Tregar Otton (Violin, Musical Director/Manager, Composer, Arranger), born in the Marshall Islands and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas. Otton began his classical music training at the age of four. At 16 he was the youngest member to join the Berkeley Symphony under Maestro Kent Nagano. At the age of 15 he composed a Symphonic Suite performed by the Oakland Youth Symphony, with Kent Nagano conducting.

Tregar has been a part of the Bay Area Latin music scene for the last 10 years, working primarily with Orq. La Moderna Tradición, Los Cenzontles, and Potaje. While living in New York, he played as a regular member of Virgilo Martí y sus Majaderos — other members of this group included Cuban greats Chocolate Armenteros and Patato Valdéz, as well as Joe Santiago. While in New York, he also worked closely with Juan Carlos Formel, and worked with the legendary New York Charanga groups Orquesta Broadway and La Típica Novel. He founded Orquesta La Moderna Tradición with Roberto Borrell.
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Michael Spiro (Tumbadoras (Congas)), is an internationally recognized percussionist, recording artist, and educator, known specifically for his work in the Latin music field. He has performed on hundreds of records, co-produced several instructional videos for Warner Bros. Publications (featuring such renowned artists as David Garibaldi, Changuito, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Ignacio Berroa), and produced seminal recordings in the Latin music genre, including Orquesta Batachanga, Grupo Bata-Ketu, and Grupo Ilu-Aña.

Spiro's formal education includes a Bachelor's Degree with Honors in Latin American Studies from the University of California, and three and a half years of graduate work in ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. His practical education consists of a seven year apprenticeship with Francisco Aguabella, and extensive study throughout Latin America. He has studied annually in Cuba since 1984 with musicians such as Jose Luis Quintana ("Changuito"), Esteban Vega Bacallao ("Cha-Cha"), Daniel Diaz and Juan “Claro” Blanco of Orquesta Ritmo Oriental, Regino Jimenez, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, and Grupo Afro-Cuba de Matanzas. In addition, in 1986 he spent two months training at G.R.E.S. Portela, the famous Escola de Samba in Rio de Janeiro.

As an educator, Michael is extremely active. He has been a faculty member or artist in residence at the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, Mt. Holyoke, University of Massachusetts, University of Missouri, BYU, Smith College, Wichita State University, Banff Center of the Arts, California State University at San Diego, University of North Carolina, Winthrop College in South Carolina and The Cornish Institute of the Arts, and has conducted clinics and master classes at numerous universities throughout North America and Europe, as well as several national and statewide conventions of P.A.S. (The Percussive Arts Society) and the I.A.J.E. (International Association of Jazz Educators).

Mr. Spiro's recording and performing credits include such diverse artists as David Byrne, Dori Caymmi, Changuito, Richard Egues, Frank Emilio Flynn, Ella Fitzgerald, David Garibaldi, Gilberto Gil, Giovanni Hidalgo, Ray Holman, Toninho Horta, Bobby Hutcherson, Dr. John, Mark Levine, Machete Ensemble, Bobby McFerrin, Andy Narell, Ray Obiedo, Chico O'Farrill, Eddie Palmieri, Lazaro Ros, David Rudder, Carlos Santana, Grace Slick, Omar Sosa, Clark Terry, McCoy Tyner and Charlie Watts.

Visit Michael's website to learn more about his recordings.
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Jesus "Chus" Alonso (Flute), born in Zamora, Spain, performs flamenco music as well as Cuban music in Spain and the United States. He is founder and director of Potaje, a musical ensemble that crosses boundaries between flamenco and latin music. You can read more about him on his website
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Sage Baggott (Güiro, Bongó), from Berkeley, California, is a classically trained percussionist who actually chose trombone as his instrument in the 6th grade, but within a week discovered the error of his ways and switched to percussion. He plays a variety of styles, but concentrates on Afro-cuban and flamenco music.
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Carlos Caro (Pailas (Timbales)). Carlos M. Caro was born in Havana, Cuba in 1967. In 1983 he entered the Alejandro Garcia Caturla Conservatory in Havana. Later, he attended ENIA ( National School of Art Instructors). Upon graduation from ENIA, he began his professional musical career with the group Clave. Among the note-worthy musicians who played with him in Clave were “Puly” Hernandez, the current lead singer of Dan Den, as well as the sons of the revered Cuban trombonist, Juan Pablo Torres. 1990 saw him begin a new stage in his career as the first bongocero for Opus 13, a band which eventually metamorphosed into Paulo y su Elite. During his two and a half year involvement with the band, he recorded two albums.

In late 1993, he emigrated to Mexico. Taking up residence in Mexico City, he played with groups such as 40 Grados, La Ley, La Rumbantela and various other Cuban ensembles. The crown jewel of his achievements in Mexico came when he was asked to record and perform a work in the Danzon style with the Mexico City Philharmonic. The work was performed at the Palace of Fine Arts in 1996, shortly before moving to the San Francisco area.

Carlos was recently voted the “Best Bongocero of All Time” by Timba.com. He has recently released a great new CD, "Vision Latina", produced by himself, Marco Diaz, and Saul Sierra. You can get more information about the CD and his other projects at CarlosCaro.net.
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Don Gardner (Clarinet), born in Oakland, California, began his musical education with the clarinet and plays the flute and saxophone as well. He has great appreciation of jazz, blues, and latin music from various countries-especially from Cuba and Venezuela.
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Eduardo Herrera (lead vocalist) was raised on a diet of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Venezuelan music in Caracas, Venezuela. He sang music of camara/opera with The Venezuelan Chamber choir before moving to the Bay Area in 1985 to work with several ensembles including Charanson, QBA, La Moderna Tradicion, Benny Velarde's Super Combo, and La Internacional de Tito Garcia among others. Eduardo has also shared stages with Los Van Van, Larry Harlow, Fajardo, Yomo Toro, Afro Cuban All Stars, Bamboleo and many others.

Robert Karty (Piano, Arranger), Bob has performed most of the top bands on the Bay Area salsa/Afro-Cuban scene. In addition to his work with La Moderna Tradición, he performs regularly with Candela, recorded the latest CD with Avance (with Santana percussionist Karl Perazzo) and has appeared with the Pete Escovedo Orchestra. He also performs and teaches jazz. He is on the faculty of The Jazz School in Berkeley, where he teaches a popular class in salsa/Afro-Cuban piano, as well as jazz piano and music theory.

Bob was born and raised in St. Louis, MO, where he began classical piano lessons at age 5 at the St. Louis Institute of Music. He holds a BA in Biology from Reed College.
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Sandy Poindexter (Violin), from Oakland, California, has played violin since a very young age. She is a versatile musician who plays jazz and classical music as well as other genres. Sandy has toured the U.S. and abroad with John Handy playing concerts and festivals.
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Steve Senft-Herrera (Bass), born in Sacramento, California, began his musical studies at age fourteen with the piano. Since changing to bass as his instrument, he has dedicated himself to the study and performance of Cuban music and jazz.
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