MEET THE BAND
About C-26
C-26 is a sizzling new seven piece salsa band from Wellington. We are a great mix of South American and Kiwi musicians who bring vibrant and energetic music to the Wellington scene. Our sound and style is inspired by playing salsa classics from Cuba and Puerto Rico, with the first female Latino salsa singer in Wellington, Anayibi Loboa from Colombia. The seven piece band provides horns, timbales, congas, guiro, trumpet, saxophone, piano and bass for the truly authentic sound of salsa that simply makes you want to move.
Anayibi Loboa
Vocals & Band Representative
I’m from Cali Colombia – the city of salsa. I came to NZ In Nov 2001. I met a fantastic kiwi in Colombia and he brought me here – we have been happily married for eleven years and I really love living here in this beautiful country.
Currently I am the C-26 salsa band representative. This band is a tremendous band. We are a seven piece band that have a great mixture of Latino and Kiwi musicians. We are quite fresh on the scene, but we are up and running and the public really love our music. I invite you to check our Facebook page – click on the link to our demo and have listen to it, if you like salsa I’m sure you will love it!
Andre Paris
Saxophone
Andre has been involved in the Wellington music scene as a freelance saxophonist, teacher and arranger since graduating from Massey University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance). He has performed in numerous concerts and festivals around the country covering a wide range of musical styles including jazz, blues, orchestral, musicals, pop, salsa and reggae. Some notable highlights include performing with the NZSO as part of their Gershwin concert series, being a part of feature acts in the Tauranga and Nelson Jazz Festivals and national tours with the Wellington Jazz Orchestra and Royal NZ Air Force Band.
Ayrton Foote
Keys
Ayrton was born in Auckland but spent my high school years in Wanganui. He graduated Bachelor of Music (BMUS) at the New Zealand School of Music, Wellington. He has always loved jazz music since he first heard it. And especially the use of improvisation. This has naturally led him to the discovery of being able to do the same with what the piano does in Latin and Salsa music with which we call Montunos. I also really enjoy the rhythmic diversity of Latin American music.
Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa
Timbales
Hikurangi is from Auckland, New Zealand. He started playing piano at age 6, and drums when he was 14. Studied music at NZSM in Wellington. He plays jazz, rock, hip hop, folk music, dream pop, but he plays on C-26 because he loves Latin music.
Jacqui Nyman
Bass
Jacqui grew up in Dunedin and started playing guitar at 5 years old, taught by her mother. At 14 she began taking guitar tuition from a teacher and began to learn more advanced styles and techniques. She attended Otago Girls High School and moved to Wellington after finishing school to do the NZSM jazz degree on guitar. Jacqui graduated in 2012 and have been working part time, teaching guitar lessons and doing all types of gigs on guitar and bass. She loves playing all kinds of music but at the moment particularly, salsa, cumbia, old Jamaican ska, afrobeat, jazz and funk.
Michael Trujillo Rodriguez
Vocals & Congas
Michael is from Lima, Peru and moved to Auckland when he was 8 years old. Michael is a roofer and a football player. He started playing all percussion: congas, bongos, cow bell, and timbales, when he was 16. Michael is a self-taught musician and define Cuban Music has his major musical influence. He has played in different bands in Wellington and Auckland, playing cumbia, salsa, merengue, funk, soul, reggae and ska.
Rafael Ferrer Noel
Percussion
Rafael Ferrer Noel from Las Tunas, Cuba. Rafa began to study dance when he was seven years old. By the the age of seventeen he was studying percussion and singing at the renowned Performing Arts Center of Havana. Emigrating to New Zealand in 2005, Rafa has played in various different bands specialising in Latin, African and jazz music, he has toured extensively throughout New Zealand and has played many prestigious festivals and events.