MISA CUBANA

Saul Zaks, Conductor, Musician & Teacher.

Born in 1961 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Conductor of the University of Southern Denmark Symphony Orchestra and has been the conductor of the University

of Southern Denmark Chamber Choir. With his ensembles, Saul Zaks performed the Scandinavian Premiere of the

Misa Cubana in 2008.

Saul Zaks is a guest professor in choral conducting at the University

of Buenos Aires, Universidad Católica de Asunción del Paraguay, Conservatorio Nacional de Bolivia, Universidad Federal de Rio de Janeiro and Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba.

He specializes in music from Latin America and has performed and recorded with, amongst others, the composer Ariel Ramirez, the singer Mercedes Sosa and the composer & pianist Pablo Ziegler.

Saul Zaks has recently also gained a nomination to the Latin Grammy

Award 2016 in the category “Best Tango Album” together with Pablo

Ziegler, Julio Botti and the University of Southern Denmark Symphony

Orchestra.

www.saulzaks.com

Yasser Morejón Pino, Bass player, Teacher & composer.

Born in 1976 in Havana, Cuba, resides today in Copenhagen, Denmark.

YMP is graduated as concertist and classical guitar teacher from the Conservatory "Amadeo Roldan" in Havana in 1995, as well as graduating as contrabass player and teacher from the Rhythmic Conservatory of Copenhagen in 2006.

In Cuba, he worked as a bass player with bands such as Aries, Natura, Chucho Valdes Jr,  Roberto Fonseca & "Temperamento", Denis y su Swing,

Rojitas y su Orquesta.

Currently, he is a highly sought after musician who collaborates in various projects and bands, playing extensively with renamed musicians such as: Håkon Graf, Jonas Johansen, Morten Grøndvad, Calixto Oviedo, Eliel Lazo, Alexander Abreu, The Latin Clásico & Trio Domison.

He also teaches contrabass, electric bass, guitar and ensemble.

With the recently released album 'NATURA'

by his Latin Jazz project 'The Latin Syndicate', Yasser has established himself as one of the most solid musicians of his generation.

www.yasserpino.com

Signe Asmussen Manuitt, Soprano soloist, Instructor.

Born in 1970 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Raised in a family of musicians, she has been singing and playing the violin and piano since she was very small.

Following her debut and advanced postgraduation from Royal Danish Conservatory, she is presently considered one of the most sought after, Danish soloists, with numerous concerts and opera productions with all national orchestras and ensembles, and lots of new engagements ahead.

However, the affection she has always felt for the latin jazz and salsa has led her to combine her classical career with this genre, leading to many fruitful crossover projects and concerts as permanent member of ensembles and orchestras like The Latin Clásico (DK), Salsa Loca (DK) and Picason (CH).

Signe and Saul Zaks are continuing a long and fruitful cooperation, with performances of both La Misa Cubana (Vitier), and La Misa Criolla (Ramírez).

Carsten Kær Nielsen, Pianist

& Organist.

Born in 1966 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Graduated from the Conservatory of Århus in 1998.

With a deep love for both world music and improvisation, he has established himself as a highly appreciated member of the jazz- and latin-scene in Denmark.

He has toured all over the world, with numerous trips to Latin America, which have nurtured his great affection for the energy and happiness of Latin American music.

CKN is currently playing with a.o. Strejf, Carsten Kær trio, Between the lines, orchestras like Mais Uma, Latin Dance Band.

He is also teaching at MGK Aalborg and working as an organ player in Sindal/Astrup…

www.carstenkaer.com

Michel Carlos Fustiz Benavides, Percussion Player.

Born in 1983 in Havana, Cuba.

Graduated from the Conservatory of Arhus in 2015, along with an education from The Felix Varela Music Conservatory in Habana, Cuba.

His basic musical education generates from the traditional Afrocuban music, leading to the latin jazz via the classical, European music culture, and his great experience from all genres has brought him to be a very sought after and popular music teacher in Aarhus, where he lives, and plays frequently with groups such as Grupo Danson, Cubita, The Cuban Funk Machine, Gilito con su Clave, and Félix Baloy.

Ernesto Manuitt Hernández, baritone soloist, instructor.

Born in 1969 in Habana, Cuba. As the son of a Cuban mother and Venezuelan father, he grew up in Venezuela with both the Venezuelan and Cuban folk music tradition, became a virtuoso on the cuatro as well as picking up basically all of the countrys popular folk songs, which in combination with his exceptionally beautiful and powerful voice soon made him a popular and sought after entertainer already as a teenager.

After returning to Cuba he was very quickly sucked into the flourishing musical environment in Habana, and before long he was discovered by Mirtha Medina, one of Cubas most famous entertainers, with whom he toured intensesly as part of her famous cabaret show, before being headhunted by orchestra leader Giraldo Piloto as founding member of his new orchestra Klimax, which within very short time became incredibly popular.

Since 2001 he resides in Denmark, from where he has continued his career as founder of, and leadsinger in, groups and ensembles such as Trio Domisón, The Latin Clásico, Grupo Danson (DK), and Picason (CH), as well as being a popular and frequent guest with the Danish Radio Big Band, Alex Wilson project (UK), and Orquesta Gali (CH)-

www.ernestomanuitt.com

Carlos Pérez Alfonso, Trombone player, Teacher & Composer.

Born in 1975 in Matanzas, Cuba.

Graduated from Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), Habana, and from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen with a bachelor degree.

At present he lives in Copenhagen, where he has established himself not only as one of the most sought after trombone soloists of his generation, but also as a very popular teacher and masterclass latin music coach.

In Cuba, he has played and recorded Grammy award winning productions with stars like Issac Delgado, Haila, Paulito FG, Manolín "El Médico de la salsa", Augusto Enríquez, and Mayito, and in DK & Europe he is a frequent guest with The Antonelli Orchestra, the DR Big Band, Calixto Oviedo & la Recompensa a.o.

He is also the founder of Danish World Award winning salsa orchestra Grupo Danson, and permanent member of The Latin Clásico.