The Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco

In 2001 musician, composer and educator, John Calloway, told me he wanted to put together a youth band to play Latin music. My own son Daniel, who played flute and was Calloway's student since elementary school, was frustrated by not being able to fit into school jazz programs which did not recognize flute as a jazz instrument. He was told to change his instrument if he wanted to play.

John Calloway, my wife Sylvia Ramirez and I decided to put the group together with the help of Mauricio Aviles. Our first concert was a tribute to Cal Tjader at the Masonic Auditorium. Calloway rehearsed the youth at our home, wrote arrangements for the band and gave individual instruction to some of the players. We thought we would
rehearse the youth for one concert to be held only four days after 9/11 on September 15, 2001.

That night the youth played with legends Claire Fisher, Poncho Sanchez and many original members of Tjader's group. The 9/11 tragedy hung like a pall over the theatre until the youth began to play and then , miraculously, Masonic was filled with the healing power of music and the inspiration of young people playing with the
pros as equals. On 9/15/2001 The Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco was born.

Sylvia and I want to acknowledge and thank our partner John Calloway for his years of dedication and service to the community.

We are honored and humbled to support his vision. We have been blessed beyond belief by our relationships with the youth and parents of what insiders call the LJYE. My brother John Calloway deserves so much credit for his dedication and commitment to
young people. Due to him, over 50 youth have participated in the group. They have enriched our lives. We hope we have given them just a piece of the inspiration they give us.

Most recently, as Executive Producer of the LJYE's first CD, LJYE LIVE at Yoshis, I had a chance to document John Calloway and Sylvia Ramirez' increadible LJYE playing in the #1 jazz club in the USA.

What an incredible journey from one concert to their self-written, self-published CD. As if we have not had enough bounty in our lives, Calloway wrote a tune for our family called, Casa Riera and we are now Artists in Residence at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens Festival thanks to our patron, Linda Lucero.

On Father's Day 2006 KCSM Program Director and radio legend, Chuy Varela, invited the Riera Family to his Con Sabor show to highlight a Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco performance. I shared the mike with my wife and co-director Sylvia Ramirez and my son, Daniel. Here is an audio stream of the show.

I could not think of a better way to spend Father's Day 2006. Log onto www.ljye.com for more about the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco. You can hear the entire interview from the link below!

"Casa Riera" loves John Calloway, take it from Mister Latin Jazz!
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