Artist History Q1: OK, first…Who is Derby? What’s behind that? A: Derby is my middle name. I wasn't fond of it growing up and sometimes took some teasing because of it. But when some friends told me I should actually use it as my artistic moniker, I tried it and now it feels right. Guess I turned that one around… Q2: How did music become your artistic essence? A: Well it was somewhat of a family affair. I was born in LA. At age one my family moved back to Argentina. Growing up in Buenos Aires, I was introduced to European, Latin and Brazilian music. When I was 11 my family moved back to the states to Atlanta, GA. My father is a jazz drummer and my older brother a Latin percussionist. Their continued practicing throughout my years created my love for rhythms and developed my musical ear. Atlanta also exposed me to hip-hop, r&b and gospel. In grade school through high school I took singing roles in musicals and developed an interest in tap. Musical theater awakened a growing desire in me to transfer tap rhythms to hand percussion patterns. As time progressed I started to learn and blend in Latin percussion patterns and styles. Meanwhile always singing. Q. 3 Derby-that is, the group--isn’t your first foray into the music world. Tell us about that… Before turning 18 I was accepted to Maharishi International University in Fairfield IA. There I studied Ayurveda (Eastern medicine) and Ghandarva Ved music from India. During a music festival at the University I saw Barbara Morillo, the lead singer for the late 60's female trio "The Cake". She also formed "The Caroling Carolers" with the Roach Sisters in NYC. I was blown away by her voice and her performance. We quickly connected and several months later she decided to move to Iowa for a while to take a break from the city. The university attracted students from 150 different countries and it was surreal to be in such a cultural melting pot in the middle of Iowa! It wasn't long before we began collaborationg with musicians and Barbara and I began singing and writing in several groups. In 1992 we hooked up with new musicians and "Bambu" a world dance band was born. We went from playing local bars in Iowa, to interstate festivals touring around the Midwest headlining shows from Chicago to Denver...selling thousands of cd's. Bambu opened for acts such as Everclear, 112, Liquid Soul, and Burning Spear. We were together for 8 years but we all wanted to live in different places, so the group eventually split up and went it's separate ways. Q: So you’ve been around the business quite a bit, but not just as a performer. A: I moved to NYC from Chicago in 2000 with the sole intent of doing music. I needed a break from bands for a while so I focused on writing, and set up my own recording studio. Soon thereafter, I hooked up with Absolute Theater Company through some actor friends and wrote some scores for off-Broadway musicals and sang for some of their fundraisers. During this two-year hibernation from bands, I also wrote and produced the theme song for the film Simply Being, and did studio work for different projects, including some vocal tracks for Kilombo Mambo's recording with Grammy winner pianist Tony Perez. This time really was useful for developing my stylistic identity. Q: But now it’s time to get back to the stage? A: Yep! It’s time for Derby to start rolling. About a year ago the stage started calling me again. I had built a decent repetoir of songs and concept. My vision was clear of what I wanted to do stylistically and tapped into a new found confidence in myself as a singer/songwriter and band leader. I wanted to take what I had learned from Bambu and apply it to my new project. One of the key "highs" that I missed from live performance was working the people and the rush to see everyone dancing. Over a period of a few months "Derby" the band came together very organically; from me jamming with different musicians and putting ads out. I now work with a very talented group of people that understand and share my vision of conscious uplifting groove music. The great thing is the band really gets the crowd going! Q: So how do you come up with all this music? A: I focus on expanding before contracting. I first hear the music in my head, and then some unclear words come to mind. I mumble into a tape recorder. I let all ideas come out--good or bad, lyrical or musical. Then after a listen through, I get a feel for where the magic is and start cutting and pasting. When it all works, I have a new song. Everyone writes differently. I write the beat, then the bass, chords, instrumentation, melody, words, and harmonies--in that order. Of course I break this tendency from time to time. As the group’s principal writer, I find it useful to sometimes shuffle the steps, too. Q: Pegging you into a genre isn’t easy, is it? A: My style is cross-cultural and not always easy to categorize. Some people call it “soul/funk/jazz,” while others say “Latin/world.” Many artists who’ve laid down a fresh trend in music—the Police and Nora Jones, for example--have had difficulty in being categorized at first, since they’re creating a new blend of styles. This is the kind of artist I hope to be. Q: Who are your principal musical influences? A: Wow, there is many...but here are some... Stevie Wonder, Prince, Me’Shell Ndegeocello, Abdel Ali Slimani, Gotan Project, The Police, Bob Marley, James Brown, India Arie, Chaka, Sade, Outkast, Guru, Soul to Soul, Grace Jones…the list goes on. Q: There’s an obvious element of soul in your music-not talking James Brown here, but more about spirituality. Is that accurate? A: Well soul can be in every musical style, though I have to say James Brown really captured it and he definitely has influenced my music. Soul is the reflection of our soul. The channels through which we express it are through vibrations or music. In a performance you must surrender your mind and just let go...this is how to tap into real soul. It's basically just expressing who you are without inhibitions or self-evaluation. You have to refine your craft so that it's second nature. Performance art is great therapy in that it allows you to learn to trust and gain control by not trying to control, thus being in the moment.

