Sabor Latino Bio

Sabor Latino is an independent band based in Fredericton, NB. They perform both traditional and modern Latin music, infused with a healthy dose of Jazz and Funk. Their repertoire includes hits from acts like Buena Vista Social Club and Tito Puente, alternated with original numbers.

Sabor Latino's band leader, bassist and vocalist, Cesar Morales has been entertaining audiences in Canada since 1991. He is a music graduate from The National Arts Centre in San Salvador, the capital of his native El Salvador, where he played Andean music with lead groups Xolotl and Amayulutl. During those years, he also played transverse flute with the Latin Jazz Ensemble and the National Young Symphony Orchestra. He also performed Cumbia, Salsa and Meringue as the front man for popular music groups such as Zunca, Yuca, Siembra and Salsa 86. After several years teaching music at the City Hall Cultural Centre, he relocated to New Brunswick due to the political instability of his home country.

Here in Canada, he has played bass and flute in several theatrical productions, such as “You Are a Good Man Charlie Brown” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” In 1994, he moved to Woodstock and started the group Border Crossing, alongside local musician John Thompson.

In1998, he decided to start his own Latin band with Sabor Latino, and after several years of hard work and dedication, the band claimed the 2004 Galaxy Rising Star award at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton. A new iteration of Sabor Latino, started in 2008, continues to gather accolades all across Atlantic Canada,

In 2005, Cesar released “Monologue,” a solo EP in which he performs all the instruments and vocals. He is currently the band director at Nashwaacsis and Devon middle schools, and the music instructor for the Multicultural Association of Fredericton.

Percussionist Juan Morales (Cesar’s younger brother, also from El Salvador) traces his musical roots to the vibrant folkloric rhythms of his mother land. However, it was not until he was well established in Canada that Juan started playing Latin percussion. It all began with his brother’s desire to start a Latin band, and the lack of musicians in New Brunswick with the required experience to play in that style. This situation drove Juan to take the chance and start learning the various elements of Latin percussion under his brother’s guidance.

Today Juan is a seasoned percussionist, having played congas for over 10 years and being a founding member of Sabor Latino, He has also performed with Alma Latina (from Halifax), Gummi Demilo, and local Fredericton acts The Time Beings and Dub Antenna.

Camilo Villamizar is a Fredericton-based, Colombian guitarist, singer and songwriter. Aside from his work with Sabor Latino, he is also the voice and guitar of indie band The Absolute Fiction, guitarist for local artist Rich Gloade, and an active solo performer. Camilo favours expression, texture and harmony in his playing, and is a strong supporter of digital technology in both live and recorded music.

Camilo's involvement in music started early in life, and he made his first public appearance with a rock band at age 14. He continued performing and recording with local Colombian acts well into his twenties, playing lead guitar with Colombian bands La Satira and El Sotano and collaborating with solo artist Carlos Azdi. He would later somewhat change directions by joining the EAFIT University Jazz and Blues ensemble, recording additional guitars in the album Lo Que Pasa Aqui a Diario from Colombian band Octubre Negro, and producing the track Cafe Magdalena for the Lounge.CO compilation, which locally charted at number 2 for electronic music singles in Colombia.

In a slight twist of irony, Canadian Sabor Latino is Camilo’s first Latin band. He joined in 2008, 3 years after immigrating to the country.

Camilo is largely a self-taught musician.

A percussionist and a euphonium player, Bill McIver grew up in New Mexico, where his parents started him on his musical journey. His connection with the Sabor Latino "book" is a mosaic comprised of the Brazilian and Cuban influences on African-American musical forms, the various Mexican musical styles that are heard in his home state, and his wholly incomplete and ongoing study of the myriad rhythms of the African Diaspora.

Bill has studied with Jeff Lundt, Jimmy "June Bug" Jackson, Eric Robinette and Greg Harrison. He was a member of the percussion section of the Harambee Dance Ensemble at the University of Colorado in Boulder, during which time he participated in an influential workshop given by the legendary Cuban folkloric group Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.

Bill has performed in a variety of settings in Fredericton, including the University of New Brunswick Concert Band, the Fredericton Chamber Orchestra, the group SpeakEasy, and experimental percussion duets with John Born. He wanted to play with the Morales brothers ever since he saw them perform in 2005.

Julia Ramirez, singer, melodica player and media/stage manager for Sabor Latino, started her music and artistic experience at the early age of 3, training in folkloric dance such as Cumbia, Bambuco and Salsa in Colombia (her homeland). At the age of 11, Julia decided to try her luck at signing and playing the Melodica with Tuna groups, a Spanish festive tradition (including some 40 participants, in her case) which involves the performance Pasodobles and other popular styles while dancing to choreography. During her high school years, she was also involved with her school’s Gregorian Choir, a rock band, and the Colombian traditional group Cantares. In university, Julia continued her music journey by joining her alma mater’s choir and later the Medellin Polyphonic Study, with whom she performed Handel’s Messiah, Queen Symphonic, Carmina Burana and other classical and contemporary works.

Julia is the newest member of Sabor Latino, having joined in late 2009.

Pictures by Markus Jjp MacIntyre hushphoto.ca