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...........**** I now live in Brooklyn, New York where you find me performing around in my band LEILOLAI , with LESLEY"YOGISP"KÃœHR . LEILOLAI has recently become part of the Brooklyn Based Artist Collective/Label TOILET RECORDS , which I'm very excited about! We released our self titled album LEILOLAI (Best of) fall 2007. Currently we're working on our second LEILOLAI album to be released sometime in 2009.
I was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and came to the US as a child, traveling back and forth between the island for long winter and summer breaks. I studied music, dance, Spanish and Portuguese at the University of MN, where I learned a few technical vocal skills. But I mostly learned from playing live and have experimented with different instruments and styles of music.
I'm a singer/songwriter/artist and I also play the tom drum, and a bunch of minor percussion instruments, I dibble dabble with the keyboard and a little with the guitar, enough to help me come up with melodies and song ideas. I now sing and play my tom drum at the same time, with two microphones with one connected to a analog delay pedal. I'm still experimenting to see what I can come up with atmospherically speaking and with my music.
When I lived in Minneapolis, I lead my group Zafiro, with Cuban pianist Viviana Pintado. Voted BEST FEMALE VOCALIST by entertainment magazine Vida y Sabor, and I also the honors of singing the national anthem at both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Twins games. I was in the world music scene then singing in Salsa groups, and Brazilian music scene. In 2005 I released an updated version of 1970's salsa hit "tu no sabes querer", which was arranged and recorded by Willie Ruiz (arranger and trumpet), members of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Pablo "CHINO" Nuñez (percussion).
Some of the artists I have performed with are Cuban pianist/composer Nachito Herrera, Albita Rodriguez, percussionist/ vocalist Estaire Godinez, Brazilian Axé singer of Banda Relogio- Dandara, Alex Acuña, Sheila E.. In New York I've worked with Jose Conde who I sang with on occasion and still do here and there,
electro artist ALONSO who likes to mold my voice into an electro box and remix artists STREETLAB who will be remixing and releasing the song (Medicated Nation) from LEILOLAI's upcoming second album. We also wrote the song (Twisted Up) together which should be released via Streetlab sometime in 2009.
My personal blog spot read and subscribe here: Christina Cáceres
