Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! ¡Aleluya! ¡Alabado sea el Señor!
Biography of
Conjunto Katharí,
led by trombonist Demetrios Kastaris
Conjunto Katharí was founded by award winning trombonist Demetrios Kastaris and Arts Administrator, Hilda Kastaris in June of 2010 in
Queens, New York. The primary purpose for founding the ensemble was to share the life changing Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Demetrios
and Hilda chose to share this message through music prepared by
musical arrangers, interpreted by singers, and performed by musicians
that have all mastered their artistic skills at world class levels. Demetrios
and Hilda wish to make all listeners feel welcome and loved regardless
of the contrasting spiritual orientations of their audiences.
The name of the orchestra Conjunto Katharí, Conjunto
(pronounced: cone – hoón – toe)
means musical ensemble in Spanish, and Katharí (pronounced: ka – tha- reé)
means pure and clean in Greek.
Demetrios was born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1959 but grew up in the up-beat Jazz town of St. Louis, Missouri. He began taking trombone lessons in elementary school when he was only nine years old. Later, at age 20 he moved to Queens, New York, where he earned a merit-based scholarship to study Music Education at New York University. During his NYU years, while only 21 years of age, Kastaris received his first big career break when he was hired to perform and record with Grammy and Tony Award winner, Galt MacDermot, (composer of the hit Broadway Musical “Hair”). While playing the trombone in MacDermot’s band for a year and a half, Demetrios worked closely with preeminent recording session Funk drummer, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, known as “the world’s most recorded drummer” with over 4000 recordings.
Demetrios graduated NYU with high academic honors, and went on to pass a very competitive audition process for entrance into the prestigious Manhattan School of Music for graduate studies in Jazz Performance on the trombone. While working on his Master’s degree at MSM, Kastaris performed in concerts with such extraordinary, trend setting Jazz artists as Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton, Phil Woods, Jon Faddis, Red Rodney, and many others. During the same time period, Steve Turre, the legendary Jazz trombonist, conch shell player, and member of the Saturday Night Live Band, was a classmate of Kastaris’s as they both worked on their Master’s Degrees in Jazz Trombone.
While still a full time graduate student, Kastaris founded his secular Afro-Cuban Jazz orchestra The Latin-Jazz Coalition. Demetrios launched the ensemble in September of 1986, also in Queens, New York. The Coalition began performing numerous public concerts with grant funding from the Queens Council on the Arts.
After a refining period which encompassed fourteen years of performing countless live concerts together, the Latin-Jazz Coalition recorded their well-received debut CD, “Trombón con Sazón” (Trombone with Spice) with 24 artists. The recording was released on July 15, 2000 at a concert at Flushing Town Hall. “Trombón con Sazón” won the Latin-Jazz Coalition much critical acclaim on a world-wide scale through radio play, magazine articles, reviews, internet exposure, and live interviews. Trombón con Sazón was placed in the number one spot in February of 2001 in the “Top 20 Hit Parade Poll” of Latin Beat Magazine by Vicki Solá of WFDU 89.1 FM. The recording also received critical acclaim in the International Trombone Association Journal.
Along with many other concerts, the Latin-Jazz Coalition performed under the leadership of Kastaris for the international delegates at the United Nations Building in New York City, in Washington D.C. at the Eastern Trombone Workshop sponsored by the United States Army Band and at the Hispanic Day Ethnic Celebration at the Statue of Liberty. They also performed in numerous concerts behind such historic icons of Latin Jazz as Tito Puente, Dave Valentin, Ray Barretto, Alfredo de la Fé, Oscar Hernández (founder of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra), Claudio Roditi, Steve Turre, Edy Martinez, Herman Olivera, Ray Vega, Vitín Avilés, Johnny “Dandy” Rodriguez Jr. and others.
During this same time period, Demetrios was invited to perform with the legendary pianist, Larry Harlow (El Judillo Maravilloso) of the Fania All-Stars fame. Harlow and Kastaris signed contracts as band leaders simultaneously with Latin Cool Records in the Fall of 2002 with separate CD’s.
Kastaris continued performing in New York with numerous Latin Jazz groups, including the Palo Monte and Mafimba orchestras, led by Cuban singer Chico Alvarez, one appearance with the extraordinary singer Graciela, known as the First Lady of Latin Jazz, legendary conguero Cándido, drum set player Jotan Afanador and many others.
