-"Awesome is the word (...) RLP is the real deal!" ANGUS MACKAY - Rhythms International / Mix 96-"I like it so much that I played"Que Pasa" on my show last Saturday!" DAN BEHRMAN - Espace Musique 100.7 FM / CBC Radio-"Un bien beau disque! (...) Je l'aime beaucoup!"GINETTE BELLAVANCE - Musiques du Monde - Espace Musique / Radio-CanadaTHE NEW SOUND OF LATIN MUSIC!"Qué Pasa?" is the debut recording of multi-instrumentalist and composer Roberto C. López 'Pocho'. He is part of a new generation of Colombian composers that embrace tradition and modernity, creating and exploring new musical textures and rhythms. The Roberto López Project is a polycultural orchestra which gathers an arsenal of rhythms and sonic colors to create a fantastic audio world. Powerful, melodic and real, the Nu Afro Latin style is defined by this adventurous mix of traditions. From Bogotá to Cartagena (Colombia), passing by Santiago de Cuba (Cuba) all the way up to Montreal (Canada), this project captures the essence of traditional latin rhythms in an urban and contemporary environment. Politically engaged, socially critical, while at the same time celebrating the joy of life... this is the New Sound of Latin Music!!ABOUT ROBERTO LOPEZFew musicians can say they performed, wrote, composed, produced, arranged, directed, engineered and mixed their album... complete control from A to Z. Colombian multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer Roberto López is unique in many ways. He has an extensive knowledge of the Afro-Colombian traditional music, the Afro-Cuban traditions as well as a mature understanding of contemporary jazz, funk and urban hip-hop. He writes and arranges in a style that draws on all these musical idioms, in an innovative but melodic way. Besides his writing and composing skills, Roberto plays tiple (traditional string instrument from Colombia), guitar, gaitas (native flutes from the Caribbean coast of Colombia), and a wealth of percussions.After several years of performing and studying music in his native Colombia, Roberto's musical journey brought him to Canada. He obtained a B.F.A. with a specialization in jazz studies at Concordia University in Montreal and completed additional (jazz and classical) composition, arranging and orchestration courses with professors Christopher Smith and Isabelle Panneton. Roberto perfected his guitar technique by studying with musicians such as Bill Coon, Roddy Ellias, Michael Berard and Ernesto 'Teto' Ocampo (Carlos Vives, Bloque). He studied Colombia's folk music, percussion, string, and wind native instruments. He has also studied the music from Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic.He has recorded, performed, and composed for several groups, including Brazilian bands Matita Peré & Quilombo (performed at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal '98), Armenian star Harout Zenian, Colombian pop group Doble U.C. (considered one of the pioneers of the new wave of"Rock en Español"), and Shakira (with whom he performed live on the Colombian TV show"El Show de Jimmy"). Roberto played and arranged for Heather McLeod's CD Graffiti Love Song and then toured throughout Canada with her. He was also the founder and musical director of Grupo Azúka (salsa/latin jazz), which performed extensively in the Montreal area. By combining all these influences and styles of music, Roberto embraced the challenge of putting together an ensemble that could bring to life an amalgam of tradition and modernity. Working with musicians from various parts of America such as Colombia, Cuba, Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, and Quebec, Roberto created the Roberto López Project.WHO'S PLAYING ON THE ALBUM? ROBERTO C. LOPEZ"POCHO" : director, tiple, guitars, back vocals, gaitas, okonkolo, maracas, shekere, llamador, caja vallenata, guiro, guacharaca, guache, bell.DANIELLE FRANCOIS: lead vocals, back vocalsINES CANEPA: lead vocals, back vocalsELISA MONTARULI: back vocalsJAVIER JOHNSON"EL PROFE": rap vocalsDANIEL RUSSO GARRIDO: rap vocalsEDUARDO PUPO: trumpetMARCELO PADRE: soprano sax, fluteDAVE TURNER: baritone saxDAVE GROTT: tromboneJAIRO GOMEZ: electric bassANDRE MARTIN: congas, bell, itotele, back vocal (on 6)JOE ARMANDO: timbales, snare drum (on 12)RAMON MARQUEZ: lead vocal (on 6), bongo, iya, guiroSACHA DAOUD: drumsREMBERTO ZUNIGA: lead vocal (on 12), alegre, caja vallenata, guacharacaSAMUEL THERRIEN: tambora, guacheALBUM CREDITS:* Produced by: Roberto C. López* Recorded and mixed by: Roberto C. López & Claus Frostell* Recorded on location at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall in Montreal (Canada) between August 2-15, 2005, and at Curura Musique studio in Montreal on September 8-11, 2005. * Mixed at Curura Musique studio in Montreal.* Mastered by: Peter J. Moore at the E-Room in Toronto.* Production Assistant: Elisa Montaruli* Photos: Juan Madrigal & Jocelyn Michel* Recording session photos: Roberto C. López* Cover & Booklet Design: Juan Madrigal* Beads concept for CD case: Roberto C. LópezAll songs written and arranged by Roberto C. López, except"Resistencia" (music by: Roberto C. López / words by: Roberto C. López & Daniel Russo), and"Yemayá Se Ima" (Traditional).All music published by Curura Musique (SOCAN).Visit our web page for more info and photos!