MEMBERS
Keith Dudinski is the guitarist & music director for Europa. A graduate of the Nazareth College Music Ed. program, he enjoys playing all styles of guitar: electric, nylon, folk, rock, Latin. In addition to Europa, Keith also performs regularly with Daniel King, Prime Time Brass, and is an active pit musician with musical theater productions.
Rochester, New York’s percussionist, Tony Padilla plummeted into the performance world over forty years ago. As a child, he idolized the renowned conguero Ray Barretto and dreamed of following in his footsteps. Padilla’s parents, both Puerto Rican natives have also influenced his love of music and of business. He has combined his passion for performing and his keen sense of business to bring music to the lives of others.
Padilla’s impressive resume consists of performances with esteemed artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Steve Gadd, Arturo Sandoval, Rafael DeJesus, Randy Brecker, Jerry Gonzalez, Wilfredo Reyes Sr., Tom Tomaya, Lou Gram, The Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble, and many more.
Tony is currently a national touring artist with the Mambo Kings who have been featured as headliners for the Cleveland Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Florida Symphony and many more.
Performing is only part of Padilla’s itinerary. Since 1983 he has been conducting educational workshops throughout the United States. These hands-on, interactive workshops have been conducted at prestigious educational facilities such as the Eastman School of Music, The New York State Teacher’s Music Association, The Percussive Arts Society, as well as a number of colleges, high schools and elementary facilities.
Percussionist Freddy Colón has performed with Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, Phillip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire, Mike Phillips, and More. He has taught percussion at the Eastman School Of Music's Community Education Division and is much in demand as a percussion clinician in Upstate NY.
Bassist Geoff Smith is a professor of music & music recording at Finger Lakes Community College. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music in jazz and contemporary media, he has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Larry Coryell, Maureen McGovern, Charlie Byrd, Tal Farlow, Gene Bertoncini, Chuck Mangione, Cabo Frio, Jon Hendricks, Sarah Vaughan, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Chautauqua Orchestra, and the national tours of "Annie," "Grease," "Titanic," and "Fiddler on the Roof." In addition to Europa, Geoff also performs with Bill Tiberio Band and Nygerges, Smith & Lake.
Phil Lake is a professional drum set performer and educator with a degree in Percussion Performance from the Berklee College of Music. He is a veteran freelance musician and recording artist having performed extensively in the western NY area. Phil is currently an adjunct music faculty member at the Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua, NY where he teaches percussion and directs jazz and percussion ensembles.
On a sweltering mid-August day in1969, Louis Spezio and garage band mate Randy Jones boarded a Greyhound bus bound for Bethel NY, the sight of the now legendary Woodstock music festival. On August 16 at 200 PM, Carlos Santana and his band took to the stage and exploded onto the scene like a dynamic force of nature- an experience that would prove to be a life changing event for the impressionable 16 year old.
Seeing how music has the power to bring diverse communities together in dance and celebration was an inspiration that fueled Lou’s decades long musical journey. Lou is thrilled to share the stage with these six outstanding and accomplished musicians as we celebrate the music of Carlos Santana
“My job in this life is to give people spiritual ecstasy through music “
Carlos Santana
ANTHONY DOUNTE’ “The R&B Boy Wonder” Anthony Dounte Simmons is a natural born singer & artist. Born into a family & circle of singers, producers, & musicians, he was destined to grow into the world of entertainment in which his musical surroundings persisted. Anthony Dounte’ became a very sought after artist to perform on recordings & live performances with some of Rochester’s top artists. As a father of 4, Anthony Dounte is an active preceptor at Vertus High school. Anthony Dounte’s musical influencers are Artists like Tank, Ne-yo and Marc Anthony.