BAND

Meet the Salsa Hawaii Band!

Rolando Sanchez

Band leader and lead vocalist, plays timbales, congas, drums and percussions, also a songwriter and producer with many years of experience in the music industry, locally, nationally and internationally. Born in the city of Masaya, Nicaragua in Central America, making Honolulu Hawaii his home since 1984. He has been recording, producing, touring and performing Latin-Salsa music here and around the Pacific Islands and the Orient ever since.

Judi Palmeira

Piano and keyboards, vocals, songwriter.
 Of Japanese and Portuguese ancestry, born in Hawaii, she has been playing keyboards and singing for many years with a variety of musical groups of many different styles. With a music degree in voice from the University of Hawaii, Judi brings the sweetness and skills that make Salsa Hawaii's sound so unique. Joining Salsa Hawaii in the late 90's, she has become one of the main driving forces in the band.

George Demesillo

Bass, vocals.
 George has been a dedicated member of Salsa Hawaii for nearly a decade. Of Spanish-Filipino ancestry born in right here in Hawaii, he has played the bass for a very long time with various bands in different Waikiki music venues and hotels and in all the Islands, playing Hawaiian and contemporary music before joining Rolando Sanchez and Salsa Hawaii in the early 90's. He has been recording, performing and traveling with the band from his first day as a bass player for the band. George brings a nice easy going feeling that reminds us all of the Aloha spirit.

Other very special musicians that perform with the band are:

Julia Stamper: vocals. 
She has performed in several shows at Diamond Head Theatre, done several TV appearances both singing and acting. Julia is an experienced Jazz & Hip-Hop dancer with performances in NY and Hawaii. Julia says she is thrilled to be part of Salsa Hawaii, and we are thrilled to have here add her beautiful voice to our band.

Raggae: congas. 
Raggae has been teaching and performing percussions professionally for over 20 years, his styles of pan-African drumming include, West African, Mandeng, Afro-Cuban, Latin-Salsa, middle Eastern, Funk and Jazz. His performance and recording credits include: First Circle, Taj Mahal, Jack Miller, Afoshela, War, Troupe Baladi, Azure McCall, Assane Konte, Adela Chu, Lila Kane, Naked Groove, Larry Dupio and Rolando Sanchez & Salsa Hawaii.


Jesse M Seymour: bongos, guiro, cowbell.
 Studied and performed African & Afro-Caribbean music for the last ten years, both locally and in the mainland. With recording experience in multiple studio projects in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii. He has performed live among such artists as Joan Baez, Baaba Maal and War to name a few, locally he has performed with "Olokun"led by master guitarist Larry Dupio, he has also performed with the big Island band "Brother Cuz" and The Aftershock Band, now as a member of Rolando Sanchez & Salsa Hawaii Jesse gets to showcase his talents on Latin Percussion as an intricate part of the driving rhythm section of the band.

Steve Watkins: trumpet, flugelhorn.
Currently a member of the Air Force band in Honolulu, Steve brings to the band a mature and experienced touch to the horn section. A native of Portland, Oregon, Sergeant Watkins graduated from Lake Oswego High School in 1978. Subsequently, he received a music scholarship to attend North Texas State University. While attending North Texas State University Sergeant Watkins played in the prestigious two o’clock jazz lab band. In addition, Sergeant Watkins was hired to play lead trumpet for a New York road production of the Broadway Play, “Jesus Christ, Superstar”, he was accepted to the prestigious University of Miami School of Music where he received a Bachelors Degree in Music Industry with honors. While there he performed in the University Jazz Ensemble and Orchestral brass section. Sergeant Watkins also performed with the Miami Opera Company‘s production of “La. Forza Del Destino”. He has been part of Salsa Hawaii for a few years, we affectionately call him "Dr. Klave" due, in part, to the affinity he has gotten for playing Latin-Salsa music.


Mark Minasian: trumpet, flugelhorn.
 David Mark Minasian holds a B. A. in Music and single subject teaching credentials in Music, Mathematics and Computer Science from the California State University in Chico, a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies (with distinction) and minor in Trumpet Performance from the Indiana University School of Music, and certificates in Audio Engineering, Maintenance and Production from the Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio. In addition to being an Assistant Professor of Music at Leeward Community College and serving as a trumpet instructor for the Punahou School, he regularly performs with the Windward Brass Quintet, serves as Assistant Conductor, arranger and Principal Cornet for the Honolulu Community Concert Band and works as a free lance arranger and trumpet player throughout the Hawaiian islands. Throughout the years, Mark's dedication and contribution to Salsa Hawaii can not be measured. He has performed, toured, and recorded with the band. One of the best trumpeters in the Islands, he is also a Maestro (Professor of Music) at Leeward Community College in Honolulu. You can hear his trumpet sounds on our latest CD release.

Aaron Hill: saxophone, flute.
 Aaron is currently attending the University of Hawaii studying music and looking forward to attending Berklee School of Music in the very near future. Born in the beautiful city of Seattle, Washington, he has been perfuming and playing his instruments for the last ten years. Residing in Honolulu for just three and a half years, Aaron has performed with some of the top bands in the state prior to joining Salsa Hawaii to add a touch of new energy to our horn section.


John Lundgren: saxophone, flute.
 In recent years John performed with the likes of "The Temptations" "The Fifth Dimension" and "Frank Sinatra Jr" not to mention he has also performed with big band, jazz, pop and rock groups in both northern California and Hawaii. From 1995 to 2000 he was the director of northern California's well known "Mendocino All Star Big Band" he is and accomplished classical musician and has been a bassoonist with the Mendocino Music Festival Orchestra, the Symphony of the Redwoods, the Sacramento Symphony, Reno Philharmonic and the Sacramento Ballet. He is currently performing with the Royal Hawaiian Band and actively teaching band in the public schools in Kalihi Valley. John holds a Bachelor of music and a Master of art degree from California State University, Sacramento. John's experience and talent is what makes Salsa Hawaii's horn section one of the hottest in the local Latin-Salsa music scene in Hawaii.

Marcell Porter: trumpet.
 Born in Oahu-Hawaii. Moved to California to finish high school. He is now back in Honolulu, free-lancing and playing with various groups. Marcell's biggest influences on the Trumpet are Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, and Miles Davis (to name a few!). One of my short term goals is to finish school with my degree in music. "My long term goal is to refine myself to the level where I can freely express musically whatever I hear in my head at that very moment on my horn." -Graduated Mira Costa High school with honors in music, 1997.
 Accepted for 1995 Tournament of Roses Honor Band (1st Trp.) in Pasadena CA. 1996, Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra (2nd Trp.), 1997 to 1999, Studied Trumpet & composition at Fullerton College, played in Cal State Bakersfield big band. (2nd Trp.), trumpet on the Renaissance 2 which cruised the Mediterranean 2001, Marcell is yet another great addition to Salsa Hawaii's talented group of horn players that make up the hottest horn section available in Hawaii!