Quisqueya

Quisqueya

Dave Johnsen, Quisqueya Bassist/Band leader, native New Yorker and current Brooklyn resident, has a long list of touring and session credits both nationally and internationally. He has shared the stage with countless Frank Zappa Band alumni including, Ike Willis, Mike Keneally and Don Preston, as touring bassist for Project/Object: Frank Zappa Tribute. Dave was the bassist for Mahavishnu Project, a Mahavishnu Orchestra/John McLaughlin/Jeff Beck repertory group of NYC session musicians. He has also worked for Miles Davis keyboardist Adam Holzman in his jazz fusion group Brave New World. Johnsen has been freelancing as a bassist in the city for years, leading him to work for many artists and performing at many premier venues and festivals throughout the city, like Moog Fest and Green Apple Music Fest, as well as sharing the stage with such fine musicians as Jan Hammer (mahavishnu orchestra, miami vice), Anton Fig (david letterman band), Jon Fishman, Dave Fuzinski, Eric Slick (dr. dog), Joel Rosenblatt (spyro gyra), Jane Getter, Gregg Bendian (pat methany, ornette coleman), Gary Lucas (captain beefheart) and many more. He has endorsements with Gallien Kruger amps, Nord, Moog, Tech 21/SansAmp and Dean Markley strings.

Jordan Shapiro, a Brooklyn, NY resident, has been performing as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist in New York since 1999, after graduating from the University Of Michigan School Of Music, where he studied Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation. He is also a long standing member of the Zappa tribute Project/Object and has toured with them extensively through out the US and EU. Jordan also performs regularly on guitar with the bluegrass band he leads called Astrograss. The band has performed at the legendary Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 3 different times and performs regularly at NYC concerts in the parks, and for children at public school workshops. Most recently, Jordan has been studying the accordion and its Eastern European tradition with Albanian accordion virtuoso Raif Hyseni.

Phil Kester is a professional drummer, composer, accomplished marimba player and arranger. At a young age he was already a veteran drummer on the club scene in the Cleveland/Detroit area. Moving to New York City in 2000, he has since toured and recorded with numerous projects including Bad Girlfriend, Xylophone People, Elliptical Ferns, For Feather, Gongzilla, the Batterie, and Drumplay. He owns his drums and is dedicated to all things percussive.

Quisqueya, pronounced “keys-k-ya”, is performing adventurous original compositions, as well as a wide variety of material brought to the band by their vast array of influences. The show is full of diversity and intensity, from Albanian folk music in 12/8 adapted for electric trio to Frank Zappa and Mahavishnu Orchestra pieces to original compositions like Exposure Pt II, a hard hitting jazz rock number. The essence of the band is exploring these influences and the limitless directions it offers to these gifted players, keeping the music and the performance in a constant state of evolution.