"I Played with Miles Davis and the Birth of the Cool" Mike Zwerin

Bob Studebaker to revisit Pittsburgh Jazz History on WDUQ

By Adrian McCoy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

To mark the end of jazz programming on WDUQ-FM, WDUQ jazz host Bob Studebaker will host a three-hour special on the history of jazz and the influence of Pittsburgh jazz artists on the music.
The special will air Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Mr. Studebaker will join Essential Public Media starting Friday, when EPM takes over operations of WDUQ. He'll be a host on the station's HD jazz channel.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11180/1156804-67.stm?cmpid=entertainment.xml#ixzz1QlWDbAiK

Dr. Theodore Fortier: Area airman honors historic group

By Damon Sayles, Special Contributor

PLANO -- Those who enter the home of Dr. Theodore T. Fortier may notice similar things with each visit. There's a good chance jazz music will be playing in the background, as Fortier is the quintessential jazz connoisseur.

While the music manages to captivate souls, the many pieces of art on his walls serve as instant eye candy. Displayed in his home includes everything from a spectacular painting signed by numerous icons of the jazz era to more than 25 jigsaw puzzles that he not only pieced together but also glued to form masterpieces he has hung on his walls.

The atmosphere Fortier associates himself with becomes him. It fits, considering he is a becoming individual with a remarkable story. At 84 years old, Fortier is a retired dentist of 50 years who is also a member of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., a group dedicated to preserving one of the most prestigious military organizations in history: the Tuskegee Airmen.

"As I look back," Fortier said, "I can say that I have a lot of stories." 

Overcoming adversity 
Born in 1926 as the youngest of eight children, Fortier grew up in San Diego with his six brothers and sister. Fortier grew up in times when the country battled heated racial issues, and it showed as he tried applying for dental schools.

Following attending Pacific Union College and spending time in the military, he tried applying to schools such as USC, Harvard and Meharry. He eventually was accepted into the Howard University College of Dentistry.

"When Howard University accepted me," Fortier said, "it was kind of my moment of vindication where I could thumb my nose at the other schools. Those four years were the happiest time of my life."

Fortier completed postgraduate training as the class salutatorian in 1957. During the span of owning his own practice, he has met some of the world's most renowned individuals -- including quite a few of his favorite musicians.

"I have had the most famous jazz people in my office. Ray Charles was one of them," Fortier said. "I am personal friends with a lot of them; I love those cats. They brought so much joy to me when times were really tough."

In addition to maintaining his practice for five decades, he also served on boards for numerous committees and societies in California. He also won several awards for his work, the most recent a humanitarian award in 2005 given by the Academy of General Dentistry. He won the award competing against applicants throughout the United States and Canada. 

Making history
Fortier had an interest in dentistry early, and following a stint in the Army -- he, like five of his brothers, was drafted -- he pursued his craft. During his two-year military obligation, he linked up with the Los Angeles Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc., a group made up of many black aviators during the time of World War II. Because of Jim Crow laws and segregation, the Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military pilots in the armed forces.

Fortier joined the military in 1945, the final year of World War II. He concluded his military duties in 1947. Fortier said he still keeps in touch with members who are still alive.

"There aren't many of us left, but think about it: The Tuskegee Airmen started before Pearl Harbor," he said. "The first class graduated before 1941. By the time I got active, those guys were already getting up in age.

"There were a lot of blacks who wanted to be pilots, but nobody was training them. When the idea came back to form an all-black air corps, that's when you started seeing more and more respect for us."

Fortier's experience in dentistry fuels his resume, but it's the Tuskegee Airmen knowledge that tends to draw a crowd for those who know him, as well as strangers.

"I first heard Mr. Fortier speak about his experience as a Tuskegee Airman during World War II at a Rotary Club meeting," said Ed Drain, assistant chief of police in Plano. "He is a very engaging speaker and he has excellent recall, especially considering the events happened 60 years ago.

"His description of the Army Air Corps' arduous training program, along with the racism and the public scrutiny the Tuskegee Airman encountered, speaks volumes about the dedication and determination of the Tuskegee Airman," he said. "We are fortunate to have Mr. Fortier in the area to remind us of this important part of our nation's history."

