The Cathedral Church of St. Paul

The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul will be presenting a series of guest artists to provide a broader spectrum of music selections for their Sunday liturgies beginning with Orientales, a group that performs music with authentic South American rhythms on Sunday September 28, 2008 as part of the regular Sunday service beginning at 10:00am.

In Orientales, Saxophonist Florencia Gonzalez brings together a group of South American and musicians to perform some of the most popular rhythms from Uruguay, such as the “candombe” and murga. Composers Ruben Rada, Eduardo Mateo and Jaime Roos among others, are visited with a fresh approach, infusing the rich Afro-Uruguayan rhythms and beautiful melodies with her bright innovative arrangemements. Lots of African drums and singers, a very fun band to see live.

Candombe is a drum-based musical style of Uruguay. Candombe originated among the African population in Montevideo and is based on Bantu African drumming with some European influence and touches of Tango. Candombe's origins lie in the Kings of Congo ceremonial processions from the period of African slavery in South America.

This performace of Orientales will feature Florencia Gonzalez, saxophone, drums and voice, vocalist Eleonora Bianchini, Juan Andres Ospina on piano, Ignacio Long on bass and two drummers, Daniel Alvarez and Francisco Molina.

Jazz and classical saxophone performer, composer and arranger. Born in Montevideo, started her musical studies at the age of 6. Florencia studied classical saxophone in the “Universidad de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay” and in the “Conservatorio Municipal de Musica” while studying jazz improvisation with the Cuban sax player Nicolas Reinoso and arranging with
Orlando Tamargo. After graduating she continued to study jazz and classical music in Buenos Aires(Argentina), studying jazz improvisation with Carlos Lastra, Ricardo Cavalli, Rodrigo Dominguez, Ernesto Jodos and Juan Cruz Urquiza among others. She also studied classical saxophone with Maria Noel Luzardo, and arranging with “Pollo” Raffo.

In 2003 Florencia entered to the National Symphonic Orchestra of Uruguay, and to the Canelones City Hall Orchestra. She had also been performing a lot of different styles in a variety of groups (jazz, tango, bossa nova, rock, pop, funk, candombe, etc) and acting as a music educator in various High Schools and Music Schools. In 2004, after earning a significant scholarship she moved to Boston, where, in 2007 she graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music with a Dual Bachelor Degree in Jazz Composition and Performance. While at Berklee, Florencia studied with George Garzone, Joe Lovano, Ed Tomassi, Ken Pullig and
Greg Hopkins among others. At the moment she is performing and teaching around the New England and New York area and still studying with Hal Crook and Charlie Banacos.