THANA ALEXA
2016, 2017 and 2018 Downbeat Critic’s Poll Rising Female Vocalist, runner up in the 2014 Made in NY Jazz Competition, winner of the 2011 Jazzon Alpe-Adria International Composition Competition and nominee in the category of Best Jazz Composition for the 2011 PORIN Awards - the Croatian Music Academy’s honor equivalent to the Grammy Awards in America. Thana Alexa released “Ode to Heroes”, her Harmonia Mundi Jazz Village debut in March 2015, an album of original compositions and vocal arrangements, in which she pays tribute to the personalities both personal and musical who have impacted her on the path to forging her own distinctively individual voice.
On her upcoming album “ONA” (meaning "SHE" in Croatian), Thana celebrates the lives of women in all their unique forms and expressions. Her music explores the wild woman spirit - the mind, the soul, the sexuality, the fight within the female and conveys a message of strength and empowerment. Musically, Thana’s compositions are rooted in jazz and incorporate strong elements of world music, fusion and soul.
Alexa is an active member of Antonio Sanchez' touring ensemble Migration (Grammy winner for the Birdman film score as well as Pat Metheny’s drummer of 18 years) and has recorded three critically acclaimed albums with the group under the CAMJazz label: New Life, The Meridian Suite, (Seamus Blake, John Escreet, Matt Brewer) and Lines In the Sand (Chase Baird, John Escreet, Matt Brewer) – the latter two for which Alexa contributed lyrics. Alexa also appears on four of guitarist Gene Ess's albums. The first two (Fractal Attraction and Eternal Monomyth) - for which Alexa contributed vocals, compositions and lyrics - won the SESAC Jazz Award in 2015 and 2016.
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GABRIEL ESPINOSA was born in Merida, Mexico in 1952. His love of music began at a very young age. With the help of his mother he began playing the guitar at the age of six. By the age of fourteen, along with his brothers Victor and Patricio, Gabriel performed with their group Los Deltons, where he played bass guitar.
In 1976 Gabriel attended Central College, in Pella, IA, where he received a BA in music. He then attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where he received a degree in arranging and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1983. In his last at Berklee Gabriel formed the group Ashanti along with his friend and George Robert. During that year, he played with Ashanti in venues all Boston.
From 1984 to 1991 he performed with his group Ashanti in Can Cun, MX.
In 1992 Gabriel attended the University of North Texas in Denton, TX where he received his Masters degree in Jazz studies in 1995. While studying at UNT, Gabriel was also a part of the UNT Jazz Singers. Along with his studies Gabriel produced several albums for Mexican artists including, Armando Manzanero.
In 1996 Gabriel returned to Central College in Pella, IA, where he became Director of Jazz Studies. He not only directed the jazz band and taught private music lessons but also started the Vocal Combos music program, which has been very successful.
With his return to Pella also came the return of his band Ashanti. In the years that followed Ashanti recorded three albums, which include En Fuego, Sin Fronteras, and Dyos Bo'otik, as well as touring in venues all over the Midwest and Mexico. Ashanti has had many guest musicians including, Alex Acuña, Anat Cohen, Gil Goldstein and Dave Samuels among others.
In January 2008 Gabriel celebrated his 40 years in music. On January 7, 2008 Gabriel had the opportunity to present his band Ashanti Mundo at the Teatro Jose Peon Contreras in his native Merida, MX. His concert with Ashanti Mundo featured Berklee alumni and close friend George Robert on sax, Edsel Gomez on piano, Claudio Roditi on trumpet and Tim Crumley on drums.
In August 2008 Gabriel presented a concert with the Doctors in Jazz in Avigliana, Italy featuring George Robert on sax, Francis Coletta on guitar, Maria Rusca on piano, Riccardo Fioravanti on bass and Sangoma Everett on drums.
From August 31 to September 3 Gabriel was a guest vocal professor for the Due Laghi Jazz Workshop in Avigliana, Italy.
In November 2008 Gabriel recorded his first solo album project in New York City. The album features compositions by Gabriel Espinosa and Alison Weddingwith the talented collaborations of Antonio Sanchez, Claudio Roditi, George Robert, Helio Alves, Adriano Santos, Anat Cohen, Romero Lubambo, Darmon Meader, Kim Nazarian, Jacinto Macedoand Alison Wedding.
In July of 2010 Gabriel presented the music of his From Yucatan to Rio CD at the Iowa City Jazz Festival together with: Helio Alves, Adriano Santos, Alison Wedding, Jim Snidero, Paul Meyers and Tim Crumley.
In May of 2011 Gabriel and Hendrik Meurkens recorded a CD entitled Celebrando together with: Antonio Sanchez, Anat Cohen, Alison Wedding, Misha Tsiganov, Mauricio Zotarelli and Jim Seeley. In March of 2012 the group had a CD release concert at the Pella Opera House. The CD was released worldwide in April 2012. In May 2012 the group was invited to participate at the Allegro Convention in Portland, Oregon. In November 2011, Gabriel had the opportunity to perform in two concerts with Canadian jazz singer Carol Weslman and in November 2012, Gabriel played two concerts with French jazz singer Cyrille Aimee.
During 2012 the CD Celebrando spent 26 weeks in the JazzWeek charts ending at #25 on the list of the best CDs of 2012. JazzTimes and Downbeat had great reviews of Celebrando as well as other important jazz websites like All About Jazz. This Summer of 2013 the group will be performed live shows in Iowa, New Jersey and at the Dizzys Coca Cola (Lincoln Center) in New York city.
In March of 2014 Espinosa and Merukens started to record their new production Samba Little Samba. The CD came out the month of October of 2014. The group will have a CD release concert at The Iridium Jazz (in New York City) in the summer of 2015.
In October of 2014 Gabriel was awarded a recipient of the Hall of Fame by the Greater Des Moines Community Jazz Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
In November of 2014 Espinosa presented de music of his new CD Samba Little Samba at the Festival de la Cultura Maya in Merida, Yucatan Mexico. Also in January of 2015 Espinosa and Meurkens presented a concert at the Tucson Jazz Festival.
Gabriel and Hendrik Meurkens had a CD release at the Iridium in New York City on August 2, 2015. They also performed at the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival on November 26, 2015.
Gabriel presented a concert with Antonio Sanchez and Anat Cohen at Grinnell College in Feb 2016.
On October of 2016 Gabriel released his fourth solo CD, “Songs of Bacharach and Manzanero” with special guest and seven time Grammy nominee Tierney Sutton. The band had a CD release concert in Merida, Mexico on January 19,2017. The group also had a CD release at “Noce” in Des Moines, Iowa on March 9 & 10 2017