Complete on: 

http://www.planostar.com/articles/2011/06/29/plano_star-courier/news/8987.txt

Jazz Roots: The Music of the Americas

By Jack Goodstein, BLOGCRITICS.ORG

Jazz Roots: The Music of the Americas is a two-disc collection of 41 classic tracks illustrating the history of jazz from its African origins and its early blues and Dixieland development through to its contemporary manifestations. It covers a wide variety of styles and movements and features the work of many legendary performers and their recordings.

Jazz lovers will find more than a few of their old favorites; neophytes will discover for themselves some of the iconic performances that have enchanted listeners for almost a century. This is a collection that defines what is recognized as the first truly American genre.

Beginning with Nigerian-born Babtunde Olatunji's "Akiwowo" from his 1959 Drums of Passion album and ending with pianist Eldar Djangirov's 2004 recording of "Sweet Georgia Brown," Jazz Roots is nothing short of a series of highlights. It has something for everyone.

If you like the early piano, there's Scott Joplin playing "Maple Leaf Rag" from back in 1916. If you like something more modern, there's Dave Brubeck and the quartet featuringPaul Desmond on the saxophone doing "Take Five."

Bessie Smith" title="Bessie Smith" width="285" height="325" />Bessie Smith sings lowdown blues; Ella Fitzgerald improvises with an angelic purity of tone. There are the big bands of the '30s and '40s: Benny Goodman, Glen Miller,Count Basie, and Duke Ellington. You can't help but get ready to swing when you hear the opening drum solo of "Sing, Sing, Sing," the piano intro of "Take the A Train," or the riffs of "One O'Clock Jump."

Bebop is represented by Charley Parker's "Ornithology" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca." Latin influences are illustrated by the Afro-Cuban bands of the late '40s and '50s, Tito Puente and Machito, as well as a more modern take on the style from Tiempo Libre's 2008 "To Conga Bach(Conga)" inspired by Bach's "Fugue In C Minor" from The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1.

Brazilian jazz and the bossa nova craze of the '60s and '70s are represented by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Eliane Elias. Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Miles Davis exemplify what the liner notes call "hard bop." A variety of modern jazz movements-fusion, funk, contemporary and others-are also included with tracks from musicians like George Benson,Kenny G, Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock.

While some jazz aficionados may have some personal favorite song or artist they would have preferred to the selections included in the album, it is hard to argue with what producers did choose. Clearly the album is meant for the novice. The intention is to whet the appetite, and to encourage further investigation. It aims to be neither exhaustive, nor comprehensive.

Complete on: http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Jazz-Roots-The-Music-of-the-1444671.php

Bobby Troup Trio: Daddy

by Marc Myers
While I'm away, I have a different video clip for you each day this week. Each clip is fun and fascinating in its own right. To kick off the series, here's the Bobby Troup Trio in 1951 performing Troup's ownDaddy, with singer Virginia Maxey. That's Al Viola on guitar and Lloyd Pratt on bass:




Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

WBEZ colleagues remember legendary jazz radio host Larry Smith

Former WBEZ Jazz Host Larry Smith passed away last weekend of a heart attack. He was 83 years old. The longtime overnight host of Jazz Forum had a flair for broadcasting and jazz music. His voice was one of the most recognizable in Chicago broadcasting.

Larry Smith (left) with Dick Buckley (WBEZ archives)

Smith began his tenure at WBEZ in 1982 and retired in September 2005.

Larry Smith owned the overnight airwaves.  When I first started here, I knew exactly who he was the first time I was introduced. Later in my career, I was doing the Schadenfreude comedy program and that meant long hours, sometime into the wee hours. I would go into the kitchen to grab more coffee and run into him eating his take out dinner from Beef & Brandy on State Street. We would exchange pleasantries and he would send me off with a booming "Ok, now!" or "Don't work too hard!"

I could go on and on with stories about one of the best, but I think I'll let my colleagues speak for me. Here are some thoughts and memories from WBEZ colleagues that worked closely with Larry:

Torey Malatia, WBEZ general manager:

Larry Smith was one of the most highly regarded jazz broadcasters in the country during his over two decades of hosting music on WBEZ.  Jazz performers from internationally renowned artists, to young local performers who just cut their first recording, dropped in on Larry’s jazz show on WBEZ after performances at theaters, concert halls, and clubs, to talk and jam  (yes, play music live on the radio)  with swingin’ Larry Smith.

