The Band

Carlos Cuestas

Classical guitarist and early plucked instrumentalist Carlos Cuestas is an active performer based in New York City. His musical versatility has allowed him to perform as a soloist and in chamber, orchestral, and traditional music ensembles on different plucked instruments in the United States, Mexico, Colombia, and Ireland.

As a guitarist, Mr. Cuestas has done in-depth studies of eighteenth and nineteenth-century guitar repertoire, particularly music for keyboard and guitar, and the art of improvisation in the style of the early Romantic period. As a continuo player, Mr. Cuestas has participated in numerous projects including opera and oratorio productions in New York City, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Mr. Cuestas has also delved into the centuries-old son jarocho tradition from Veracruz, Mexico, playing a consort of traditional instruments, and is a member of New York City ensemble Radio Jarocho. A Colombian national, Mr. Cuestas is a PhD Candidate in Ethnomusicology at the City University of New York, The Graduate Center researching the effects of environmental change in the poetic and musical practice of son jarocho.

Felipe Fournier

Latin Grammy-winning producer, vibraphonist/percussionist, musical director, arranger & educator, Felipe Fournier was born in the Central American country of Costa Rica and graduated from Puerto Rico Music Conservatory with a degree in Jazz and Caribbean Music (2010); and Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica with another degree in Percussion Performance & Education (2006). 


In 2017 Fournier won the Latin Grammy for Best Mariachi/ Ranchero album for Las Caras Lindas by Flor de Toloache, as a producer. He was nominated prior for both a Grammy & Latin Grammy with Charlie Sepúlveda, Nestor Torres, Rubén Blades & Cheo Feliciano.
 


Based in New York City since 2013, Felipe is the musical director of “Supermambo! A Vibes Tribute to Tito Puente”; Luba Mason’s Triangle; Ballet Folklorico NEPANTLA; and the cabaret show “A Mexican Affair”. 
 
 Also, he plays as a sideman with Luisito Quintero's “3rd Element”, Axel Tosca Quartet, Xiomara Laugart, Consoul Big Band.

Dan Martinez

Dan Martinez is a bassist, composer and arranger from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico.

A graduate of the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music with a degree in Jazz performance and double bass, he took classes with some of the best musicians in Puerto Rico - José García, the leading bass player or the Symphony Orchestra of Puerto Rico, and Eddie Gómez, a jazz legend.

Dan has worked with jazz artists Humberto Ramírez, William Cepeda, and Eric Figueroa. He was the bass player for the band Rever, a rock and pop band which produced its first CD in 2012 called Atrévete a sonar. He collaborated with the songwriter Gabriel Miranda, and a group of Puerto Rican folklore, Severo Group.

Dan is currently playing with Slavo Rican Assembly, SUPERMAMBO, Mar Salá Band, Richard Padrón Trío, Rafael Rosa Group, among others. A versatile musician, he plays both electric and acoustic bass, and also composes and arranges original music for the bands he plays in.