Artist description JaLeo was formed in 1993 by Mike Wheaton who was born in the Dominican Republic. JaLeo plays a mixture of Rock and Salsa.

Music Style Latin Rock

Musical Influences Ruben Blades, Willie Colon, Santana, Tito Puentes, Cachao, Juan Luis Guerra, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Wayne Shorter

Similar Artists Santana, Sting, Steely Dan

Artist History The band's music has won 1st place in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and Honorable Mentionin the Billboard Song Contest.Mike Wheaton and JaLeo have been nominated for:Best Latin Band, Best Male Rock Vocal and BestMale Latin Vocal in the 'Wammies' (Washington AreaMusic Association's Annual Music Awards).JaLeo has played at the following venues:Cater Barron Amphitheatre - Washington Post Concert Series, Takoma Park Folk Festival, IOTA, Borders, Crystal City - Arlington County Concerts, Potomac Overlook Park - Arlington County, National Zoo - Latin FestivalWashington DC - Latin Festival

Group Members Mike Wheaton: Vocals, Piano, Guitar and SongwritingAlejandro Lucini: Drums and PercussionAdrienne Galler-Lastra: Bass and VocalsPaul Paleologos: Trombones, Percussion and VocalsCo-Songwriter: Brian Price

Instruments piano, bass, drums, congas, electric guitar, trombone

Albums "Rock and Salsa on the Slopes of Mt Pleasant"

Press Reviews In lyrics like 'Here in the serrated city, I’m on the edge once again/Half of me is everywhere and the other half has never been,' Wheaton addresses the pluralism of his bilingual influences and tries to fuse them. Whereas the record is full of saucy pop gems like 'Anything Amy,' 'Swimming in Your Arms,' and 'Place to Play,' Wheaton promises a live show that will be full of traditional Latin music favorites as well.'When we play, we try to build up alot of energy, and our drummer is kind of the main driving engine for that,' says Wheaton. 'Jaleo roughly translates to ‘wild, insane party’ and we try to work up that kind of frenzy. That’s what this is all about'" —Colin BainCity Paper Review, Heard in the Hillspg. 48 February 19, 1999 Washington City Paper-------------------------------------------"Jaleo’s rock doesn’t scream or deconstruct; it’s shaped by and seeks to join varied influences. It’s interlaced with conga drums, funk accents, and Latin and Caribbean rhythms, while reaching back to the classic rock of the 5O's and 60's. The first cut on the CD, 'Make Me Whole', highlights a clean lead guitar, like a stripped-down Santana with the sustain turned low. 'Swimming in Your Arms' and 'We Lost Our Nerve' build on the feel of samba and reggae, and 'La Bamba' switches back and forth between its traditional rock style and a guajira/son in minor key. The other pieces play out with a more English-accented, urban rock sound, although the arrangements as a whole trade pieces and sounds: a salsa piano on the verses of one song changes to rock for the choruses, while the bass does the reverse. A merengue bass rides over congas accompanied by jazz chords. Rock piano yields to salsa, and back. Each of the three band members brings a varied history of musical ideas, and in this record demonstrate how the implosive process of fusion is different from its explosive counterpart of fission; their music projects a sense of a conscious compression and fitting of the pieces, turning them around and around until they fit."- Luis RumbautCLAVE, Vol.11 No. 1, March 1, 1999, Reviews

Location Washington, DC - USA

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