JazzPhil-USA
Filipino-American Jazz Festival
2006 Talent Search Winner
The Lost Combo is a high energy six piece contemporary jazz ensemble whose original music brings listener through a labyrinth of emotion and sound. These young and talented musicians met at California State University Northridge (CSUN), School of Jazz Muisc. What started as an educational project has evolved into what is now an emerging sensational jazz combo with a steadily growing fan base. The members are: Genevieve Artadi, vocals, BM in Jazz Studies and graduated cum laude, recipient of the Outstanding College Jazz Vocalist Award at the Reno Jazz Festival in 2006; Solomon Katz, sax and flute, has a BM in Jazz Studies and is currently attending CSULB for a teaching credential in music education; Aya Toyoshima, trombone, surrently attending CSUN School of Music in Jazz Studies; Daniel Firouzi, keyboards, received the Jazz Solo Award at the 2006 Reno Jazz Festival; Elizabeth Riordan, double bass and electric bass. member of the CSUN Jazz A Band while earning a degree in Jazz Studies; Brian Henspeter, drums and currently studying jazz at CSUN.
2005 Talent Search Winners
Up and coming jazz artist Sharmila Guha attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and continued studies as a classical singer at the University of California, Santa Barbara. When invited to appear as a featured soloist with the UCSB Jazz Ensemble, she discovered her passion for jazz. After college, she was accepted into the “Jazz in July” program at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, working with the legendary jazz singer Sheila Jordan.
Sharmila began her professional career in 2003 as a featured artist in the Santa Barbara Festival of Art & Jazz. She maintained her classical ties as a cantor and soloist at the historic Old Mission Santa Barbara. In 2003, she was invited to participate in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Institute. Re-locating back to her hometown in 2004, Sharmila focused her energy on her music career. In 2005, she was sought out in the talent search for Filipino-American jazz musicians, performing at the Inaugural Filipino-American Jazz Festival in LA's premiere jazz venue, the Catalina Bar & Grill.
Sharmila now performs as a jazz artist in Southern California having appeared with established names such as guitarist Larry Koonse, saxophonist Kim Richmond, and pianist Josh Nelson. Sharmila continues to maintain her ties with classical singing as a cantor and soloist at St. John Fisher Church, in Rancho Palos Verdes, and as a member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
Mike grew up in a musical family. He owes much of his love ofr jazz to his late uncle Dan Bagasao ("Bagasoul"), a well-known trumpeter in the Los Angeles jazz community. During his college years, Michael held the Lead Tenor saxophone chair for the CSUN A-Band, receiving band and solo awards at the Pacific Coast, Fullerton, Reno and Pori, Sweden Jazz Festivals. He's recorded and played with artists such as louie Bellson, Eric Reed, Justo Almario, Arturo Velasco, Oscar Cartaya, Abe Laboriel and Tommy Walker. He currently plays with his own jazz quartet and at his church in Eagle Rocke, California.
