Alexa Weber Morales Band with Rueda Con Ritmo at Senzala tomorrow night!

Join the Alexa Weber Morales Band with special guests Sidney Weaverling and Ryan Mead of Rueda Con Ritmo for our second show of an ongoing series.

The fun starts Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 pm at Senzala, a delicious, spacious Brazilian eatery and cultural center located at 250 E. Java Dr. in Sunnyvale, Calif. Tickets are $12 and include a Cuban circle dance class, two sets by the Alexa Weber Morales Band, and an Afro-Cuban dance performance by Sidney and Ryan! Senzala is an all-ages venue and children are welcome.

Senzala is fast becoming a hot-spot for Latin American and Brazilian dance and music events, and has expanded their event schedule to a new night: Thursdays! Peninsula residents are urged to spread the word that affordable, high-energy and family-friendly fun is now in the neighborhood! Here's the schedule:

7:30 Rueda de casino dance class taught by Sidney Weaverling and Ryan Mead

8:00 First set, Alexa Weber Morales MiniBand featuring pianist Murray Low, Grammy-nominated percussionist Omar Ledezma, bassist David Pinto and singer-songwriter Alexa Weber Morales!

8:45 Dance performance by Rueda Con Ritmo

9:00 Second set, Alexa Weber Morales MiniBand

ABOUT RUEDA CON RITMO

Ryan Mead was studying jazz percussion at the New England Conservatory when he took his first trip to Cuba, and his life was changed forever. He became an avid student of Cuban dance and music, both popular and folkloric, making several trips to Cuba (most recently on a grant from Stanford). Fluent in Spanish, he has studied Cuban and Miami-style salsa and rueda in Washington DC, Miami, and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and has been teaching for 4 years.

Sidney Weaverling is a longtime contributer to of the currently thriving Cuban-style salsa scene in the SF Bay Area, with more than 10 years of experience as a teacher, performer, and choreographer. Apart from her remarkable proficiency with Cuban popular dance, she has extensive knowledge of Brazilian and African styles. She has studied at the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) in Cuba and hosted study trips for her students at myriad schools in Miami, notably SalsaLovers and Salsa Racing. Sidney not only has a beautiful, fluid style – she has the experience to transform and inspire dancers at any level.

ABOUT THE ALEXA WEBER MORALES BAND

Since 2004, multilingual singer-songwriter Alexa Weber Morales has made six studio recordings, including her two solo albums, Jazzmérica and Vagabundeo. The latter, named “one of the greatest Bay Area recordings in recent times” by Latin Beat magazine, made top-20 airplay nationwide and received acclaim from around the world. Rio de Janeiro–based producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro (João Gilberto, Luiz Bonfá) calls her original compositions “rhythmically captivating and entrancing.” A June 2008 DownBeat review of Vagabundeo enthuses, “Her large-scale skill and talent encourages her all-inclusive dreams” and praises her “gorgeous articulation, flowing time sense and warm tone.”

Murray Low is a 30-year veteran pianist on the Bay Area jazz scene. Though he is a tireless performer, recording artist, and arranger, he is best known for his work with Pete Escovedo (since 1994); Grammy-nominated John Santos and the Machete Ensemble (since 2000); and Andy Narell, the pioneering steel pan player. His multifaceted career has also included international performances with Tito Puente, Bob Mintzer, Sheila E, Benny Golson, John Patitucci, George Duke, and many others.


Born in Caracas, Venezuela, 2008 Grammy-nominated Omar Ledezma, Jr. has been taking the Bay Area by storm with his percussion-vocals skills and his professionalism. After graduating at one of the most prestigious law schools in Caracas, Omar packed one bag and one drum to begin his move to Boston while making a passionate commitment to study at Berklee College of Music. There he collaborated and toured with renowned artists in the US, Europe, Caribbean and South America. He has participated in more than 20 recordings and projects including CDs, DVDs and books.

David Pinto is a Peruvian native probably best-known for his work as musical director, arranger and bassist with Grammy-winner Susana Baca, champion of Afro-Peruvian song. Other credits include Olga Guillot, Alex Acuña and Bay Area band leaders Edgardo Cambón and producer Wayne Wallace. He has played more than 800 festivals around the world.

For more information, visit any of the links below.

CD :: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/alexawm2 (Vagabundeo)
CD :: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/alexawm (Jazzmerica)
WEB :: http://www.alexawebermorales.com
BLOG :: http://www.alexawebermorales.com/blogger.html
VIDEO :: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=awebermorales