artists
Hristo Vitchev Quartet

Hristo Vitchev Quartet


The Hristo Vitchev Quartet is an impressionistic jazz ensemble lead by Bulgarian modern jazz guitarist Hristo Vitchev. Residing in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1998, Hristo has performed with some of the premier musicians in the region and has toured nationally and internationally with a wide variety of formations. The quartet was formed in late 2008 with the goal of showcasing Hristo Vitchev’s completely unique voice as a composer, featuring Brazilian pianist Weber Iago, drummer extraordinaire Joe De Rose, and one of the most original bassist in Northern California; Dan Robbins. Their debut record “Song for Messambria” presents a unique blend of modern jazz (ECM), classical, and Brazilian textures, and showcases the completely unique and masterful interpretation of the jazz idiom by each one of its members. The album received outstanding reviews by the international jazz community and it was selected as one of the six best jazz records of 2009 by E-Jazz News. Hristo Vitchev has been featured in jazz publications all around the world and his music is being played in hundreds of radio stations.

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Joe De Rose & Amici

Joe De Rose & Amici


Joe De Rose, a native of the Bay Area, has been playing drums professionally for 21 years in various styles ranging from Jazz, Funk, Hip-Hop, Latin, Blues, Rock, and Fusion. He is an alumnus of the Alum Rock Jazz Band (1988) and has also graduated from The Prestigious Berklee College of Music (1998) with honors Magna Cum Laude. Joe has toured Europe, Japan, and the United States with various artists such as Toni Lynn Washington, Kofy Brown, Yoshiko Oda, and The Hristo Vitchev Quartet.

Joe is now leading and writing for his own Jazz Fusion band, Joe De Rose and Amici. “Amici” literally means “friends” in Italian. However, the definition of Amici for this band is: where Great friends, Great minds and Great souls come together to make Great music. Amici is composed of some of the most gifted players and improvisers from all over the globe featuring Hristo Vitchev, a Bulgarian virtuoso and co-writer for this group, playing guitar. Also, adding to Amici’s progressive and deep talent is Grammy-nominated Weber Iago on piano, the soulful sounds of Dann Zinn on sax, and the groove maker of the low end, Dan Robbins on Bass.

Joe De Rose and Amici’s debut record “Sounds for the Soul” will be available January 2010.

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Weber Iago

Weber Iago


Born Weber Ribeiro Drummond in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 17th 1962, it wasn’t until mid 90’s that Weber adopted the stage name Weber Iago as homage to the Roma People, also known as Gypsies. Iago has spent all of his musical life researching different types of sounds, ultimately dedicating most of his endeavors to uniting elements of Classical, Jazz and Brazilian Music. Weber Iago has worked with Moacir Santos (one of Brazil’s greatest composer and arranger), flautist James Newton, guitarist Romero Lubambo, Carla Bley Big Band, Steve Swallow, Billy Drummond, Paul McCandless, Ali Ryerson, Kenny Stahl, Claudia Villela, Charles Loos, Marcia Maria, Alex Acuna, Alphonso Johnson, Joe Lovano, and many more.

In 2009 Weber Iago was nominated for a Latin Grammy (Best Instrumental Album).

Weber Iago has participated as a pianist and band-leader in Jazz festivals all over the world: Brazil, Mexico, United States, France, Belgium, as well as shows and interviews in the most important Jazz radio stations in the country such as KRML in Carmel and KCSM in San Mateo, California. Iago has also performed extensively as a solo artist and sideman in Italy, Luxembourg, New York, Japan, and Czech Republic.

Since 1991 Iago has made constant appearances at the Monterey Jazz Festival (the longest running jazz festival in the world and one of the most prestigious as well).

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Neil Kelly Quartet

Neil Kelly Quartet


Neil Kelly is a Jazz Guitarist / Composer / Arranger / and Band Leader who has been working in the greater San Francisco Bay area for the past 10 years. Originally from the East Coast and Chicago Neil arrived in California in 1992. Since that time he has devoted his life to the craft of music. He holds a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies from San Jose State University where he majored in Jazz composition and arranging. Neil’s original compositions “Threshold” and “All the Things We Were,” orchestrated for Big band, were selected compositions for the San Jose Jazz Society’s Local Composer’s Showcase of 2009 and 2010.

The Neil Kelly Quartet formed in early 2010 to express Kelly’s compositional and arranging talents in a raw and cutting edge small combo. The group is a modern day expression of the unique piano-less quartet sound first explored by Sonny Rollins and Jim hall in the early 60’s, and includes Jonathan Bautista (Tenor Saxophone), Lukas Vesely (Bass), and Jemal Ramirez (Drums). Their debut CD “Rivers Converge” presents a promising new voice and vision in the San Francisco Bay area Modern Jazz scene.

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Weber Iago

Vitchev / Iago


The “Vitchev / Iago” project was formed in 2009 by Bulgarian jazz guitarist Hristo Vitchev and Grammy nominated Brazilian pianist Weber Iago. The goal of the duet is to exploit and explore the infinite sonic hues and tonal nuances of the two instruments while creating some of the most intimate, engaging, and interactive instrumental improvised music. Their debut outing “The Secrets of an Angel” has gained critical acclaim on the international jazz scene and their brand new record “Heartmony” is generating quite a wave of admiration all across the globe. The entire FOS Music team is excited to be able to present this completely amazing music.

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