New Almaden Trio

Band Bio

Chamber music takes on new meaning with New Almaden’s intricate and improvisational arrangements of older fiddle tunes, new folk music and jazz with a dollop of classical on the side. Lyrical, passionate and compelling, the cello, sax and guitar meld into a rich mélange of music from the Americas and beyond. Based in California’s San Jose area, New Almaden is Renata Bratt, cello and mandolin; Kristen Strom, saxophone and flute; and Scott Sorkin, acoustic and electric guitar.

New Almaden has appeared on a variety of  music series such as Santa Cruz, California’s Kuumbwa Jazz Center and Ashland, Oregon’s Siskiyou Institute, performed for corporate and private events  as well as given clinics at various schools up and down the west coast.

My band mate's bios:

Kristen Strom, saxophone (www.kristenstrom.com), is acclaimed for beautifully rendered melodies, exceptional tonality, and accomplished musicianship.  Strom has toured the world for many years with the saxophone orchestra, The Nuclear Whales, and played with many well-known artists, including Manhattan Transfer, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Steve Turre, and Jon Faddis. In addition to her solo album "Intention," she has recorded more than twenty-five CDs with various jazz and pop artists and her touring schedule has included performances across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia. Kristen is married to guitarist Scott Sorkin.
 
Scott Sorkin, guitar (www.scottsorkin.com).  An active and sought-after guitarist and composer, Scott has been recording and touring since 1982. His expansive harmonic palette has been used to great effect in writing and arranging for Crossing Borders. He's applied these skills to recording projects for diverse artists such as Paul Zarzyski, John Stowell, Renata Bratt, Gail Dobson, Don Stevenson (Moby Grape), Kristen Strom, and various feature and documentary film projects. Scott is a busy producer and engineer, working on various genre-bending projects in the fields of classical, pop, jazz, rock, country, bluegrass, and avant-garde. His performance and recording credits include Ed Johnson & Novo Tempo, Count Basie Orchestra, Steve Turre & Michael Turre, Kristen Strom, Smith Dobson, Nneena Freelon, Louie Bellson, Anton Schwartz, Brilliant Corners, Dmitri Matheny, Kim Nalley, Royal Society Jazz Orchestra of San Francisco, and the touring company of "Dreamgirls."

Cindy Lee Berryhill Carport Trio

Band Bio

“Velvet Underground meets The Beach Boys.” Bay area cellist Renata Bratt, San Diego singer/songwriter Cindy Lee Berryhill and percussionist Randy Hoffman (Partch Ensemble) have been collaborating since the mid nineties. Reuniting in 2009 after a ten year hiatus (babies, brain-injured spouse, and life), their music features voice, cello, glockenspiel and guitar with haunting stories of aliens, lost love, injured soldiers, and love renewed. They have performed at McCabes in Santa Monica, The Whiskey in Los Angeles, Slim's and the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, touring up and down the East Coast and are enthusiastically carrying on the tradition of their "Rolling Stone" 4 star reviewed album (Garage Orchestra). Yep, you knew it was coming. It's chamber rock and roll.