Chris Washburne

S.Y.O.T.O.S. has received the "Critic's Choice" from TimeOut Magazine every week for eight consecutive years for their performances in New York City.

Paradise In Trouble was nominated as the "Best Latin Jazz Record of 2004" by the Jazz Journalist Association.

They have the longest running weekly gig in New York Latin Jazz History. Now in their 16th year, they play every Sunday night at Smoke (106th and Broadway) on the Upper West Side.

S.Y.O.T.O.S. (See You On The Other Side) was founded in 1992 by trombonist Christopher Washburne and features some of the best Latin jazz players on the New York scene. SYOTOS pushes the genre of Latin Jazz into uncharted waters resounding a postmodern mix that embraces dissonance, weaving contemporary uptempo beats with a driving sound. This boundary breaking band embodies Latin jazz with a global reach, combining Afro-Cuban, funk, jazz, and gospel music. SYOTOS has been called a "New York Institution" by TimeOut NY.

The group's name refers to a time in 1992 when Washburne was diagnosed with severe nerve cancer and told that he had only a 50-50 chance of surviving an operation but no chance whatsoever of ever playing the trombone again. He insisted that before going into the hospital he play one more gig. After the show, he turned to his bandmates and said S.Y.O.T.O.S. "see you on the other side." Washburne survived the operation but was left with severe nerve loss and damage to one side of his face. Proving the experts wrong, he managed to re-master his instrument and become an even better player.

They wowed the critics with their 1999 debut release, NUYORICAN NIGHTS (Jazzheads): "Booty-shaking heat." - Ted Panken, Down Beat; "Washburne and company are capable of capitalizing on a wealth of improvisational and rhythmic nuances Washburne's sound captures some of the gritty, and at times mournful sound associated with great salsa trombonists." - Mark Holston, Jazziz; "An evocative, at times almost dreamily inventive album." - Gary Giddins, Village Voice; "Probing and original, with intricate horn arrangements and thoroughly modern soloing from Washburne and his standout ensemble." - Ezra Gale, Amazon.com; "A striking, well-balanced, salsa-jazz sound." - Nancy Ann Lee, Jazz Times. For The Other Side Washburne originally envisioned a tribute to Tito Puente with Tito joining the band as a featured guest. With Puente's death, Chris no longer felt comfortable with the notion of recording an album solely comprised of the late legend's compositions. "I didn't want it to look as though we were trying to capitalize on the passing of someone who was very special to me," says Washburne. Instead, Washburne and the SYOTOS band opted to record some original tunes as well as Tito Puente songs and to dedicate the project to Puente's memory. While the resulting collection of songs stretches the boundaries of Latin jazz and often goes in directions beyond the scope of Puente's own music, Washburne, who had performed and recorded with Tito's band, is clearly influenced and inspired by the music and career of his departed friend.

Their latest release "Land of Nod" is receiving incredible press response. "Great new - highly unorthodox, funky and strange…" Descarga.com, "A brilliant performance by Washburne and his band succeed in making an impressive statement with Land of Nod" -Ejazznews.com, "Best release of 2006" -JazzImprov Magazine, "most innovative and best produced records of 2006" - Steve Caputo of Inside Connection.

The S.Y.O.T.O.S. Band includes:
John Walsh (trumpet), who as a youth imagined he was born to play drums, became a trumpet player at the age of 12 years old. He first studied trumpet with Fred Baker of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra before attending Western Michigan University to study with Dr. Steven Jones. In 1985 he came to New York City to study with Dr. Eddie Henderson at Long Island University. Since moving to New York John has performed and/or recorded with Tito Puente, Mel Torme, Lionel Hampton, Paul Simon, Eddie Palmieri, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Johnny Pacheco, Wycliff Jean, Max Roach, Celia Cruz, La India, Tito Nieves , Ray Barretto, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and the Barrio Boyz, among other less mentionables.

