Ritmo Calypso of New Orleans The music of Ritmo Calypso exemplifies a fusion of musical styles of New Orleans and Jamaica performed by New Orleans musicians. It features calypso rhythms accompanied with jazzy piano, saxophone, and banjo. The band also creates a Caribbean ambiance with a marimba. This cultural mixture becomes a musical recipe that results in a musical gumbo that is sweet to the ear. Freddy Woodworth, the band's lead singer, percussionist, and musical director, was born and raised in New Orleans. He has been performing in New Orleans since 1979. His career has covered a wide variety of musical styles such as jazz, samba, ska, latin, funk, blues, and rock. Freddy studied jazz and percussion in the University of Louisiana in Monroe, and graduated from the University of New Orleans. He is currently teaching in the New Orleans region. After many visits to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, Freddy became enchanted with Calypso music. In Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, the Jamaican influence permeates the atmosphere via music, food, and relaxed lifestyle of the people. The culture of Cahuita and Puerto Viejo inspired Freddy to create and record calypso songs and to record arrangements of traditional Jamaican songs. While being there by the beach and listening to some calypso music, I felt a creative inspiration to write songs with calypso rhythms. My idea was to bring the musical styles of the Caribbean and New Orleans together. Seva Venet, the band's banjo player and guitarist, came to New Orleans from Los Angeles in 1999 to pursue his passion to play traditional jazz. In New Orleans, he has performed with several musicians of notoriety such as Tuba Fats, Dr. Michael White, Lionel Ferbos, and Shannon Powell. Also, Seva currently plays with The Palmetto Bug Stompers, a popular jazz band of New Orleans. Eduardo Tozzatto is the band's piano and marimba player. Several years ago, he came to New Orleans from Brasil to study music in the University of New Orleans, where he graduated with a degree in music. He now teaches music in the New Orleans region. Eduardo has played in several latin and jazz bands in New Orleans such as Otra and Vivaz. He currently plays with Government Majik and Kid Merv. Brent Rose plays saxophone for the band. Brent has played with numerous artists in New Orleans for several years. He currently performs with Otra, a latin dance band, and also with New Birth Brass Band, a traditional New Orleans style brass band. Brent teaches music at the University of New Orleans. George Deane, who plays bass guitar, has played with a wide variety of bands the past several years in New Orleans. He and Freddy played together in T-Bone Stone, a blues band. Kenny Claiborne plays electric guitar on a few songs. Kenny was born and raised in New Orleans. He has played with numerous bands in New Orleans such as Kenny Claiborne Band and Radio Marigny. Tony Dizant plays trumpet on a few songs. Tony performed with the U.
S Navy Jazz Band, and currently plays in New Orleans with Rumba Buena, a popular and energetic latin dance band. Bruce Brackman plays clarinet on Mama No Want No Peas, a Caribbean song that is arranged as a New Orleans style swing song. Bruce's clarinet parts provide a Dixieland compliment to Tony's trumpet solos. Bruce plays with several traditional jazz artists throughout New Orleans. He also plays with The Palmetto Bug Stompers, a popular jazz band of New Orleans. The group hopes you enjoy the mixture of musical styles as much as they enjoyed creating and recording it. Pura Vida! Laissez les bon temps ruler! Ritmo Calypso de Nueva Orleans La msica de Ritmo Calypso ejemplifica una fusin de estilos musicales de Nueva Orleans y Jamaica, interpretada por msicos de Nueva Orleans. Incluye ritmos calypso acompaados con un piano de jazz, saxofn y banjo. La banda tambin crea un ambiente caribeo con una marimba. Esta mezcla cultural se convierte en una receta musical que se convierte en un gumbo que es dulce para los odos. Freddy Woodworth, el lder, cantante, percusionista y director musical del grup