I’ll never forget Ira’s early This American Life broadcasts, when the show was local in late 1994, closing with Ira promoting the upcoming schedule on Friday night.  He’d say, “and then, Larry Smith, Larry Smith, Larry Smith,” as if the name were of too much import to say it just once.

Richard Steele: Former WBEZ jazz host and current WBEZ contributor:

“Sit back, relax, and let’s swing together”

Those words were Larry Smith’s trademark opening for his nightly jazz show on WBEZ.  And swing he did…for the entire length of his show.  Even his favorite ballads had a ‘slowed down’ swing element.  Jazz was his true passion.  He would often expound on a noteworthy trumpet solo by someone like Dizzy Gillespie.  That’s probably because back in the day, Larry played a little jazz trumpet himself.  If you’re wondering just how much he loved this music, you need to know that in addition to emceeing jazz performances featuring just about every legendary musician in jazz, he once did a regular ‘live’ radio show from the famed Sutherland Lounge, where he did on-air interviews with everybody from Count Basie to Miles Davis.  

But one of my most enduring memories was a weekly eight hour jazz show that Larry did here at WBEZ.  I sat in for him a few times when he was on vacation.  The show was so long that it almost turned me against jazz.  But not Larry…he loved it! He’ll be sorely missed by Chicago’s expansive jazz community (especially the old-timers), but I’m confident that they’ll ‘memorialize’ Larry by continuing to swing!

Claude Cunningham: Director of Facilities at WBEZ. Claude will be delivering the eulogy at Larry's funeral:

In the early days of listening to jazz radio, I came across a jock who was playing some hot jazz music (swinging, finger popping , foot patting, jazz music). One day my uncle took me to the Sutherland Hotel where I first met Mr. Smith. It was one of the first times meeting a real live jock. Later, Larry and I became best friends. In the early 80’s, Larry took his live jazz show to a place called "The Chances R" restaurant.  He called me and asked if I would handle the door for the "Larry Smith Jazz Party." This was the place where musician like Von Freeman, George Freeman, Bunky Green, John Young, Jimmy Ellis, Guy Fricano, Eddie Johnson, Eddie Dehass, Geraldine DeHass, and so many other local and national jazz musicians stopped by for the 'Jazz Party.' I know my friend is swinging and popping his fingers on the other side.

Complete on:http://www.wbez.org/blog/justin-kaufmann/2011-06-28/wbez-colleagues-remember-legendary-jazz-radio-host-larry-smith-88465

Buddy Holly Reconsidered

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com
Today in the Wall Street Journal (go here) I review Rave On Buddy Holly, an album that will be released this coming Tuesday. It pairs 19 contemporary and established rock artists with songs associated with rock's least-known and most misunderstood founder. The result is expressionistic and interpretive, much in the way thatIf I Were a Carpenter (A&M) was when the CD was released in 1994. On that album, artists like the Cranberries, Sheryl Crow and Cracker took a shot at Richard and Karen's early '70s catalog.

While researching the Holly tribute album, it was fascinating to revisit the singer-songwriter's original hits and rarities. What I rediscovered along the way was just how dynamic and moody his music was and remains. Holly was from Lubbock, Texas, and was somewhere between Western Swing and cowboy. After seeing Elvis Presley in concert, Holly decided to adapt his style to rock 'n' roll, forming the Crickets in 1957. That'll Be the Day was the group's first hit, and it went to No. 1.

Holly registered 40 original songs with ASCAP and BMI, and his voice could swing easily from rockabilly (Maybe Baby) to pop (True Love Ways) without ever sounding forced or gooey.

Yet Holly is still unfamiliar to most people. Much of this distance is the result of a scarcity of Holly footage, his brief career, and his geeky image, which was less overtly sexual than the brands developed by Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley.

For the short two-year period Holly was around, he was a major mover and shaker. Much of his material is clean, focused on romance rather than barbed double entendres. He also pioneered the setup that most rock groups later adapted—two electric guitars, bass and drums. His songs—both melodies and lyrics—were remarkably Spartan and well crafted. They were at once sophisticated and simple. Consider Take Your Time andFool's Paradise.