Soon after, the direction of Kastaris’s life changed dramatically when he visited a church in Long Island, New York on Sunday, September 4,1994. During the service, the Pastor stopped preaching and extended a general invitation to anyone who felt “weary and heavy laden”, or needed “rest for their soul” to come forward for a prayer. The reverend asked if anyone wanted to invite the “Prince of Peace” into their heart through a simple prayer. Kastaris proceeded to the front without any hesitation, prayed the prayer with great sincerity, passion, and tearful eyes. Demetrios felt renewed and changed forever! He felt “pure, clean” (katharos) and forgiven for the very first time in his life.
Demetrios began performing in Gospel concerts with many inspired, soulful ensembles. On Friday, September 21, 2001 Demetrios was invited to the theater at Flushing Town Hall in Queens, New York to play a trombone solo of “Amazing Grace” accompanied by pianist Wesley Reynoso. The then Executive Director of Flushing Town Hall, Jo-Ann Jones chose this song because the tragedy of 9-11 had just happened the week before and she wanted a spiritual beginning to the concert. When Demetrios finished his solo 10 time Grammy Award winner Eddie Palmieri and his orchestra got on stage and did a concertof Latin Jazz music.
Demetrios began blending the up-tempo, fiery, Afro-Caribbean rhythms that he had learned while playing trombone in New York’s secular orchestras, with the up-lifting and spirit filled Gospel Music that he began to listen to and perform regularly.
On November 2, 2013 Conjunto Katharí released their debut recording: “Te Exaltamos con Trombones” (We Exalt You with Trombones). The project includes the participation of 42 masterful musicians. It was recorded mostly in New Jersey, Queens New York, and also some in Athens, Greece, with 78 minutes of music, 15 highly diverse compositions arranged specifically for the project, which include the musical genres of Puerto Rican Bomba, Afro-Cuban Rumba Guaguancó, Gospel music, Funk, Greek Kalamatianó, Greek Hasaposérviko, Messianic Jewish Hora, J.S. Bach/ Baroque, and Byzantine Music. It is difficult to put Conjunto Katharí into any one specific genre category, although the great majority of their music by far is Afro-Latino based (or what is known as Latin) Christian music.
In September of 2016 Kastaris was invited to be a sole presenter at Cuba’s very first Summit of Trombonists (“Cumbre de Trombonistas”). Forty-two trombone players participated in the conference held at the historic Rehearsal Hall of the National Band (El Local de Ensayos de la Banda Nacional) in Havana. The trombonists that took the class included conservatory professors and professional players. What an honor for Demetrios! This trip was also an excellent opportunity to share the Good
News of the Gospel.
During the conference Demetrios taught from his book “The Kastaris Trombone Method” a 210 page instruction manual that received critical acclaim from very well-known trombonists including Jazz icon Steve Turre. The organizer in Cuba for this event was master trombonist Antonio Leal Rodríguez. Professor Rodríguez who served as the event coordinator/ administrator was the last trombonist in the legendary Beny
Moré Orchestra.
At the five and a half hour trombone conference they culminated the event with a concert and the entire day was a huge success! A dream come true. The highlight of my Demetrios’s teaching career.
In February of 2017 Kastaris received The Premios Latinos Fama Award from Univisión and Telemundo “Trayectoria Musical en Salsa”, (Musical Trajectory in Salsa).
In November of 2018 Kastaris was once again invited to Havana in order to rehearse and perform a concert of music that he had composed in dedication to the very gifted and talented trombonists of Cuba.
Twenty-four trombonists performed the concert with a rhythm section of piano, bass, congas, timbales, bongos and güiro. It was such a privilege for Kastaris to work with these extraordinary musicians. One of his compositions was entitled “Trombo-Cubanos Destacados” (The High Achieving Cuban Trombonists). Another composition he wrote was Trombonista Genial, Carismatico Leal (Genius, Charismatic, Loyal Trombonist Leal) dedicated to his dear friend Profesor Antonio Leal Rodríguez. The musical arrangements for Demetrios’s original compositions were done by pianist and Spanish Harlem Orchestra director Oscar Hernández who has won four Grammy Awards.
