The Bobby Torres Ensemble

Thu, Mar 27

Thrilled to have the great Bobby Torres playing in the lounge with his fantastic ensemble featuring Sean Holmes on vocals, Dan Gaynor on keys, Christopher Woitach on guitar, Al Criado on bass and Israel Annoh on drums! “Latin jazz with enough flavor and spice to satisfy your body and soul's need for rhythmic harmony.” - Oregonian In 1994 Bobby formed his own Latin jazz group – the Bobby Torres Ensemble featuring Latin polyrhythms, tasty piano licks, a pulsating Latin bass, sizzling horns, and vocalists. The Bobby Torres Ensemble includes musical talentof the highest caliber in Portland to explore the many musical inflections of Latin Jazz. Bobby’s music is a toe tapping fusion of American and Latin standards arranged with churning Latin grooves richly ornamented with jazz inflections. The Ensemble has opened for Tito Puente and Poncho Sanchez. And, the Ensemble has been host to such stars as Luis Conte, Orestes Vilato, Alex Acuna, Claudia Lennear, Nancy King, Karla Harris and featured almost the entire Tedeschi Trucks Band during the Ensemble’s Waterfront Blues Festival performance in 2016. Bobby is a band leader, musician, record producer, songwriter, and session musician with a 40-year professional history that spans the globe and a lengthy discography. Originally from New York City, Bobby developed his reputation while performing with Joe Cocker at Woodstock, touring with Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen, and performing and/or touring or recording with countless other music stars such as Al Jarreau, Jackson Browne, Beach Boys, the Captain & Tennille, and Etta James – to name a few. He has an extensive discography. He also performed and toured the globe for 10 years with Tom Jones. Bobby was nominated “Outstanding Percussionist” (a Muddy Waters Award), he was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and he received The Jazz Hero Award from the Jazz Journalists Association. Bobby has been a respected advocate, speaker, instructor and keeper of Latin rhythms on the Portland music scene for many years. The Ensemble is his central focus.