As an artist, Holly's twangy guitar playing was both hill and hip, and his voice was warm and stretched, adding a restless component to his music. And while his look was geeky—with oversized black glasses and hayride suit jackets—there was something contemporary and everyman about him. While most rockers were take-chargers who called the shots with women, Holly came across as a vulnerable soul who women naturally wanted to take care of.

He's the inspiration for the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, the Hollies and so many other bands and artists who came after Holly was already gone.

As most people know, Holly died in an air crash in the early morning hours of February 3, 1959. Rather than take the tour bus booked by the rock 'n' roll show he had signed on with, Holly chartered a plane to fly from Iowa to the tour's next stop in Minnesota. Performers Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper) hitched a ride. The plane lifted off in bitter-cold weather and crashed minutes after lift off, killing all on board.

While rock's other originators went off in different flamboyant directions, leveraging their rambunctiousness and independence as a commercial asset, Holly's golly-gee purity remains frozen in time, untouched by the shifting sands of rock and pop that followed in the '60s. What you have in Holly is rock's core—youthful exuberance, uncertain innocence and songs about what teens still care about most: love.

JazzWax tracks: Rave On Buddy Holly (by Fantasy/Concord)features 19 artists interpreting Holly's songs. The list includes Paul McCartney, Nick Lowe, Graham Nash, Patti Smith, Lou Reed and a range of newer artists with whom you may not be familiar. You'll find it at iTunes and here.

If Buddy Holly's music grabs you, there are two collections that are must owns. The first isDown the Line: The Rarities(Geffen), which features 59 tracks starting when Holly was a teen singing on the radio in Texas. You'll find the collectionhere. The other is Buddy Holly: The Definitive Collection (Geffen). You'll find it here. Both have been remastered.

JazzWax clips: Here's Buddy Holly and the Crickets on the Arthur Murray Dance Party in December 1957...

Used with permission by Marc Miers

Maid dance with Take Five

We were at the College Jazz Band Contest. It was 1962 or 63, It's 45 years ago. So anyone under 45 hadn't existed at that time. Now you know how old I am. We played "So what" and relaxed as being the audience when one of the other contestants started to play "Take Five".

We knew pretty well that the improvisation of it was quite tough. Yes, the rhythm is 5/4. You count five for a bar, which is tough. If you try to keep beat you'll lose the melody line of your improvisation. It may be OK for 5-6 bars but eventually you'll give in to the four beat.

They started out all right. There was this alt sax player whose sound was pretty close to that of Paul Desmond. He stayed with 5/4 for the first chorus. A few bars later he started to play four beat. Rhythm section failed to keep time within next few bars. We all laughed out loud.

I've found this video interesting. First of all that is the amine. secondly girls dancing wear maid uniform. How does that connect to each other? Well, you must be one of the anime fun or you don't know the maid cafe in Tokyo.

Complete on: http://howtoplayjazzpiano.blogspot.com/2011/06/maid-dance-with-take-five.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FpHFdM+%28How+to+play+jazz+piano%29

Ellery Eskelin - Trio New York (Prime Source, 2011)

By Stef

Well, I forgot about this album when giving an overview of recent albums with Gerald Cleaver on drums, here in a trio led by tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin and with Gary Versace on Hammond B3 organ. The album is dedicated to Eskelin's mother Bobby Lee, who played the organ herself. 

The trio takes on five standards, including "Memories Of You", "Off Minor" and "How Deep Is The Ocean", so deeply rooted in jazz history while giving it all a real forward-looking approach. The playing is excellent, as you might expect from three such musicians. The reference to the old music and the use of the Hammond B3 create a somewhat outdated sound at moments, and even if that's the intention, the result remains a matter of taste. To be honest, I don't like the sound of the organ, at least not how it's played here. And because of the material, and the dedication, it is all a little too nice and sweet. 

But the playing is excellent. Eskelin's round tone feels like a soft warm breeze in summer, Cleaver adds crispiness to it, while the organ adds a heavy ballroom dancing atmosphere. A strange album. 

