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Christian Tumalan, piano
Aaron Germain, bass
Brian Andres, drums

Brian notes that a trio is a much more intimate, yet demanding musical setting for musicians to explore. There is no place to hide, no weak link allowed. In such a small setting, the dynamics must become more acute, the musical idea that much more clear, the technique that much more precise. It is in that context that the Brian Andres Trio Latino thrives. Three musicians making a statement within the freedom of Jazz and the cultural richness of the Afro-Latino diaspora. Featuring original compositions and exciting new arrangements of jazz and Latin standards, Brian Andres Trio Latino went into the studio to record their debut album earlier this year, and release is imminent!

In Trio Latino, bandleader and drummer Brian Andres features:

PIANIST Christian Tumalan was born in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico. His music career started at the early age of seven, where he began acquiring the most important concepts of music and live performance. In addition to his piano studies, he felt a powerful attraction to the art of composition. His performing experience includes a variety of projects such as Jazz, Salsa, Pop as well as Peruvian and Afro-Cuban music. He has also produced recordings for plays and “jingles”. He won a Grammy Award in 2016 as co leader of the Pacific Mambo Orchestra and is the pianist and contributing music arranger for the Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel. He has shared the stage with numerous professional musicians including John Santos, Giovanni Hidalgo, Pete Escovedo, , Ruben Blades, Tony Perez, Eddie Marshall, Chucho Valdez Jr, Bill Watrous, Danny Lozada, Louie Romero, Orestes Vilato, Poncho Sanchez Band, Alex Budmans Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, and among many other local and international artists.

BASSIST Aaron Germain has spent over 20 years as a busy hired gun and bandleader. This has led him through all sorts of adventures, as he’s traveled the world and learned from musical masters. Growing up in Massachusetts, he cut his teeth playing upright and electric bass in bands ranging form jazz, blues, funk, reggae, Senegalese mbalax; all while driving to New and Boston, and all over New England. From the beginning he learned to be picky about quality, but not genre.

Moving to San Francisco Bay Area in 2000, his adventures continue. He entered the world of salsa and Afro-Cuban music, Brazilian Forro music and Caribbean Steel Pan music. He found himself accompanying Indian Kathak dancers, veteran Calypso singers from Trinidad, or navigating through dense, odd-meter jazz compositions. Aaron has released two solo albums on the Origin Record label and is a contributing arranger and composer for The Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel.

Over the years Aaron has performed with artists such as Yusef Lateof, Stanley Jordan, Andy Carell, Michael Wolff, Bonnie Raitt, Francisco Aquabella, Nguyen Le, Paul McCandless, Scott Hamilton, Jason Marsalis, Tommy Igor, Melba Moore, Mary Wilson, Paula West, Tom Coster, Gary Meek, Gene Jackson, Jacqui Naylor, Jeff Massanari, Michael Zilber, Eddie Marshal, Dave Ellis, Kenny Washington, Akira Tana, Royal Hartigan, John Handy and many others.

DRUMMER AND BANDLEADER Brian Andres was born in Cincinnati, Ohio into a family of professional musicians, so it is no surprise that Brian found himself drawn to the origin of all music: Rhythm. His father is a woodwinds specialist and his mother a vocalist and pianist. The house was filled with the sounds of his father’s constant practicing and his mother’s piano and voice students. After nearly being put up for adoption due to his constant banging on inanimate objects, his parents decided to embrace their obstreperous sons undeniable talent by purchasing him a drum set and themselves earplugs.

While living in the Midwest, Brian’s diverse range of styles led him to performances with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Little Anthony and the Imperials, as well as Tony Award winner and Broadway star, Faith Prince. Brian has also shared the stage with such artists as Leroy “Sugar” Bonner from The Ohio Players, blues greats Sam Myers and Lonnie Mack and television and movie star, Woody Harrelson.

Brian’s growing interest in Latin music and culture brought him to the San Francisco Bay Area in early 1999. He quickly began working with numerous local Salsa, Afro-Cuban, Latin funk, Latin jazz, and Tex-Mex groups. In 2000, Brian was asked to join the band of San Francisco Bay Area Icon, Dr Loco (Dr Jose Cuellar). Brian continues to perform with him in both The Rockin’ Jalapeno Band and Los Tiburones Del Norte. Through working with Dr. Loco, Brian was asked to record the original music soundtrack for the critically acclaimed Robert M. Young film, Alambrista: Directors Cut, along with Grammy nominated producer and musician, Greg Landau. Brian also performed with “The Father of Chicano Music” and National Medal of Arts recipient, Lalo Guerrero, prior to his passing.

While continuing to reside in the Bay Area, Brian has performed with notable San Francisco musicians such as multi instrumentalist John Calloway (John Santos, Wayne Wallace, Omar Sosa) guitarist Ray Obiedo, Grammy Award Winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Independent Music Award winning artist and Ivory Coast native Fely Tchaco, reggae singer Black Nature (Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars) percussionist band leader Danilo Paiz (Ruben Blades) He has also performed with East Coast Bachata artists Bautista and Frankely on their West Coast performances.

In addition to his performance schedule, Brian maintains a private practice in drum set and percussion instruction. He also conducts clinics and lectures on the history and culture of the drum set and percussion in Afro-Cuban music, His lesson “Clave in Odd Meters” was featured as a Master Class article in the November 2014 issue of Downbeat Magazine. Brian is now a contributing writer for DRUM! Magazine. This includes his monthly Afro-Caribbean Practice Pad column as well as corresponding video lessons for their online presence.

In 2007, after spending his career as a sideman, learning and honing his craft, Brian stepped into the role as bandleader. The San Francisco Bay Area was introduced to The Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel. Featuring Grammy Award Winning musicians as well as esteemed Music Educators, the group continues the rich heritage of San Francisco Bay Area Latin jazz. Incorporating the rich harmonic and improvisational elements of jazz with the irresistible rhythms from the Caribbean to form “the perfect combination”. The ACJC has become one of the top Latin jazz groups in the Bay Area. With the release of their debut CD, Drummer’s Speak, their 2013 recording, San Francisco, and their 2016 release This Could Be That, they have made a name for themselves performing regularly in the Bay Area and touring in the Midwest.

In 2019 Brian formed Trio Latino, featuring original compositions and arrangements by pianist Christian Tumalan and bassist Aaron Germain and their debut album is in the can and will be out soon.

In the 2015 Downbeat Magazine 80th Annual Reader’s Poll, Brian was voted into the top 20 in the Drummers category.