Ole Mathisen (saxophones), originally from Norway, currently lives in New York and is active as a performer, session player, producer, and composer/arranger. He has worked on over 70 albums, composed several film and TV scores, and has performed and/or recorded with Paula Cole, Louie Vega, Omar Hakim, Darryl Jones, Hiram Bullock, William Kennedy, Tom Coster, Mark Egan, Steve Smith, Mino Cinelu, Peter Erskine, Eddie Gomez, Badal Roy, Rufus Reid, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, Claudio Roditi, Will Lee, LaVerne Baker, Abraham Laboriel, Randy Brecker, Kenwood Dennard, Gil Goldstein, Lew Soloff, Tiger Okoshi, Michael Gibbs, Jon Christensen, Cyro Batista, Bill Bruford and Bob Moses. He is a member of SYOTOS, and he is the leader of iLLinear. Ole Mathisen graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music, and has a Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music.

Barry Olsen (piano) is a veteran of the New York salsa and Latin jazz scene having performed and/or recorded with Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Paquito D'Rivera, David Byrne, Paul Simon, among many others. In addition to playing piano with S.Y.O.T.O.S. he is also an accomplished trombonist and percussionist. He is a member of the innovative South African jazz group Ingoma led by saxophonist and composer Zim Ngqawana. With his wife, percussionist Valerie Naranjo, he co-leads a group called Mandara which plays traditional and contemporary African music as well as original material based on that diverse and rich heritage. He is also a regular substitute on the Broadway production of the Lion King, playing marimba and an array of African percussion instruments. As a duo, he and Valerie have performed traditional Dagara music from Northern Ghana all over the world. Most significantly they performed at the traditional "Kobine" festival held in Lawra, Ghana in 1996, the only non-Ghanians to have done so.

Leo Traversa (bass), A native New Yorker, Leo Traversa is considered to be one of the most proficient and versatile bass players on the scene today. He has performed and recorded with a wide range of internationally known artists including Tania Maria, Eliane Elias, Randy Brecker, Ben E. King, Astrud Gilberto, Joyce, Mino Cinelu, Eileen Ivers, Don Byron, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Claudio Roditi, DaveValentin, Toninho Horta, Gerry Mulligan, The New York Voices, The Caribbean Jazz Project, Joanne Brackeen, Herbie Mann, Kenia, Shoko Aida, Aster Aweke, Louis Bellson, Lesley Uggams, Bill Watrous, Hendrick Meurkens, Dave Kikoski and many others. He has performed in major festivals, concert halls and clubs throughout the world including the Montreaux, North Sea, JVC, Lugano, Monterey, Montreal and Heineken Jazz Festivals; the Blue Note Clubs in New York, Japan and Jakarta, the Village Vanguard and Avery Fisher Hall, the Greek Theatre, and the Great American Music Hall. A graduate of The Berklee College of Music in Boston, Leo is well known as a clinician and instructor. He is currently on the faculty at the Drummer's Collective in New York City and along with John Pattitucci and Victor Bailey is a founding and current faculty member of the Bass Collective.

Vince Cherico (drums), Vince has been living in New York City for more than a decade while developing, performing and touring in a variety of musical settings around the world. He currently tours with Ray Barretto and New World Spirit and has recorded four CD's including their most recent release "Trance Dance" on the Universal label. Vince has also recorded two CD's with Chris Washburne and Syotos on Jazzheads Records and two CD's with Ray Vega on Concord Records. Recently, Vince has had the opportunity to record and perform in the company of James Moody, Kenny Burrell, Israel Cachao Lopez, Carlos "Patato" Valdez, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Joe Lovano, Wallace Roney, Steve Turre, Eddie Gomez and Hilton Ruiz. Vince has given drum clinics and master classes in Europe, at the Thelonius Monk Jazz Aspen Summer Camp and at Drummers Collective. Vince Cherico is endorsed by: Latin Percussion Inc., Remo Drumheads, Vic Firth Sticks, Zildjian Cymbals.