Unleash Your Inner Rockstar

BONGO  BRUNO`S FUNKY JAZZ CARAVAN first emerged in the mid 90`s bringing down  the house at venues such as MO`BETTER BLUES, HONEY SUCKLE and BABINGTONS  under the original name THE LATIN JAZZ CARAVAN. For the past twenty  years the CARAVAN has been traveling far and wide, making it`s most  recent homes at LILLIE`S TIMES SQUARE, LILLIE`S UNION SQUARE and PAPILLON and most currently at KELLARI  in NEW YORK CITY and LEFKES in ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS NEW JERSEY  Over the years the CARAVAN members have come and  gone. The original members: Ismael "BONGO" Bruno, founder and leader of  the band, on percussion,  Donald "SPIDER" Nicks on bass, Barry Olsen on  piano and trombone, Vince Cherrico on drums have been the nucleus for  many years. Currently the only remaining original members are Donald  "SPIDER" Nicks, Barry Olsen and of course Ismael "BONGO" Bruno, as well  as the new members such as Stella Guerra on English and Spanish  female vocals  Solomon " KING" Hicks on guitar and English male vocals,  Keith "CAPTAIN" Gamble guitar/ harmonica/ English vocals, Jerome  Croswell on trumpet and percussion English/Spanish vocals, Robert Aaron  tenor sax,  and on special occasions our newest additions are German  Gonzalez on guitar, Richie Robles on bass/vocals, Joel Cruz on alto sax/  vocals, Fred Walcot on Congas and percussion /who bring a unique flavor  to the band. The most  active members presently are JOEL CRUZ on SAX and VOCALS, NOAH BLISS on TROMBONE, STEVE GLUZBAND on TRUMPET, KING SOLOMAN HICKS on GUITAR and VOCALS, DONALD NICKS on BASS, MARCUS PERSIANI on PIANO, FRED WALCOT on CONGAS and PERCUSSION, TANIA -DIAZ -FLORES on VOCALS, AND THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR BAND IS MISS KATHRYN FARMER on LEAD VOCALS.   BAND LEADER: ISMAEL BONGO BRUNO on TIMBALES,CONGAS ,BONGOS and VOCALS

THE UNIQUE QUALITIES OF THE FUNKY JAZZ CARAVAN ARE  IT``S CHEMISTRY, BAND MEMBER`S EXPERIENCE, SPONTANEITY ,IMPROVISATIONAL STYLE, AND IT’S INTERACTIVE FUN WHICH IS WHAT KEEPS THE AUDIENCES COMING BACK FOR MORE 

Ismael Bongo Bruno

Born and raised in the New York City  Upper West Side  Self taught started  at  age 9 influenced by my father whom had a big collection of  vinyl records music from all over the world but was a more of a  musicologist  never played but, was well versed in  all genres of musics.  I had an uncle  from my moms side whom was a Conga player  and performed with many famous Latin vocalist which  gave me my first Conga drum lesson by teaching me the universal rhythm called the Tumbao. He only once then  showed me some basic folklore rhythms of different countries and the rest was me listening and studying and playing along with all the records my dad had from  every part of the planet and the rest is history.  so now I have 54 years experience as a Percussionist in all musical styles . Godson to the late  great "CARLOS "PATATO" VALDEZ"   I am a Member of the Sons Of Legends Band with TITO PUENTE JR.  and  Presently Band Leader of BONGO BRUNO's  FUNKY JAZZ CARAVAN  Performing " LATIN SOUL, JAZZ,  FUNK, BLUES,POP   in the Greater  New York Area  and abroad. My first studio recording was at age 15,  a year and a half before the passing of the great Wes Montgomery, Live Recording with the late Miles Davis at “the Cellar Bar Restaurant” West 95st Columbus Ave NYC in the 80’s,  Performed with Shaka Kan at the Original China Club Broadway and 74th St. NYC Next to the famous Beacon Theater NYC  as well as 

Roy Aires , Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers ,The Spanish Rocket ship  with Buster Poindexter  'David JoHanson'  Wy Clef Jon  and many many more renowned artist.