Fiesta at Caroga

The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective has released their debut album, Fiesta at Caroga! Brian Stark and Jose Guzman crafted 6 original compositions where each track tells a story that pays homage to salsa musical forms such as Descarga 2, Xipirona Cha-Cha, and the highly energetic tune El Volcan. The Caroga Arts String Orchestra joins the group for the last two tracks of the album, Cariño and Baile Bailekita. Artwork by Alejandro Rodríguez Art! Alejandro's album cover captures the rawness of the concert venue's wooden structure. This project is partially supported by the City of Chicago DCASE Grant.

Trumpet - Eric Devey
Tenor Sax - Brian Stark
Trombone - Ben Weisger
Congas - Stephen Busath
Timbales - Sebastian Nassar
Percussion - Brian Shank
Bass - Ian Stewart
Guitar - Jose Guzman

Album artwork - Alejandro Rodriguez
Audio Engineer, Mixing, & Mastering - Geoff Saunders
Video and Photography - Ronald Lau
Recorded live at the Caroga Lake Music Festival on August 10, 2022.
Dimension: 5 x 5" 
Materials: CD

Jose Guzman of The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective 
(Rogers Park)

José Guzmán Borrero, a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, is a multi-genre guitarist who has performed with jazz ensembles, chamber groups, and rock bands. As a jazz guitarist, he has recorded on albums by Dimijtre Vasiljevic (released on Rope a Dope Records), KASA String Quartet, and Mr. Chair's Better Days. He leads the Latin jazz group, The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective, which has released several albums on Spotify. Guzmán has performed as an artist in residence at the Caroga Lake Music Festival as both a classical and jazz guitarist. He has received grants from the city of Chicago's Department of Culture and Special Events, Urbana Arts, and the Mykytyn Composition Award for his composition "Isochronal: A Suite for Big Band."