A fusion of ideas, cultural identities, and genres of music is the best way to describe veteran jazz band Cabo Frio. The band emerges from the musically fertile Upstate New York – home to a host of other acclaimed musicians like Cab Calloway, Chuck Mangione, and Steve Gadd. Cabo Frio’s beginnings date back to 1979 when members of the group from the Rochester-Buffalo area joined forces.
Now into 2010 the band is celebrating 30 years of success- touting eight albums to date and former tours with the likes of Buddy Rich, the late Phyllis Hyman, Jeff Lorber, Joan Jett, The Yellow Jackets, Dave Valentine, Paquito D’Rivera, The Crusaders, and Joe Sample.
The band, consisting of original members Curtis Kendrick (drummer/founder/producer), pianist Joe Santora, guitarist Marc Copani, plus talented newcomer bassist Mark Russell, is in the studio now, gearing up for a new recording scheduled to be released later this year on the Kezia lable.
Cabo Frio Jazz has participated in national jazz festivals, sharing the bill with such notables as Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, and Kenny G. The group has also appeared regularly across the country at such venues as the Newport Jazz Festival, Blue Note in New York City, Blues Alley in Washington D.C., the Baltimore Inner Harbor Concert Series, and Carnegie [Mellon] Hall.
Named after a city in Brazil, Cabo Frio has strived to reflect cultural diversity in its music. Influenced by cultures around the world, the band members meld their backgrounds and individual sounds to create music that is as diverse as its audience.
