John Damberg Latin Jazz Quintet

John Damberg Latin Jazz Quintet

Let your body move and your mind travel to the warm and sunny islands of the Caribbean, where the music is rich with exotic, fiery melodies and the exciting rhythms that are the musical Pastiche of the John Damberg Latin Jazz Quintet!

The Quintet features music by noted Alaska composers and performers John Damberg and Mark Manners. Their compositions blend melodic and rhythmic elements of Brazilian, Cuban, Trinidadian, Guatamalan, Puerto Rican music with American Jazz, funk , and Blues to create an excitingly fresh original sound on the Alaska musical landscape.

The Ensemble’s tight, swinging arrangements highlight the artistry of UAA Percussion Instructor John Damberg on marimba, vibes and steel drum, UAA Flute Instructor Laura Koenig on flute, and Alaska guitar artist Mark Manners. Adding heat to the band’s Musical Salsa is the ever Hot groove of the band’s rhythm section, which includes Bob Andrews on bass and Cameron Cartland on drum set and Latin percussion.

The John Damberg Latin Jazz Quintet, founded in 1995, has been well received by Alaskan audiences in concerts, clinics and workshops in a wide variety of venues including: the UAA Jazz Week Festival Series, the AK Jazz Workshop Summer Concert Series, the 2007 Homer Jazz Festival, the 2007 Cordova, AK Copper River Wild Salmon Festival, 2007 Talkeetna Community Radio Concert series, the 2005-08 KNIK Breeze Cruises, the 2005 Kenai-Soldotna Performing Arts Society concert series, the PAS Alaska Day of Percussion Festivals, the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Anchorage Concert Association Galas, the Wilda Marston Theatre, the 2000 APRN Song of the Year Concert, the Alaska Sealife Center, Anchorage Lutheran Church Concert Series, Anchorage Concerts in the Park, the Girdwood Forest Fair, the Alyeska Blueberry Festival, the Seaview Cafe in Hope, the Organic Oasis, Carlos Mexican Restaurant, and at Borders Books and Music.

The ensemble members are ardent supporters of jazz education in Alaska. They frequently perform at benefit concerts for the Alaska Jazz Workshop and the UAA Jazz Week Festival. The ensemble also regularly presents educational concerts, clinics, and workshops at many schools throughout South Central Alaska.

The quintet’s 2005 CD JoMaLa Jazz Azure features original songs by John Damberg, Mark Manners in the swing, Latin and funk styles. The Ensemble’s debut CD Angie’s Samba, released in 1998, features the original compositions of John Damberg and is available on the web at cdbaby.com and in major record outlets throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest including: Barnes & Noble, Metro Music, or by ordering directly from Cravin’ Records. The group is currently recording new original compositions for their next CD release in Summer 2009.


John Damberg Creative Music/Cravin’ Records
1600 Wolverine St. Anchorage, AK 99504
(907) 332-3234, e-mail: john_damberg@gci.net