Launched on July 2012, Buena Vibra Sextet is a Seattle-based salsa band with an amazing repertoire specially compiled for those dancers who love to move their bodies to the rhythms of Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, Guaguanco, and Bolero. Buena Vibra is comprised of some of the most talented and experienced musicians in the Pacific Northwest. Buena Vibra has performed in a wide range of venues, from crowds of thousands of professional and amateur dancers to smaller more personal events. Featuring pianist Fred Hoadley, bassist Jeff Volkman , vibraphonist Susan Pascal, timbalero Steve Guasch, bongocero Steve Smith, and conguero and lead vocalist Joshuah De Jesus.

Francis Jr. Rosa Vélez born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico on February 16, 1995. He was raised by his father Francisco Rosa and Leslie Vélez in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, where he developed his passion for music and the stage by watching them sing together. His dad always loved salsa music and he became passionate for it too. When he turned 16 he joined a juvenile band named “El Rumbon de los 13” and started singing live salsa all around Puerto Rico and New York City. He performed with several other live bands in western Puerto Rico including “Borinsalsa”, led by trumpeter and professor Miguel Alick and “Evolution Salsa Proyect” led by pianist Gabriel Mercado. He was admitted to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, and moved from Quebradillas to start his college life by joining “Alma Latina”, a latin music band from college. While living in Mayagüez he shared the stage with salsa legends El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Andy Montañez, Lalo Rodríguez, Luisito Carrión, Michael Stuart, NG2, and others. Francis recorded his first single, “Ahora que vas a decir”, arranged by Nino Segarra, with El Sextetode la Salsa, led by trombonist Moises Cancél. In September 2017 he visited his mother in Washington State without knowing that his life was going to have a 180 degree change after hurricane María struck his home leaving the island devastated. He decided to stay here to help his family back on the island, met Steve Guash and joined the wonderful “Buena Vibra Sextet”. His musical goals are to travel all around the world sharing his music and enthusiasm on stage.

Scott Ketron is a versatile musician and teacher with successful runs in Jazz/big band, Brazilian music, cabaret bands, symphony, and solo performances. He began to play the vibes at age 18 in college mostly as an experiment. During these year he composed several pieces for the instrument. In 1981 he formed an all percussion band in Spokane, WA that mostly performed at schools in the early years but was later feature at the 1986 world’s fair in  Vancouver BC. The group gave Scott is foundation for a love of music from other countries and cultures dabbling in West African drumming, steel pans, salsa, ragtime and Jazz. Scott has Performed under the baton of Gunther Schuller and performed with Steve Allen, Babatundi Olatunji,  and Louie Belson. His principal teachers were Martin Zyskowski, Andrew Spencer, julie Spencer, and Dave Samuels. Scott is currently the Executive Director of the Washington Music Educators Association.

Fred Hoadley, Originally from New England, Fred studied music at Hampshire College and Berklee College of Music, where his teachers included Jaki Byard, Vishnu Wood, and Charlie Banacos. He founded the Seattle salsa band Bochinche in 1983, which reigned as The Northwest’s favorite Salsa band throughout the 1980’s, and produced the band’s first album in 1985. After Bochinche, Fred toured nationally with the West African band, Kukrudu, and founded the Seattle based Afro-Cuban jazz band, Sonando, whose 1994, 1998 & 2006 releases received critical acclaim throughout the country. Sonando received The Earshot Golden Ear Award for Best Acoustic Jazz Band of 2007, and was featured in a cover story in the November 2008 issue of Earshot Jazz has performed with a long list of Northwest Latin Bands including Expresión Latina, Yerbabuena, The Puentes Brothers, Nueva Era, Cambalache, Charanga Danzón, Sexteto Tradicuba, and Grupo Son. He has received grants and awards from Northwest Folklife, The City Cantabile Choir, The Seattle Arts Commission, and 4Culture for educational programs and composition throughout the last two decades. His “Afro-Cuban tribute to Charles Mingus”, supported by a grant from the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, premiered at Seattle’s Town Hall in 2011 as part of the Earshot Jazz Festival. His love of latin music brought him to Cuba in 1983, 1990, 1993, and 1996, where he studied music and arranging with César “Pupy” Pedroso and Nelson Diaz, and Cuban tres guitar with Antonio Perez and Guillermo “Boulet” Matalear. He currently plays keyboards and tres in Sonando, The Fred Hoadley Trio and Buena Vibra. He also teaches, tres and Afro-Cuban Jazz ensemble at Music Works Northwest and The Music Center of the Northwest.

Alex Dyring is an Active freelance multi-instrumentalist, Composer, Arranger, And Educator Based In Seattle, WA. Best Known As A Doubling Upright & Electric Bassist, Dyring Has Found Success Using The Diverse Influences Of His Cultural And Musical Upbringing To Create A Rhythmically-Driven And Melodically-Supportive Approach. Growing up, Alex was highly influenced by the infectious rhythms of the music from his mother’s home country, Colombia , as well as the classical influence of many nights spent in Benaroya Hall, where he would watch his father, a violist, perform with the Seattle Symphony. After finding success as a jazz bass player in Seattle as a teenager, Alex continued his studies in Boston, where he graduated from Berklee College of Music.  Whether it’s electric bass in a funk band, Baby bass in a salsa band, upright bass in a hard-bop quartet, guitar accompaniment for a vocalist, or creating beats from his home studio, Alex is always finding ways to create and innovate. Alex Has Performed and Recorded As A Bandleader And Sideman Throughout North America, Europe, And Latin America—Sharing Stages With The Likes Of Victor Wooten, Robin Eubanks, Victor Mendoza And Has Been Billed Alongside Hip-Hop Legends Such As Slum Village, Warren G, Salt N’ Pepa And Members Of The Pharcyde. 

Steve Guasch has been playing in the Pacific NW since 1990 when he performed for the first time with the band La Clave, formed La Mayor Salsa Orchestra in Portland, OR and released his first production “Canto mi Corazon”. Moved to Seattle and in 1996 formed Orchestra Nueva Era and the band Guaschará a few years later. From Puerto Rico, Steve has been a staple of the Pacific NW Seattle music scene and his the owner of Salsaneo Records a Seattle based salsa music Record label.

Steve Smith (bongo) is a native of Seattle and a long-time admirer of Cuban music. He began to study Afrocuban percussion, music and dance in the mid-70’s at Washington State University while earning a degree in Spanish language and literature. Since then Steve has continued his studies in the history and execution of Cuban based musics, traveling to California and Santiago de Cuba to study with masters of the genre.  He currently performs traditional dance music with  Supersones and Trovadoro, and more contemporary sounds with Orchestra Zarabanda and with Joe de Jesus & BuenaVibra Sextet .

Guillermo Padilla was born in New York City, where he fell in love with salsa at the age of nine. He found a conga drum in an empty lot and began to learn to play. He moved to Puerto Rico at the age of twelve and started to play salsa with friends on the streets of Loiza. He joined the army and played with his first band, Afro Yambu. After leaving the Army he settled in Tacoma, WA where he met Steve Guasch and joined Orquesta Nueva Era and Buena Vibra.

I was thinking it was just going to be another disappointing salsa night out but from the instant I walked in I was immediately blown away by the salsa rhythm and vocals literally comparable to some of salsa’s greatest artists. Joe’s vocals and choice of numbers took me back to my east coast days dancing at EL CORSO in Manhattan or dancing to Ruben Blades en las fiestas patronales en mi Bella Isla de Puerto Rico. This band oozes Rythim and soul con SABOR BORICUA! THANK YOU GUYS