Later in the week Kastaris was invited to perform with Los Leales de Cuba at the Buena Vista Curry Club. He was also invited to a rehearsal of the world-famous trend setting percussion, vocal and dance ensemble:
Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. That was a very special memorable afternoon for Demetrios. They invited him to join in with them on cowbell, claves and chekeres on rhythms that included the Bembé (Afro- Cuban 6/8), Rumba Columbia and Rumba Guaguancó. Demetrios had the honor sharing with them and teaching them the folkloric Greek Kalamatianó a rhythm in 7/8 time. The trips to Cuba were very special for Kastaris.
On March 16, 2014 Demetrios Kastaris was inducted into the Spanish Harlem Salsa Museum by Executive Director Johnny Cruz. His photograph and a poster of The Latin Jazz Coalition were mounted on the museum wall next to the photographs of legendary stars like Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, Ray Barretto, Larry Harlow, the Fania All Stars, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and many more. Kastaris’ childhood trombone from 1969 was added to the exhibit on March 30, 2014. The Museum is on Lexington Avenue at 107 th Street in East Harlem, Manhattan New York and is open from Wednesdays to Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.. The photographs will also be put on display in the Salsa Museum in Puerto Rico and in Washington D.C. at the Smithsonian Institute.
Te Exaltamos con Trombones” debut CD, (artist participants).
Demetrios Kastaris, (leader, producer, executive producer, tenor trombone,
bass trombone, conch shells, shofar, background vocals, 2 arrangements).
Susan Quintyne, (featured Gospel vocal soloist on six Grammy Award winning CD recordings of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, including solos on the very popular Gospel selections, “My Help Cometh from the Lord”, “For Every Mountain”, and “God Is Still Doing Great Things”, Steve Turre, (legendary Jazz trombonist and conch shell virtuoso, member of the Saturday Night Live Band since 1984), Edy Martinez, (virtuoso Jazz pianist, arranger for the hit Grammy winning CD of Tito Puente:“Homenaje a Beny Moré”, selection arranged: “Bonito y Sabroso”. Edy Martinez also arranged and performed a piano solo on the Eddie Palmieri Grammy Award winning CD: “Unfinished Masterpiece”, selection arranged and performed: “Resemblance”), Achilles Liarmakopoulos, trombonist of the legendary Canadian Brass since 2011, graduate of the Yale University School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, San Francisco Conservatory, and the Philippos Nakas Conservatory, former principal trombonist of the Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra (ERT) in 2010, Athens, Greece, Pete McGuinness, Jazz trombone virtuoso, arranger and multi-Grammy nominee, Connie Grossman, multi-genre flute virtuoso, Christos Rafalides, Jazz vibraphone virtuoso.
Sammy Navarro, Dawn Tallman, Deborah Resto, Panagiotis Andreou, Myrto Kamvisidi, Pastora Lucy Reyes, Klayresse Reyes. Piano, Wesley Reynoso, Joel Weiskopf. Bass, Ruben Rodriguez, Ray Martinez, Panagiotis Andreou, John Benitez. Afro-Caribbean percussion, congas, (requinto, quinto, conga, tumbadora), bongos, timbales, maracas, güiro, gaúgua, claves, Oreste Abrantes, Drum Set, Vince Cherico, Sam Knight, Greek percussion, (toumbeleki, zelia), Eleni Kamvisidi, Dominican percussion, tambora, güira, Ray “Chino” Diaz, Cowbells: John Diaz, cowbell pattern consultant, Angel Rodriguez. Hebrew Scripture Reading, Adam Evedyeshua, Greek Scripture Reading, Reverend Pastor Georgios Tolias, Reverend Pastor Pavlos Dimitriadis. Trombones, Dr. Terry Greene, Dave Russell, Andrae Murchison, Bass Trombone, Ray Campos. Greek folkloric clarinet (klarino) and zourna, Lefteris Bournias, Bouzouki, Kostas Psarros, Theofilos Katechis. Nylon String Guitar: Sam Martinez, Martin Moretto, John Diaz, Puerto Rican Cuatro, Sam Martinez. Melvin Smith, tenor saxophone, Mike Zarifis, soprano, alto, tenor saxophone, and arranging. Main Recording Engineer and co-producer of project, John Diaz, Denville, New Jersey, Additional Engineers, Guido Diaz, Skylight Recording Studios, Slau Halatyn, BeSharp Studios.