Group Members Derby Lead singer and main writer of the group was raised in Argentina and comes from a family of musicians. He has been involved in creating and performing music since his teens, inspired by the sounds of Latin, jazz, and funk he was exposed to at home. Derby is a seasoned polished performer and has been gigging professionally since 1992. From 1996 to 2000 derby performed as singer/percussionist with Bambu, a world dance band touring throughout the US. He has opened for bands such as Everclear, 112, Liquid Soul, and Burning Spear. He also produced two of the band's albums. Recently he wrote and produced two tracks for Venture Forth Production’s Simply Being movie soundtrack and recorded vocal tracks for Kilombo Mambo's (Un Poco Loco Records) newest recording with Grammy winner Tony Perez on piano. Derby's inspiration comes from artists such as: Prince, Stevie Wonder, Sade, Maxwell, India Arie, Outkast, Meshell and Guru. His unique sound takes you into a hypnotic groove. Marty Thomas Vocals…Originally from Missouri, he has performed on stage and screen for more than 15 years. At 23, he's a Grammy nominated recording artist and a Star Search champion. His dance singles have topped charts. He's performed on Broadway and on the regional theatre stage across the globe. Currently, he hosts a show at Club Therapy in NYC every Thursday night, and has new music being dropped throughout the year on various independent labels. J. King Percussionist born in America in 1972 has been performing since the age of six. His skill on congas, bongo, djembe, talking drums and numerous otherworldly percussive objects has led him to performances and/or recordings with ska band S.M.A., percussionist Tony Vacca and World Rhythms Ensemble, Massamba Diop (Master Tama player from Baaba Maal’s band), Annie Wenz, Primitive Ink, Abou Sylla, E.J. Rodriguez from Los Cubanos Postizos, Steve Westfield and the Slow Band (France & USA), Anti-Gravity, members of The Metropolitan Opera and The Big Apple Circus, Fireball, Sodaalien, Amani, Soulfreeto, Mikey and the Merry Pranksters, The Suyotos Band, Misticabaret (Fringe Festival 2001), Next Tribe, Zilo Groove and poet/playwright Sean Lewis. He has also collaborated on the soundtrack for the play I Think I Like Girls and the independent film Wired Awake. He’s currently playing percussion with Barbara Morillo & SHRINE and Derby. He has studied at Fareta School of Drum and Dance, Drummer’s Collective and The New School. Jon Price Since moving to New York City in 1999, Jon Price has become an integral component of several jazz, funk, and blues groups, and has been a valuable sideman to numerous singer/songwriters.Through his skill and support, past bands he performed with shared the stage with such performers as Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Leftover Salmon, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and the Squirrel Nut Zippers. With firm roots in funk and jazz, Jon considers himself to be one of the young bassists with an understanding of the importance of groove and solo ability on the funk/jazz/jamband scene. For Jon, "Music is about being creative, open-minded, and willing to stretch the boundaries of what is currently executed in peformance today". One need only experience brief moments of Jon's performance to grasp this statement, (and nowhere is it more boldy stated then in his performance with Timefly.) Patrick Ruiz Studied Drums, Percussion & Piano at Aaron Copeland School of Music. Worked as a session musician, performer, teacher & technician in the New York area for the last 20 years. Worked in numerous local bands in most of NYC's venues ranging from Jazz, Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Gospel, Electronica & Latin/World music notably The Reverend Billy Show at Tishman Auditorium Production, recording technician, Thesis of American 20th Century music. Currently Manager of Morel & Gradoux-Matt Rare Violins & String Instruments, Restorations in Midtown Hope this works. Nick Chapman Electric Piano 24 year old Nick Chapman moved to NYC in the summer of 2001 after graduating from the University of Florida. Growing up in Florida Nick performed with many different groups, toured the south consistently, and recorded and released 5 independent albums with various groups (co-producing 3 of them). Having studied the piano for nearly 20 years and with hundreds of performances to his credit, Nick has come to New York to continue his passion for music and performing. *Antonia, pop-rock. Jacksonville, FL 1997-1998- (touring, recording, co-production, management) Telefonic, funk/hip-hop. Gainseville, FL 1998-2000- (touring, recording, co-production, management) Nino Brown, jam band. Gainesville, FL 1998-2000- (touring, recording) Devious Semantics (production group/record label). NYC 2001- (recording, co-producing)

Location New York, NY - USA

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