Guest Artist: Rique Pantoja Rio Jazz Quintet

The Conservatory is excited to welcome Rique Pantoja Rio Jazz Quintet for a night of Brazilian jazz music!

Rique Pantoja is a composer, arranger, producer, songwriter, guitarist, and jazz pianist. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, he has been based in Los Angeles for nearly two decades. Rique’s work embraces a wide range of musical styles. He is in great demand worldwide for concerts, recordings, TV and film work, and advertising projects.

Rique studied at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, then traveled to Paris to work with legendary American jazz trumpeter Chet Baker. Back home in Brazil, he founded Cama de Gato (Cat’s Cradle), which quickly became – and remains – one of the outstanding Brazilian jazz groups of that era. Rique has worked with many other heavyweights on the international musical scene: Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz, Carlos Santana, sax master Ernie Watts, Ricky Martin, classical guitarist Christopher Parkening, among many others. Rique has also composed and arranged themes and underscoring for hit TV shows as well as TV and radio jingles. His music appears on the sound track of Disney’s hit comedy Jungle 2 Jungle. Rique contributed to the sound track of the animated movie Rio, alongside Sergio Mendes and film composer John Powell.

Rique has taught or held workshops at Southern California’s Biola University, Cal Baptist University, Maranatha Worship Training, and Pepperdine University. 

Brandon Fields - Born in Indiana and raised in southern California, Brandon is a multi woodwind instrumentalist, producer/composer/arranger, with nine records out as a solo artist and hundreds of appearances on recording, TV, and film projects as a sideman.

He has toured with George Benson (1985-86), The Rippingtons (1986-89), Tower Of Power 1991-92, 95), Earth Wind and Fire (1995), Dave Weckl Band (1998-2003), Barry Manilow (2006-11), Barbra Steisand (2016-present), The Rippingtons (2016-present). Among the many recordings are Grammy winning performances with Alejandro Sans, Ray Charles, and Randy Waldman.

Brandon Fields endorses and is a clinician for the Conn Selmer Company saxophones and D'Addario reeds.

http://www.BrandonFields.com

Lucio VieiraI is a drummer and educator from Manaus, Brazil. Raised in a musical household, he was exposed to a wide range of genres from an early age, shaping his eclectic style.

In 2012, he won a Latin Grammy for his drumming on Iluminado by the legendary Dominguinhos. Lucio has toured and recorded with some of the most renowned artists in the world, including Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia, Elba Ramalho, Roberto Menescal, João Donato, Sérgio Mendes, Herb Alpert, Larry Coryell, Allen Hinds, Frank Gambale, and Rique Pantoja.

JP Mourão is a guitarist based in Los Angeles, California, working as a session player, arranger, producer, music director, composer, and educator. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, he has collaborated with artists like Selena Gomez, Snoop Dogg, Macy Gray, Carlos Vives, Keiko Matsui, and companies such as Disney, Coca-Cola, FIFA, and NBA. JP has worked with renowned producers and musicians, including Rock Mafia, Mario Caldato, Bruce Sugar, Jesse Harris, Ross Hogarth, and studio aces like Vinnie Colaiuta and Abraham Laboriel. His guitar work is featured in films, series on Netflix, and major campaigns like Coca-Cola's 2014 World Cup theme. JP has also recorded for Grammy-nominated and winning projects, including Oskar Cartaya’s Bajo Mundo and Carlos Vives’ Mas Corazon Profundo. He performs live with various bands and artists, including his band Farofa, and tours with Japanese pianist Keiko Matsui. JP began his career in Brazil at 16 and moved to Los Angeles in 2010 to pursue a Master's degree from California State University – Los Angeles, where he is now an Assistant Professor and Area Coordinator for Commercial Music.

Hussain Jiffry is a bass player, composer, arranger, and producer who resides in LA. He’s a native of Sri Lanka and has been a resident of LA since the late 80's. His touring and recording credits include Sergio Mendes, The Dave Weckl Band, Yanni, and the Al McCay All Stars. He is currently touring and recording with Herb Alpert.