JOEY DE LEON

Pancho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band / Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band

Born in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City from a long heritage of musicians, Joey De Leon Jr. is an amazingly diverse artists. He holds a bachelor’s degree in classical percussion from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music and currently is a member of Grammy award winning bands - Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band.

Joey has performed or recorded with artists of almost every genre including: Queen Latifah, Al Jarreau, Dave Valentin, Hilton Ruiz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Juan Gabriel, Joao Sebastian, Jennifer Lopez, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Tan Dun and Arturo Sandoval as well as many film and TV scores.

In addition to music, Joey is a member of SAG and can be seen in national commercials and programs. Most recently he appeared on the McDonald’s commercial “Hay Un Big Mac For That.”

As an educator, Joey teaches privately, conducts clinics and workshops as well as being a faculty member at California Institute of the Arts. His mission is to reinforce the power of unconditional love and equality through music.

LEON MOBLEY

Leon began to play African drum rhythms in 1967 and studied for ten years with Nigerian master drummer Babatunde Olatunji at the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. Leon has had theatrical training and appeared regularly on the PBS daily television show Zoom. He is an accomplished musician and performs regularly in numerous musical genres including jazz, reggae, and rock. Leon has appeared on the works of many recording artists and has self-produced four CDs and cassette tapes of djembe rhythms and songs.

In 1977 Leon studied under the directorship of Senegalese master drummer Ibrahim Camara (former drummer for the National Ballet of Senegal) while a member of the Bokan-Deye Dance Company.

Leon studied and performed from 1979 to 1981 in Surinam, South America and Trinidad Tobago, and the West Indies. He continued his studies during 1982 in Senegal and Gambia. He traveled to South Africa in 1991-1992 where he performed with returning exiles Letta Mbulu, Caiphus Semenya, and Hugh Masekela. From 1993 until 1997, Leon toured the world with Ben Harper.

Mobley is the founder and artistic and musical director of Da Lion and Djimbe West African Drummers and Dancers. He founded these two groups in order to help preserve African cultures, and present authentic traditional West African-American dance and music. Through these two groups, Leon continues his mission of educating others about the West African people, their customs, history, and cultural arts as well as their influence and ties with people in the USA.

Miguelito Leon

CALI2CUBA

Miguelito is currently traveling the globe recording his debut solo project as well as touring with PBS star and Emmy Award Winning Artist BENISE and Balkan World Band Moara Dulce. Performing around the world in diverse locations such as China, Romania, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba as well as across the United States.

Miguelito has had the pleasure to perform/record with world renowned artists such as: Wynton Marsalis and Lincoln Center Band, FOX Networks GLEE, Ozomatli, Brenda Navarrete, Septeto Nacional de Cuba, Bob Reynolds, Conjunto Chapottin, Los Rumberos de Cuba, Oscar Hernandez, Bob Mintzer, Luis Conte, El Son del Indio, Kenny Loggins, L.A. Impromptu Orchestra, Roni Benise, Moara Dulce, and more!