ZLB Trio: Zamora, Langone, Berlin

*Zahili Gonzalez Zamora is a pianist, composer, bandleader, arranger, and educator. Born in Manzanillo, Cuba, she started playing piano at the age of 6 and graduated from the National School of Music with a performance degree. Her passion for music has taken her to Canada, South East Asia and the United States. Her Afro-Cuban jazz trio, MIXCLA, has headlined at the landmark Scullers Jazz Club in Boston since 2018. MIXCLA has also performed at the 59th Monterey Jazz Festival, the 2016 Stave Sessions as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston, the 2015 Montreal International Jazz Festival and other highly respected venues and festivals… Zamora is always moving forward, guided and driven by her music and the need to grow as an artist and a person, and to share her music and love of life with others. She aspires to inspire and be a messenger for a journey that is not only her own, but also one that resonates with others. As a person out of her comfort zone for the sake of her work, she feels most defined by her Cuban heritage and her status as an immigrant. Her rich musical background, career experience, and extraordinary improvisation skills render her a leader in the modern Latin jazz idiom and an influential, emulated musician.

*For the past twenty five years, Steve Langone has been performing in clubs, festivals and recording studios. His versatility has allowed him to work in many different genres of music. Some of the artists Steve has performed and recorded with include George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Greg Osby, Rufus Reid,  Miguel Zenon, Donny McCaslin, Jason Palmer, The NDR Bigband, Mike Renzi, Claudio Roditi, David Hazeltine, Gray Sargent, Bill Pierce, Luis Perdomo, Antonio Sanchez, Howard Alden, Leo Genovese, Helio Alves, Herb Pomeroy,  Kevin Harris, John Lockwood, Oscar Stagnaro,  Anat Cohen, Avishai Cohen, Frank Lacy, Claudio Ragazzi, Diego Urcola, Shawn Monteiro, Rebecca Paris,  Dominique Eade, Mili Bermejo, Suede, Greg Piccolo (Heavy Juice and Room Full of Blues), Luciana Souza, country singer John Carter Cash, and comedians Joe Piscopo and Joan Rivers…Steve has performed throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Panama, Cuba, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Albania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, China, South Korea and Oman and can be found on over 50 recordings as a sideman — accompanying musicians such as Nando Michelin, Jinga Trio, Enclave, Gilson Schachnik, Kevin Harris, Shawnn Monteiro, New Stablemates, and Mili Bermejo; he also has three recordings as a leader: Finders Keepers, Six, and Steve Langone Group; and has appeared on various soundtracks for National Geographic, Sesame Street and the Miramax film Next Stop Wonderland…In addition to his busy performance schedule, Steve teaches at URI, Wellesley, and Berklee, as well as privately, and enjoys national clinics on the subject of rhythmic concepts for musicians and advanced rhythmic concepts for drummers.  He is the author of Advanced Rhythmic Concepts for the Modern Drummee, Vol. 1, Vol. 2, and Vol. 3

* Matthew Berlin is an accomplished jazzand roots musician whose music projects include Louie Bluie Music & Arts Festival and “Sweet Old Song,” a documentary film by Leah Mahan Productions; Jim Kweskin; Hokum Heroes; Busted Jug Band; and Racky Thomas Band. Encouraged by his parents, both skilled musicians, Matt began studying cello at six, saved up to buy his first bass guitar at 14, and later pursued a classical music education at New England Conservatory.  He gained experience working as a jazz musician abroad, enjoying steady gig opportunities within the supportive arts culture of Barcelona for a year before immersing himself in Cambridge’s vibrant music scene as a Harvard undergrad—collaborating with various jazz groups as well as the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, the Bach Society, and the Mozart Society— and later venturing west to the city of Eugene, where he maintained a busy performance schedule while attending law school at the University of Oregon…Berlin was interviewed and profiled by Lydialyle Gibson in the March, 2020 edition of Harvard Magazine:[https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2020/03/montage-hot-pursuit]