Signe Asmussen, lead vocals: Signe graduated i 2001 from the soloist class of the venerable classical conservatoire, and is one of the few who moves effortlessly from popular to classical music. Signe sings with the vocal ensemble Ars Nova and with The Tolkien Ensemble. She has sung Wagner's Mastersingers at the Danish Royal Theatre and has appeared as soloist with the Aalborg Symphony Orcestra and the Danish Radio Pops Orchestra and on several recordings. And yet, if you ask the Cubans here they'll tell you: "Esa rubia tiene tumbao"! For them she is a singing, dancing Salsa machine of amazing authenticity and power. She also appears when time allows, with Picason, a popular Salsa big band from Switzerland. Visit her (classical) home page.

Tonny Pedersen, maracas/coro/webmaster: Tonny was an integrated part of the Danish cult funk band The Confetti All Stars, and has recorded with hit dance act Sound of Seduction as percussionist. Tonny often teaches Salsa dance prior to the concerts, and occationally lectures in Salsa dance and its interplay with rhythm. He also overheats those laser lenses as Salsa DJ Antonio Petz. Tonny and Signe are the frontline in Salsa Loca and deliver plenty af fancy moves and infectious party spirit to the audience in the course of an evening. Read more about Salsa Loca and Tonny in an exclusive interview at HiFiSalsa (in Danish only). Tonny as well acts as one of the bookers for the band and is the webmaster .

 

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The horns

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Maria Carelse, tenor sax/coro: Maria has her musical roots in a whole host of Danish World music constellations including Los Rumberos, and gigs with the samba funk band Agora Brazil. Maria is chairperson of World Music Denmark and has for a number of years had a vital role in the organisation of the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. Maria acts as well as one of the bookers for the band .

Jakob Johansen, trombone/coro: Jakob attended Sankt Annæ, a famous music school, and is now studying at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen. He is a talented musician and great things are expected of him. He also plays Jazz, composes and has just set up his own copyist and transcription service www.ad-libitum-music.com. And then he plays that long loose thing with the funky sound and mothers just love him.

Rasmus Tobiesen, trumpet/coro: El Hunk is the horn section's principal dancer and the originator of the choreography that makes the horn section fun to watch. And yes, he studied trumpet in Cuba (plus undoubtedly a few other things) from whence came his authentic, extrovert and very Cuban stage vibe . Rasmus (and Jakob) are also serious Capoiera freaks.

Rasmus Milling Overbye, trumpet/coro (photo: private): Rasmus er Salsa Locas seneste og også yngste medlem. I sit hidtige musikalske virke har han dog ingenlunde ligget på den lade side: Han studerer hos Thomas Fryland på Det Rytmiske Musikkonservatorium i Kbh. og spiller ud over i Salsa Loca i mange forskellige sammenhænge: I SoulSeduction, der spiller soul og funk, i Birdmen Orchestra, der er en punk/rock/nujazz-trio, i orgel-jazz-trioen Saksaksaks samt i Club M.A.S.K, der spiller live house-musik med DJs, blæsergruppe, rytmegruppe, vokalsolister og rappere (se også www.myspace.com/clubmask. Og så har Rasmus tidligere sunget i Københavns drengekor (Det Kongelige Kantori) og medvirket som studiemusiker bl.a. på det danske elektro-poesi-band Sidste Ambulances hit, 'Når Jeg Dør'. Rasmus egen hjemmeside hedder www.rasmusoverbye.dk.

 

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The rhythm section

Per Kincaid, bas: Per studied at the Royal College in London, Bristol University, ISA in Cuba and at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory where he also teaches bass, songwriting and ensembles. Per has played with Salsa bands Salsa Na Ma & Havana Express, with the Danish Radio Pops Orchestra and Henrik Krogsgaard (in the Danish heat of the Eurovision Song Contest - he doesn't mind us telling you). Per writes and arranges as well, amongst others for Salsa Loca and Brand New Heavies, where his brother is the drummer. Per holds the record for the greatest number of trips to Cuba (and girlfriends). Per can also be found at myspace.com: Visit www.myspace.com/persounds.

Jacob Rahbek, guitar/tres/coro: Serene, pipe-loving Jacob - the band's 'grand old man' - is one of the country's most respected cavaquinho and tres players. He also plays Jazz, Latin Soul, Rock and Samba. He has taught Salsa ensembles at Rytmisk Center for a number of years. Jacob has two very talented musical sons, the youngest of whom is the drummer in the acclaimed rock band D.A.D.

Sten Holme Larsen, piano: Sten is well known on the Salsa scene for his previous work with Orquesta Llego la Hora, Salsa Con Ganas and Confusion Latina. And it is not hard to see why given his refined solos and swinging tumbaos. Listen out for Steen's own new compositions on the band repertoire.

Jesper Nørløv, congas: Jesper is a much in-demand percussionist. On his session roster are Maria Montell, Me, She & Her, Daniel, as well as party band Night Fever and the power-fusion band Gone Fishin'. Jesper also plays football on a serious level and can bend any beat like Beckham...

Rasmus Glendorf, timbales: Rasmus is a graduate from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen with drumset as his speciality but he masters percussion in general and the timbales that he play in Salsa Loca in particular as well. He has also studied drums and percussion in Cuba and Brasil and teaches the same instrument group at Rytmisk Center in Copenhagen and at Sct. Annæ Gymnasium. Rasmus kan be seen and heard behind the drumset and on miscellanous percussion in Sange i Stereo, Benjamin Aggerbæk, Oriental Mood og Von Glendorf. Next to playing and teaching music he works for Music for Mankind that specializes in mucis and sound design.

Rodrigo Labarca, bongos & cowbell (photo: Ralf Bölke): Rodrigo is one Denmark's most in-demand Latin percussionists - especially when the theme is Cuban music. Rodrigo came from Chile to Denmark in 1974, and has earlier played with New Jungle Orchestra, Zebra, Chango, Los Rumberos, Ahmadu Jarr and others. At the moment, he can be heard in Salsa Na Ma, Salsa Libre, Sax Pack - and in Salsa Loca. Rodrigo teaches percussion at Rytmisk Center in Copenhagen and at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen. (Rodrigo replaced Tira Skamby in Aug. 2004)