Decoy & Joe McPhee - Oto (Bo Weavil, 2010)

This is another Hammond B3 free jazz album that's been lying here for a while. The British trio Decoy, with Alexander Hawkins on organ, Steve Noble on drums and John Edwards on bass are joined by the great Joe McPhee. The performance was recorded live at the Café Oto in London.

The music is of a totally different nature than the Eskelin album, full of raw power and energy, with the organ more used to create volume and density and sonic contrasts than melody. The trio create the perfect storm for McPhee to feel comfortable in, blowing his usual Ayleresque combination of spirituality and force, yet fitting in quite well with the overall sound. 

http://freejazz-stef.blogspot.com/2011/06/ellery-eskelin-trio-new-york-prime.html

Help Preserve John Coltrane's House

The last place John Coltrane lived is a modest house in Dix Hills, New York, a quiet residential hamlet in the city of Huntington on Long Island. He moved there with his wife Alice in 1964, and died there three years later after having three sons.

The house, which is now owned by Friends of the Coltrane Home, was recently placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places." Aside from being the home and practice space for an artistic visionary, it was also the house where Coltrane composed "A Love Supreme," his spiritually charged suite, and one of his most famous compositions.

Complete on http://jazz.about.com/b/2011/06/21/help-preserve-john-coltranes-house.htm

'A Night in Treme' at the Jazz Standard Music

Music from the HBO series comes to New York City

The Big Easy met the Big Apple when the Jazz Standard presented “A Night in Treme,” a concert featuring music from the popular HBO series Treme. The program is set in New Orleans in the months immediately following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in addition to tightly written characters and engaging plot lines each episode is stuffed with the best music the city has to offer.

Led by alto saxophonist and vocalist Donald Harrison Jr., the Jazz Standard show, which ran for three nights, brought some of that music—specifically jazz and R&B—to the stage of the venerable New York club. The show started out in a pure bop mode, with Harrison, guitarist Detroit Brooks, pianist Zaccai Curtis, bassist Max Moran and drummer Joe Dyson honoring a musician not from New Orleans at all but from Kansas City. “One for Bird,” which Harrison noted appeared in Treme’s pilot show, didn’t try to channel Charlie Parker but it certainly did nod to his style.

Having established their chops, the basic quintet performed three further tunes, the most notable being “The Sandcastle Headhunter,” which Harrison explained was written in Morocco and was intended to pay homage to both Jimi Hendrix (who, Harrison erroneously claimed, wrote his song “Castles Made of Sand” there) and the Headhunters, the Herbie Hancock-founded fusion band.

The arrival of Cyril Neville on congas and vocals and Norwood Johnson on percussion and vocals shifted the mood and style in another direction entirely. A founding member of the legendary Neville Brothers, Cyril Neville is as New Orleans as it gets. “We’re just gonna have fun now!” Harrison proclaimed as the expanded band launched into one called “Soul to Soul,” and it was evident that they were doing just that, much to the approval of the packed house.

Slipping into a party groove, Harrison led the scream- and clap-along number, tossing in Jr. Walker-style sax riffs that elevated the intensity level onstage considerably. Neville and Harrison alternated lead vocals on the NOLA standard “Iko Iko,” followed by a seriously funky rendition of another New Orleans standby, “Hey Pocky Way,” which morphed into a street march-style chant as the advertised Mardi Gras Indians, Shaka Zulu and Athanase Johnson, sauntered onstage in full regalia.

Complete on: http://jazztimes.com/sections/concerts/articles/27902-a-night-in-treme-at-the-jazz-standard

Bossa Tres.....

Bossa Tres is the greatest thing going in Brazilian music in Chicago these days.  Luciano Antonio, Dill Costa & Marcos Oliveira have created a wonderful new groove that's sweeping across Chicago, taking music fans by storm.  Their unique blend of solo vocals, brilliant harmonies, virtuosic guitar and percussion are so enticing that the listener is forced to look up from conversation at the table, and say to friends...."Wow, this band is great!"  I'm a die-hard fan of Bossa Tres...I can't get enough of their hot Brazilian "cafezinho" sound.  But lately, my friends have been calling me to say: "When can we go hear Bossa Tres again?!?"   -- Tom Orf

Luciano was born into a musical family on January 3, 1969 in rural Iretama, Parana, Brazil’s southern region. From this melodiously rich environment, he learned first how to sing with his mom, Luiza Maria. He further developed his vocal abilities through his maternal grandparents, who performed for local live radio shows and  paternal grandparents, who harmonized beautifully.

