Formed in 1999, West End Mambo is comprised of musicians from North, South and Central America as well as the Caribbean. This nine piece band performs a fiery mix of classic salsa from bolero and rumbas to guaracha and son montuno. Their repertoire includes original orchestral salsa arrangements which they have performed with the Winston-Salem and Greensboro Symphonies.
Experience the energy and spirit of West End Mambo!
Instrumentation:
(Bass, Piano, Vocals, Arranger, Musical Director)
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Born 1962 in Nicaragua, Cesar graduated from the National Conservatory of Music and began his musical career in the city of Managua as a bass player with the jazz fusion band Praxis.
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Playing different styles including Brazilian, Rock, Flamenco and Latin American Folk, he performed in the Havana Cuba Jazz Festival and the UCLA in Lima, Peru in 1987.
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Won first prize in the Festival de la Juventud.
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Music Adviser for The Nicaraguan National Television Systems Network for three years
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Composed, arranged and played for the OTI Nicaraguan Festival.
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Produced, played and recorded with Latin Caribbean -Reggae, Salsa, Cuban and Merengue bands in Miami.
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Toured with Soul Vibes
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Played Mexican music in California
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Musical Director of Tropical Splash in Las Vegas.
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In 1997, he spent four months playing Jazz in Japan.
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Cesar is currently producing his own music as well as arranging, playing bass and piano with West End Mambo. He also leads the original Latin Rock band Braco.
Atiba Rorie
(congas and backup vocals)
- Bachelor of Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Studied with Babatunde Olatunji, Fahali Igbo, Bradley Simmons, Chief Bey, and The National Dance Ensemble of Ghana in Accra, Ghana and Guinea, West Africa.
- Currently teaching at Guilford College in the Music Department
- Accompanist in the UNC Greensboro Dance Department and the American Dance Festival in Durham.
- Performed with various professional ensembles that include performances for Dance Africa in New York, National Black Arts Festival, Black Dance USA, and two Presidential Inauguration Celebrations.
- 2005 Rorie participated in a Drums of Passion Tribute to Babatunde Olatunji at the Percussive Arts Society International Conference
- Guest artist at CaldCluegh Community Center, Agnes Scott College, Williams College, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Radford University.
(Saxophones, Arranger, Bandleader)
- Steve studied with woodwind maestro Joseph Viola and is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music.
- His 25 year career includes live performances with R&B artists including The Four Tops and The Temptations.
- He performed at the Brevard Jazz Festival with The Matt Kendrick Unit, sharing the bill with the Yellowjackets and Kenny Garret.
- He appears on recordings with the Matt Kendrick Unit, the Alan Neese Quintet and the Joe Robinson Group.
- Steve is an accomplished writer, arranger and recording engineer, producing numerous successful independent releases for regional artists.
(Lead vocals, Coro & Percussion)
- Maria is a native of Colombia who has kept a strong sense of her culture's music; Cumbia and Vallenato. Upon arrival in United States in the early seventies, she was exposed to the soulful sounds of artists like Patty Label, Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross. Raised in Miami, a melting pot of ethnic music, she was greatly influenced by Jazz and Brazilian singers like Al Jarreau, Billy Holiday, Janice Siegel and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
- Maria studied voice at Miami-Dade Community College, the Lecuona Music Academy, and has performed in musicals and festivals, among them George M. and El Festival de La Calle 8. She sang lead vocal for Salsa bands including Tirso Martin & His Orquestra and the Bambana Band, as well as working in the department of media and advertising for Telemundo, where she made jingles for radio and TV.
- After coming to North Carolina she has studied voice at the North Carolina Music Academy and is currently attending Guilford College, working on a dual degree in Psychology and Education. She has been involved in music projects with Stan Stegal (top 40), Vacilon (Salsa, Cumbia, & Merengue) and most recently, the Too Cool Yule CD with West End Mambo (Classic Salsa).
Nathan Scott
(Bass)
- Began studying the bass with his father at the age of 12.
- Won the ASTA National
Bass Solo competition and was principal bass of the National High School
Honors Orchestra (1998)
- Member of the Winston-Salem Symphony since 2001
- 2004 graduate of the NC
School of the Arts with a degree in music performance on the bass.
- In addition to his work with West End Mambo, Nathan is an active freelance jazz bassist in NC
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Ramone Ortiz
(Timbales, congas, bongos and backup vocals)
- Studied at the Conservatorio Nacional de Musica (Dominican Republic) and Universite du Quebec a Montreal (Canada)
- Performed with Joaquin Diaz
(www.joaquindiaz.com), Diouf - of Senegal & Sandra & the Latin Groove (www.sandralatingroove.com)
- Toured Europe, Canada & Mexico
Alberto Carrasquillo
(Trumpet)
- Alberto is a busy freelance trumpet player. In addition to his Salsa work with West End Mambo, he plays trumpet with Carnavalito, a popular Latin Jazz group based in Raleigh.
James Armstrong
(Trumpet)
- Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Winston-Salem State
- University Master of Music Education degree from Jackson State University.
- Currently Associate Band Director at UNCG.
- Teaches applied trumpet as well as jazz and brass ensembles at Winston-Salem State University.
- Member of the International Association of Jazz Educators and the North Carolina Music Educators Association.
