Bonilla / Sipiagin NY Brass Quintet

“Latin Flavored Jazz”

Known and recognized for their unabashed artistry, Alex and Luis bring the sounds of New York City to the forefront of their music in the spirit of their mentors: Charles Mingus, Lester Bowie, and others. The NY Brass Quintet is backed by a driving rhythm section consisting of Martin Sasse on piano, Ignasi Gonzalez on bass and Joris Dudli on drums,

 “Bonilla is moving in directions that are expanding our notions of jazz and leading us into startling new realms with remarkable creativity and versatility (Newsday). Luis’ participation on any stage evokes a contagious exuberance (Jazzwise magazine).

Luis Bonilla, tb

Bonilla moved to New York City in 1989 in hope of playing with one of his musical heroes, drummer Art Blakey. Bonilla eventually landed with Lester Bowie as the group's trombonist. He has supported himself as a session musician and a sideman performing with McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Astrud Gilberto, Willie Colón, and Toshiko Akiyoshi. He has demonstrated his versatility as a musician working and recording with artists as varied as Tito Nieves, Phil Collins, Tony Bennett, Alejandro Sanz, Diana Ross, Marc Anthony, La India, and Mary J. Blige.  He has been a member of the Mingus Big Band and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra. In February 2009, he received two Grammy Awards with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and featured with the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. Luis was the winner of Downbeat magazine’s Rising Star honor in 2010 & 2011. As a trombone artist he was placed on the Downbeats’ Readers Poll in 2012.

Alex Sipiagin, tp

Jazz festivals worldwide have seen Alex Sipiagin performing with the likes of Dave Holland, Michael Brecker, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, the Mingus groups, and many more. In his early career, Alex became a favored player for various bands including the Gil Evans Orchestra, Gil Goldstein's Zebra Coast Orchestra, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, drummer Bob Moses' band Mozamba, the Mingus Big Band as well as the Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra, and the Dave Holland Big Band, Sextet and Octet groups. In 2003 he recorded with Michael Brecker’s Quindectet, touring also with the Michael Brecker Sextet. Alex has also worked with Eric Clapton, DrJohn, Aaron Neville, Elvis Costello, Michael Franks, Dave Sanborn, Deborah Cox, legendary producer Phil Ramone, Gonzalo Rubalcaba among other artistes. Many of the recordings he has been involved in have been nominated for and/or won at the Grammy Awards.

Martin Sasse p

Martin Sasse has worked with almost every legend in international jazz over the course of his stage career, including Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Steve Grossman and Lee Konitz, and has long been considered one of the outstanding jazz pianists in Europe. His regular partners include Philip Catherine, Peter Bernstein, Dennis Mackrel and Scott Hamilton. He has released ten albums under his own name and has performed as a guest on countless recordings and concerts around the world. Sasse has played at all the major festivals, including with world stars like Bobby McFerrin, Tommy Emmanuel and Sting. Concert tours have taken him to Japan, China and Egypt.

Ignasi Gonzales, b

Ignasi began his professional career in 1987 and became interested in jazz in the mid 90’s. He started touring regularly with musicians from the New York scene like Joe Magnarelli, Grant Stewart, Jim Rotondi, Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, Harry Allen, Houston Person and many others. In last fifteen years he plays with tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton and did several albums with him. A few years ago, he started playing in a regular rhythm section of the great Benny Golson, travelling all over Europe.

Joris Dudli, dm

Starting his musical journey in the late 1970’s as a studio session player, 18-year-old Dudli can be heard on many recordings of Austrian Pop Legends. After becoming a steady member of the “Vienna Art Orchestra” he has worked with all of Austrian’s Jazz Greats, even with Joe Zawinul’s “Syndicate” in 2004. In the late 1980’s, it was US trompeter Art Farmer who played a major role in connecting Dudli with the New York jazz scene. He has recorded and performed with: Vincent Herring, Benny Bailey, Johnny Griffin, Clifford Jordan, Jimmy Heath, Tom Harell, Joe Henderson, Joe Lovano, Mulgrew Miller, Sal Nistico, Harold Vick, and many others.