Biography

Noel Quintana

Noel Quintana, also known as “Mr. Conga,” is a Cleveland-based Puerto Rican percussionist, band leader, researcher, educator and avid collector of Latin music photos, records and memorabilia. He is the founder and artistic director of The Latin Crew, one of Cleveland’s premiere salsa bands. He has also performed with Latin music’s giants Tito Puente, Johnny Almendra y Los Jóvenes del Barrio, Luís Romero y Mazacote, Richie Ray, Pedro Jesús, Anthony Cruz, Andy Montañez, and Tommy Olivencia, among others.

Born in New York City, Quintana grew up surrounded by Afro-Caribbean music. His uncle owned a record store, and he began to build his own record collection early on. After a neighbor introduced him to Luis Romero, a renowned percussionist and recording artist, Quintana began to take private lessons on the conga drums. He furthered his formal music education at the Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts in the Museo del Barrio where he studied Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puerto Rican styles as well as contemporary urban salsa with “Little” Ray Romero, Johnny Almendra, Luis “Timbalito” Romero, and Pedro Fernéndez. In New York, he began to perform professionally with the band Sabor Boricua and a few Colombian salsa bands that favored Cuban and Puerto Rican percussionists.

In 1991 Quintana moved to Cleveland where he performed and recorded with the band Impacto Nuevo, but In 1996 he was back in New York to play with the charanga group Johnny Almendra y Los Jóvenes del Barrio, Papo Pepin, and Conjunto Bembé. One year later, he was back in Ohio, participating in the late pianist Roberto Ocasio’s Latin Jazz Project and in Grupo Fuego.

On October 16, 1999 he founded this own band, The Latin Crew, with a desire to have greater artistic and managerial control. The group has performed at the Touch Supper Club, Belinda’s Nightclub, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Columbus Latino Festival, and many other programs and is considered today as one of the region’s premier salsa bands. Besides his own group, Quintana is also member of the Cleveland Salsa All Stars, and he performs with other local bands including Grupo K-Non and Ernie Krivda & The Fat Tuesday Big Band. Noel Quintana was also the host of the radio show “Rítmo Latino” on WDLW 1380 AM show for three years starting in 1998.

As an educator, Noel Quintana has taught for Northeast Ohio Jazz Society’s Banda Hispana Cultural and the Julia de Burgos Community Center for 16 years. He also teaches private lessons in Latin percussion and he offers assembly performance programs for schools and cultural centers.

Nelson Orta

Nelson Orta was one of the founding members of Impacto Nuevo, the leading salsa band in Cleveland for several years and remains one of the top-call Latin percussionists in the Cleveland area. We are fortunate to have his dynamic sound on bongos and other Latin percussion. He also teaches at Julia de Burgos Community Center with Noel. He also was selected to play bongos for the Cleveland Salsa All Stars to back up Richie Ray at the 2004 Puerto Rican Parade. Between engagements with The Latin Crew and Sammy DeLeon, Nelson keeps a very full schedule of playing both in the Cleveland area and on many out of town gigs.

Tito DeJesus Jr.

Tito is one of the busiest piano players on the Cleveland Latin music scene, and we welcome his return to the Crew after a several year hiatus. Besides playing with the Latin Crew in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he has also played for Grupo K-Non, Banda Dura, Roberto Ocasio's Latin Jazz Project, Merengue Power, Sammy DeLeon, and several others. He also studied with Richie Ray and continues to hone his talents. On Friday nights when he is not performing, he can also be found DJ-ing at Belinda's Nightclub.

Hector Torres

Hector originally started with Leyito's Old School Neighborhood Orchestra. When our usual timbale player is unavailable, he can be counted on to fill in. Some of the charts in the Crew's repertiore are also arranged by him.

Frankie Lopez - Bass

Frankie has a long history in the Cleveland salsa scene and has run several of his own bands in the past including Ahi-Nama. Besides bass, he is also an accomplished tres player. Due to a job shift change, his work schedule required that he step down for a while but he still remains available to fill in.

Cheo Hernandez - Alumnus

Musical director, arranger, and outstanding bass player has added a lot to the growth of The Latin Crew over the last few years. Cheo has also played with Sammy DeLeon, Impacto Nuevo, and Grupo Kanon. Cheo is one of the top Latin bass players in Cleveland, and we are fortunate to have him back in the group

Miguel Matos - Alumnus

Miguel provides a strong second voice to the coro section as well as fine lead vocals on several of our newtunes. When not performing with us, he can also be found singing with Invacion Secreta.

