Here is some of the stuff that I've been part of.
My music, my Playing and my relationships are rooted in Love, That and only that is what I care for.
To our Braddigan Family:
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the cancellation of the rest of Braddigan's fall tour (all shows between 10/29-11/15) due to some minor scarring found on his vocal cords. We anticipate that Braddigan will fully recover his voice resting up over the next few months and we will certainly make every effort to reschedule all tour dates for the spring. As always thanks so much for standing with us, and please now more than ever keep playing it LOUD! Stay tuned to Braddigan.com for updates.
—James Kenly, Horizons Management
So, if you need a Percussionist Im available and will love to play with cool people that have purposeful music and Ideas to share.... let me know...rucutucupla@gmail.com
This is a concept that I have been working on for a long time now. Its to pick the essential parts of a pattern or a style of music out of the conga player part and from the drummer's beat and combine them together and make it sound like two players. This is called "percuteria", in "good" English I would call it "Drumcussion".
It helps band members a lot when the budget is low...... But most important it also helps to developed your control of independence and a different kind of coordination between your hands and feet.
This is the setup that I use with many bands in the NYC area and with the Rhythmic Prophecies trio version and it's also the setup I use on Braddigan's album, The Captive. You can listen and buy this album at www.braddigan.com and www.myspace.com/braddigan.
This is a Rhythmic Prophecies performance in Male, Maldives, on the second tour in 2006. We were selected twice by the Jazz Ambassadors program at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the State Department.
Zaccai Curtis (piano) Luques Curtis(bass) Reinaldo DeJesus(perc.).
Hello Thanks for visiting My page enjoy it.
Una mañana no como cualquier otra con una vista hermosa que de los ojos me brota, voy surfiando por las nubes recreo mi alma satisfaciendo los deseos del espíritu: Seguir creciendo y añadiendo sentido a la vida, leyendo y aprendiendo de los buenos elementos de nuestro universo que desde el comienzo han sido certeros con la definición de lo correcto y que en muchos corazones han puesto la semilla del conocimiento que crece con las decisiones tomadas y en cada momento que se acepta un reto. El cielo me dijo que no me preocupara que todo esta bien por que por el camino correcto andan mis pies así que con la frente en alto seguiré, mucho amor regalaré y aunque el enemigo no coopere por mi bien no me podrá detener por que con Dios delante nunca caeré, eso lo se yo muy bien.
-Reinaldo DeJesus.
"La primera cualidad del camino espiritual es el coraje", decía Gandhi. El mundo parece amenazador y peligroso para los cobardes. ...
Concéntrate en los pequeños milagros de la vida diaria. Si eres capaz de ver lo bello, es por que traes la belleza dentro de ti ya que el mundo es un espejo y devuelve a cada hombre el reflejo de su propio rostro. Aun conociendo tus defectos y limitaciones has lo posible por mantener el buen humor en los momentos de crisis.
Al fin y al cabo,el mundo se esta esforzando en ayudarte, aun cuando todo a tu alrededor parezca decir lo contrario.
About Rhythmic Prophecies: http://www.myspace.com/rhythmicprophecies
Most quartets today consist of a horn and rhythm section. The horn is the leader, having the melody and conducting the ensemble. For Rhythmic Prophecies, percussion is the base, the leader and inspiration. Rhythms are taken from literally all over the world and mixed and composed through a rarely seen jazz quartet combination. They follow in the footsteps of Herbie Hancock, Red Garland, Noro Morales, Art Blakey, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gilepsie, who have all focused on the percussion at on point. Africa is the essence of jazz and that is where Rhythmic Prophecies takes it. Their unique rhythmic concept is what separates them from most any other jazz quartets. All of their music, original or not, is base on the percussive concepts that they have accumulated throughout their experiences. Some of Rhythmic Prophecies’ music is so original that even great musicians such as Ralph Peterson has performed some with his world famous, “Ralph Peterson’s Fo’tet.” Since 2001 Rhythmic Prophecies have been performing around the U.S. and abroad. Their original sound has captivated audiences from New York, California to India. Most of the time the members are seen playing together with the 7-piece Latin-jazz ensemble, “Insight.” With only four members and with music that is arranged for the rhythm section, “Rhythmic Prophecies” are free to explore so many more avenues of music. Even as they explore odd meters, world music, and group improvisation, they keep their audiences on the edge of their seats getting ready to jump up and dance. Individually, the members of Rhythmic Prophecies are or have been sidemen for some of the greatest musicians alive such as Herbie Hancock, Eddie Palmieri, Chick Corea, Jimmy Greene, David Valentin, Kenny Werner, Miguel Zenon, Ralph Peterson, Brian Lynch, Gary Burton, Ralph Irizzary and Donald Harrison. Rhythmic Prophecies is proud and honored to note that they have been hand picked by Ray Barretto and Hilton Ruiz, in 2005, to be involved in U.S. state department’s “American Music Abroad (Jazz Ambassadors) program.”