By age 14, he took the violão (acoustic guitar) as a self taught instrument, focusing his repertoire on Brazilian Folk and Bossa Nova (Brazilian Jazz). He continued his pursuit of technical development through the study of classical guitar at the age of 17, attending several guitar symposiums, work shops and master classes under one of Brazil’s most respected professors, Henrique Pinto.

Luciano’s music journey next led him to the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) where he received a bachelor’s degree in music performance. While at UMKC full-time, he was invited to join Chicago Samba (a Chicago based Brazilian music group) and commuted weekly between Kansas City and Chicago to make ends meet. After successfully completing his education at UMKC, he relocated to Chicago where he has since established himself as a performing artist. 

Luciano has collaborated with many great fellow artists: playing acoustic guitar on John Goldman’s ‘For All the People’, vocals on Matt Geraghty’s ‘Mozaic’, arranging/co-producing, and performing on the recent release ‘Samba Mundo’ by St. Louis based Samba Bom, serving as lead vocalist and guitarist with the Evanston Orquestra de Samba which connects classical music with Brazilian rhythms and harmonies, and performing throughout the Chicago Jazz scene with the Bossa 3 trio and as a soloist. Other recent engagements include opening performances for Caetano Veloso, Vinicius Cantuaria, Virginia Rodrigues, performances for the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events, The Democratic Convention of 2004, and several commercial releases throughout the Mid-west. Written by Rachel Montiel

One of Chicago best-kept secrets, Dill Costa is a multi-talented Brazilian performer.
Raised in Rio de Janeiro, Dill is a performer  who represents authentic Carnaval music, which is a part of Brazil's rich musical legacy. On the stage, Dill starred in several major Brazilian  roductions of American musicals. In Brazil, she also had opportunities to sing with Eduardo Dusek, Oswaldo Montenegro, Marcos Lima and Joao Pinheiro.

Since relocating to Chicago in 2003, Dill has dedicated herself to music and can be seen regularly singing with A Cor do Brazil(Luiz Ewerling), Evanston Escola de Samba, Chicago Samba, Jazz Mineiro (Paulinho Garcia), Marshal Vente Tropical Jazz Band, Dill Costa Brazilian Melody, Marcin Fahmy, Scott Anderson, Greta Pope, Brian Hanley, Tom Orf and now with Luciano Antonio and Marcos Oliveira (Bossa Tres).

Her repertoire ranges from classic 1940' era samba (Ary Barroso, Noel Rosa, etc.) to the cool 1960's Bossa Nova hits of Antonio Carlos Jobim, to the modern Brazilian pop of Caetano Veloso, Djavan and others Brazlian artists. Dill Costa also performs her original songs. Written by Joey Derr

Marcos Oliveira started playing music in the streets of Rio de Janeiro at age 9 with friends, some of who also became professional musicians.

He studied with various percussion masters and marched with various samba schools in Rio de Janeiro, such as Caprichosos de Pilares and Independente de Cordovil. He also sang in samba contests at Imperatriz Leopoldinense. He played percussion and sang with Choro, Samba and Pagode groups in numerous clubs, bars and restaurants around Rio.

Currently, Marcos plays with various groups and artists in the Chicago area, including 
Luciano Antonio, Mark Brewer and Jared Brewer, Paulinho Garcia and Evanston Escola de Samba. He is a founding and current member of Chicago Samba.and Bossa Tres.

Marcos plays several Brazilian percussion instruments such as: Caixa (Snare), Agogô
(Bells), Tamborin, Pandeiro (Tamborine), Surdo (Cattle Drum), Ganza (Shaker), Shekerē, Reco- Reco (Brazilian Guiro), Claves, Congas, Afoxė, Bongos, Timbales etc…

Marcos constantly works on infusing Brazilian sound into non-Brazilian genres by bringing Brazilian percussion into American, classical, and other world music styles.