January 27, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … The explosive sound of the Mambo Kings, who combine Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz improvisation, comes to Portland for an Oregon Symphony Pops concert led by Guest Conductor Jeff Tyzik on Feb. 25, 26 and 27 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, with an added performance on Feb. 24 at Smith Auditorium in Salem. The Feb. 27 concert is sponsored by Microsoft. Media support for all concerts provided by KINK fm102 and Oregon Business Magazine.
Tyzik and the Mambo Kings have been performing together for almost a decade and have garnered raves from audiences and critics alike. Michael P. Gladstone of AllAboutJazz.com writes, “. . . this Latin jazz combo really nails the genre. This is vital Latin jazz that is cooking.”
Tyzik will conduct an orchestra first half with featured selections “Malagueña,” “Carmen Suite No. 1,” “Oblivion” and excerpts from Bizet’s “Carmen.” Then the Mambo Kings will take the stage to unleash their innovative arrangements of “Blue Mambo a la Turk,” “Oye Como Va,” “Tres Lindas Cubanas” and several other well-known songs.
Performances are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 26, at 3 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, with an additional performance on Feb. 24 at Willamette University’s Smith Auditorium in Salem. Tickets range in price from $27 to $76 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Customer Service Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Discounted tickets for groups of eight or more are available through the Group Sales hotline at (503) 416-6380. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.
Pianist and arranger Richard Delaney, a native of Lima, Peru, has been active as a jazz pianist, arranger and composer in Rochester for over 30 years; he was musical director and arranger for Orquesta La Muralla, Rochester's legendary salsa band, for 15 years before starting the Mambo Kings. He has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic and Paquito D’Rivera. He teaches piano and jazz piano at the Hochstein School of Music, where he also directs three student jazz ensembles.
Saxophonist John Viavattine has been an accomplished woodwind specialist in Rochester for many years. John has performed on tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, including a memorable performance in Washington, D.C. at President Reagan’s 1980 Inaugural Ball. John has also performed with Chuck and Gap Mangione, Jeff Tyzik and the Rochester Philharmonic, The Temptations, Ray Charles, Patti Page, Connie Francis, Vic Damone and Lou Rawls.
Percussionist Freddy Colón (drums, timbales, bongoes) has performed with Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, Soneros Del Barrio, Johnny Rivera, El Cano and Paquito Acosta. He is much in demand as a percussion clinician in the Greater Rochester area.
Percussionist David Antonetti (congas, bongos) played for many years with Orquesta La Muralla including performances with Adalberto Santiago, Ismael Miranda and Ismael Quintana.
Bassist and newest member Hector Diaz has been playing with bands in the Western New York area since the age of thirteen. He has performed with Ismael Miranda, Hector Tricoche, “El Cano” Estremera, Paquito Acosta, Zafra Negra, Luisito Rosario, Wendell Rivera and Johnny Rivera. While in the Army, Hector toured with an All Soldiers show throughout Army bases in South Korea.
Known for his innovative programming, unique arrangements and his engaging rapport with audiences of all ages, Jeff Tyzik has earned a reputation as one of America’s foremost pops conductors. Principal Pops Conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for over a decade, Tyzik also serves as Principal Pops Conductor of the Vancouver and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras.
Tyzik has appeared as a guest conductor with many of the major orchestras in North America including the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Pittsburgh, Saint Louis, Seattle and Toronto, as well as the Boston Pops and the Cincinnati Pops. He has also appeared with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to his commitments in Rochester, Vancouver and Winnipeg, Tyzik’s guest conducting schedule for the 2005–2006 season includes engagements with the New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Seattle and Toronto symphony orchestras, and the Naples Philharmonic, among others.
Tyzik’s pops programming is a reflection of his musical diversity. He has crafted many programs that include the greatest music from the jazz, classical, movie soundtrack, opera, Broadway, Irish, Latin, gospel, rock, R & B and big band/swing idioms. Tyzik has worked with such diverse artists as Tony Bennett, Art Garfunkel, Dawn Upshaw, Marilyn Horne, Arturo Sandoval, The Chieftains, Mark O’Connor, Doc Severinsen, John Pizzarelli, Billy Taylor and Lou Rawls.
Tyzik’s contemporary compositions
have been recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra,
the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Summit
Brass. His pops arrangements have been recorded
by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra,
the Rochester Philharmonic, the Vancouver Symphony
and Doc Severinsen with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
in London.
Tyzik’s record production skills earned him a
Grammy Award in 1986 for an album entitled “The
Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen.” Early
in his career, Tyzik composed and arranged music for
the Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman Orchestras and
worked closely with Chuck Mangione as performer and
producer. Tyzik has also produced and composed
theme music for many major television networks, including
ABC, NBC, HBO, Cinemax, Arts & Entertainment and
American Movie Classics. Tyzik has released six
of his own albums on Capitol, Polygram and Amherst
Records.
He received the Arts & Cultural Council of Rochester’s 2002 award for Performing Artist, and in 1997, he was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in recognition of his commitment to community service. That same year he was also recognized by the Monroe County Music Educators and the Rochester Philharmonic League for his work in public school and community education. In 2003 he was elected to the Board of Managers of the Eastman School of Music. Tyzik is also a board member of the Hochstein School of Music and Dance.
Tyzik holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He lives in Rochester, New York with his wife Jill.