Reinaldo also has been playing percussion with Braddigan for more than 6 years now.
(L to R) Braddigan (vocal,guitar), Rey (perc.), Paul (drums), Tiago (bass)
About Braddigan:
"When I burned my words to the heavens, I wonder could you see the smoke? Because those weren't flames of anger, but of hope."
-Braddigan lirics of "Fare The Well"album"TheCaptive".
As the trio counts into the first song on their new album, The Captive, they set an energetic tone for the eclectic recordings that follow. While Braddigan has been touring with Reinaldo De Jesus (from Puerto Rico) and Tiago Machado (from Brazil) for 18 months, this is the first time they’ve unleashed their creativity in the studio. Over 50 minutes of music spread across 12 songs demonstrate each member’s dynamic personality and their eclectic collective experiences.
The Captive is Braddigan’s second studio release on his own label, Third Surfer Music, following his 2005 debut, Watchfires, with a renewed energy and powerful storytelling. Rock energy, reggae vibes, Latin rhythms and Brazilian beats create a foundation for stories about waves, friends and the calling that each of us has in our hearts to pursue our dreams and make a difference in our global community.
Through global travels and the varied experiences those trips brought, the band has learned a great deal about how life should be lived. The reggae jams Customs and Fist in the Ocean are calls to one kind of action — to live in the moment — while Solace is a call to another — to embrace change and to pursue it when the moment doesn’t resonate with the heart’s calling. The Captive also features Braddigan’s debut duet performance, as he partners with friend Josh Garrels for Walk On, a bluesy track inspired by the surfing film Walking On Water. The band explores the dichotomy of light and dark through the eyes of a little girl living in a trash dump who, despite being surrounded by human waste, smiles at every day with an infectious joy – check out Love Light & Melody as you hear the story of Ileana.
Braddigan’s The Captive was recorded in 10 days at Maximum-Joy Studios in Northglenn, Colorado in June of 2007, capturing the essence of a band from around the world, with its arms stretched wide taking in the magnificence of our world while moving through it at light speed – escape captivity in your own life, use your wings to find your calling.
For more Information about Braddigan check out www.braddigan.com
Reinaldo De Jesus was born in Barrio Obrero Santurce, Puerto Rico. He is a world class percussionist who started playing the "tumbadoras" at the age of ten having been inspired dy the great Puerto Rican percussionist such as: Giovanni Hidalgo, Ray Barreto, Cachete Maldonado, Anthony Carrillo and Richie Flores. In 1990, he was admitted to the Escuela Libre De Musica in Hato Rey, P.R. where he and other students founded the salsa group, Revolucion Latina. They performed all over Puerto Rico for four years. Reinaldo graduated from the "ELM" in 1996 and enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico and at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, where he studied classical percussion.
Reinaldo recorded and performed with many well known musicians and artist such as: Cultura Profetica, DLG, Charlie Cruz, Obie Bermudez, Rey Ruiz, Luis Marin, Danilo Perez, Humberto Ramirez, Eric Figueroa, and Julito Alvarado. In 1998, he received a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. In July 2000, Reinaldo went on tour with trombonist, William Cepeda's Afro-Rican Jazz group. They toured in Europe and Africa performing in festivals such as: the Montreux Jazz Fest, the Northsea Jazz Fest, the Moers Jazz Fest in Germany and the Tabarka Jazz Fest in Tunisia. After the tour, he moved to Boston and started to play with many different bands such as: Suavecito, Spontaneous, Tony Perez Group, Insight, Entrain, Dispatch, and Braddigan. In 2003, Reinaldo went on tour with Miguel Zenon and the Rhythm Collective to West Africa sponsored by the Jazz Ambassadors Program in D.C. Reinaldo then moved to New York City and became the new conga player of Ralph Irrizarry's band, Timbalaye. He also started playing with musicians like, Papo Vasquez and The Pirates Trobadours, Chris Washburn and the Syotos band, Roy Hargrove's Big band, John Benitez, Ricky Q (guitarist of India Arie), and toured with Hip-Hop and R&B singer, Lauryn Hill . Reinaldo started his own Latin Jazz Group, Rhythmic Prophecies.
