around musician who played with almost all local groups in various styles. He also traveled a lot with Tipico Bonairiano and other groups, playing cultural, international and jazz music in various countries.

As bassist, composer and arranger Lando belongs to the islands finest jazz musician.

SILVER BULLET STEEL ORCHESTRA

Tthis group started in 1967 with some youngsters of the village Tera corra. MR. Franklin Scherptong was and is still our musical director. During our existing we have played in the most important hotels of the island, beside that we are part of the promotional team of our tourism. We have preformed in South America, Venezuela, Colombia, Chili and Orlando Florida.

Our repertoire consists of instrumental melody, of local and Caribbean songs, at this moment we have a group of eleven musicians with a high grade of discipline, and we are always ready for new experience.

Musicians: Nilda Emerenciana on double tenor, Jeamarilia Emerenciana on first pan, Egilio Goeloe on first pan, Jeffry Scherptong on second pan, Richinel Anthony on cello , Basilio Anthony on percussion, Judell Emerenciana on drums, Mark Mercera on wiri ( raspa) Julius Janga on Timbales, Envo Trinidad on drums, Felix Mercera on bass guitar.

Biography of Dikazz

This group started in 1984 as a group of friends well known as AYAYAY who have been playing in hotels, restaurants and party's for almost 25 year with an interest in jazz music what they have been combining with their own cultural music. Result a fabulous group who has played it all from Antillean waltz to funk. The Dikazz group started in 2000 with the first Bonaire Jazz Club at the KON TIKI RESORT entertaining the jazz lovers with good music accompanying at least once a month a local or international artist. The experience of this group consists of the musicians who have been playing or composing/arranging for almost every band on the island.

Gaby Mercera who's one of the islands best drummers is a known drum teacher, composer and arranger. Gaby studied at the Drummers Collective in the U.S.A and is the leader of the Dikazz group. He's a teacher and owner of Bonaire's best drum studio. (Deco drum studio Bonaire) He preformed at multiple festivals, workshops and jams. In 2006 he preformed at the St. Lucia Jazz festival with the great John Novello & Free winds band. He performed with other local and international greats as Tipico Boneriano, Dominico Herera, Rudy Plaate, CED Ride, Aaron Heick, Stacey Francis, Michell Henderson, Carmel, Sugaroo, Sony Koeblahl, David Pomerantz, Amanda Miguel, and George McGrae. His first produced cultural CD dedicated to kids and elders in 2007 had won various cultural awards. His latest project in the recording studio is titled "Ta Ken" based on the Bonairian music style.

Orlando Tjin a Sjoe	Carlos Alberto Jimenez	Andreina Marcano Gonzalez
	CABACO Trio

Byron Tromp, the Dikazz keyboard player is a well known local musician. Byron started his career by playing Latin dance music in combo's but switched style and became member of the most famous folkloric group of the Netherlands Antilles, Tipico Bonairiano. With this group he performed in hotels, shows and toured representing Bonaire in several international folkloric festivals and tourism fairs. As composer, arranger, singer and song writer he contributed in various local recordings and projects. Byron Tromp is the co-founder of Bonaire Musicians Association and the Bonaire Jazz Club. Socially he is active with the organization of the Bonaire Regatta and is member of the band The Four B's.

Robert Swinkels guitar player, teacher, composer and arranger is the musical director of the Dikazz group. Robert studied music in Holland at the Conservatory of Alkmaar and has a musical degree in teaching modern music. He participated in various workshops, jam sessions and preformed a lot with different formations from cultural to international music. He's one of the founders of the Bonaire Music school and teaches music at the high school of Bonaire (S.G.B.) He has been directing the high school jazz band who has been performing at the Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival for three years. He's also the music advisor of the Bonaire Jazz Foundation. Released his first CD (Mis Pensamientos) in 2004 with the Latin jazz quartet. As a guitarist he plays with all the islands jazz and international music groups as Cabaco Trio, the Chris Morkos Jazz band, Moogie and friends, Ancaro Jazz duo and the Dikazz group.

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