Mike Marks

Mike first came onto the Cleveland Latin scene in 1996 starting with Orquesta Creativa. He then joined with Orchesta Nabori and remained with them until late 2001, at which point he joined up with The Latin Crew. The experience gained with The Crew has made him one of the more popular Latin trumpet players on the Cleveland scene, and he has also played with Son Alegre, Grupo Fuego, Invacion Secreta, Conjunto Kawakan, Grupo K-Non, Leyito y Su Orchesta, Orquesta Nissi, Conjunto Carnaval, and Sammy De Leon. On a trip to Cancun in 2003, he had the honor of performing with Grammy Award winner Aramis Galindo and was selected as lead trumpet player for the "Salsa All Stars" band to back up Richie Ray at the 2004 Cleveland Puerto Rican Parade. Due to a job change, he temporarily relocated to the Raleigh, NC area and performed with local bands Color Latino and Samecumba as well as with Atlanta-based TamBoricua but has now returned to Cleveland and resumed his spot with the Latin Crew. Additional stars he has played with include Andy Montanez, Pedro Jesus, Anthony Cruz, Tommy Olivencia, Hector Tricoche, Tony Vega, and Tito Puente Jr..

By day, he is a software engineer with NDI Medical and also reviews video equipment for Widescreen Review Magazine. Click here for Mike's music schedule and availability.

William "Baby" Guzman

Baby comes from a musical family with a long history in Lorain and Cleveland going back to the days of Orquesta Charambo. His first performance was at the age of 6 with El Gran Combo in Puerto Rico. His brother Rafael played congas with Sammy DeLeon for a number of years, while his sister is an accomplished piano player in Florida. He is a longtime veteran of Lorain's Orquesta Nabori where he played with Mike and Manny for several years. His fine timbale playing brings finesse and style.

Papo Ruiz

Papo Ruiz adds his deep voice to the soneos and coros when he is not busy performing with his own band, Grupo K-Non. Another veteran of the Cleveland salsa scene, he has performed with Sammy DeLeon before making the move to join The Latin Crew and stepping up to the role of lead singer. For Grupo K-Non bookings, contact Papo directly at 216-401-9670.

Cristi Fereyra

From the Dominican Republic, Cristi is the newest member of The Latin Crew and covers the female vocal parts. She joins us from Invacion Secreta.

Marilyn Rodriguez - Alumnus

Marilyn started out singing coro with the Cleveland Salsa All Stars in 2004 when Richie Ray came to town, and has proceeded to become lead female vocalist with Sammy DeLeon. When not busy with Sammy, she also provides strong coro and lead vocals for some of the new tunes in the repertoire of The Latin Crew.

Macer Diaz - Roadie

Macer can always be counted on to lend a hand for equipment setup and loading. We are grateful for his help.

Alex Hoyt - Alumnus

Alex burst onto the scene around 2004 with Leyito's Old School Neighborhood Orchestra. He later joined the Latin Crew, and has performed with Sammy DeLeon and Grupo K-Non as well.  In July of 2008, he relocated to the Miami, FL area and we wish him well.

Nathan Heath - Alumnus

Nathan Heath is a free-lance professional trumpet player from the Akron area who joined the Crew in 2002. He performs in many venues throughout the greater cleveland area and holds a Master's degree in trumpet performance from The University of Akron, where he operates as recording engineer for Guzzetta Recital Hall. In addition to his professional playing, Nathan is also a devoted music educator. Before coming to Akron, he attending Bowling Green State University where received a Bachelor's degree in Music Education. Currently he is a part-time lecturer at Case Western Reserve University, operates a private trumpet studio, and conducts clinics/master classes for high school students within the Akron area. When Nathan is not performing or teaching, he is working at Indorf Instrument Repair, where he repairs band instruments and does his favorite thing, custom brass design and repair.

Jason Smith - Alumnus

Jason Smith joined the Crew in 2004 and brings a strong sound to the trombone position. Jason began playing trombone at the age of eleven. He studied at Florida State University for two years, and finished his undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in jazz performance. In Cleveland he has quickly established himself, having performed with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, and the Blossom Festival Band. He has also performed in various shows at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, including the Nutcracker, and renowned artists such as Johnny Mathis and Michael W. Smith. Jason is on adjunct faculty at Cleveland State University, teaching trombone and euphonium. He was appointed to CSU in 2006.