Twice in 2006 His group, Rhythmic Prophecies, was selected by the U.S. State Department and the Lincoln Center to be in the American Music Abroad (Jazz Ambassadors) program. They have performed in Bangladesh, Calcutta, Bangalore, Mumbai, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Zaccai Curtis (Piano)
After graduating from New England Conservatory in 2005 Zaccai Curtis has been living in New York City playing with artist such as Ralph Peterson, Bill Saxton,Will Calhoun, Christian Scott, Brian Lynch, Sean Jones, Ray Vega, Antoine Roney, Steve Hall, Jimmy Greene, Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, Papo Vasquez, Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Orchestra, and Donald Harrison.
Zaccai leads the Latin-Jazz group, “Insight” who have just release an indie album entitled, “A Genesis.” Mr. Curtis is composing and arranging for his own trio, solo piano works, Big-Band, Orchestra, and compositions for large and small ensembles with strings. In 2001 he was commissioned to arrange Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol" to be played by "Insight" with the Hartford Symphony Chamber Orchestra. In 2003 he was chosen as a winner of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer's competition then again each year consecutively through 2006.
Now you can find Zaccai along with his brother teaching at the Litchfield Jazz Camp every summer. In 2007, Zaccai was awarded the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism's Artist Fellowship for original composition.
More Info. about Zaccai Curtis & his Band Insight at www.curtisbrothersmusic.com
Luques Curtis (Bass)
Luques started performing at a very young age. He had studied the piano, violin, cello, and tumbadoras before settling with the upright bass. Before he entered high school, he performed with the great Jesus “Chucho” Valdes on baby bass in a Manhattan club. Luques graduated Berklee college of Music in Boston and has developed a reputation as one of the most versatile bass players around. He can be found performing world wide with the Brian Lynch, The Ralph Peterson Sextet, Gary Burton’s Quintet, Eddie Palmieri and the Christian Scott group. He has studied with great bassists such as Dave Santoro, Andy Gonzalez, Carlos Del Puerto, John Lockwood, Ron Mahdee, Mickey Bass and Volkan Orhan. Luques currently has an extensive touring schedule with Eddie Palmieri and Sean Jones.
More info. about Luques Curtis also at www.curtisbrothersmusic.com
Richie Barshay(Drums)
Percussionist Richie Barshay, most noted as a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet since 2003, has established himself as a prominent musical voice of his generation. Regarded as "a player to watch" by JazzTimes magazine, he maintains a busy international touring schedule with some of today's top artists including Hancock, Kenny Werner, The Klezmatics, and many others. In September of 2004 he was named an American Musical Envoy by the U.S. State Department, along with the renowned Latin-Jazz ensemble Insight. Now based in New York City after 5 years on the Boston music scene, Richie began playing Jazz and Afro-Latin music during his youth and has expanded his focus to Indian rhythmic concepts and tabla, inspiring his 2005 recording debut "Homework" and the launching of his new band, The Richie Barshay Project.
On their 2005 recording debut "Homework", The Richie Barshay Project explores the common ground between Jazz and a variety of world rhythms. Inspired by studies of Indian tabla drumming, with a foundation in Jazz and Latin-American music, the new full-length CD explores these influences in an improvisational setting. With special guests including the legendary Herbie Hancock, the listener is taken on a journey through a range of exotic musical textures, experiencing a fresh rhythmic approach to World Jazz fusion.
More Info. about Richie at www.richiebarshay.com.
2008 Tommy Tant Memorial from Matt Katsolis on Vimeo.
On November 1st 2008 Braddigan band was part of the 2008 Tommy Tant Memorial surf contest down in Flagler beach, FL.
This year was the 4th year in a roll that we participate in this beautiful event that unites the community in a very powerful way. We are happy to continue supporting the Tant family bringing our music and our love to this community event for many years more.
We had a very good time down there with all the friends and family that support this event.
This video by the great film maker Matt Katsolis let you know what this event is all about.
