Meet the Band!
As a shy bespectacled child, Julia Chen learned to rely on music to express her personality and connect with others in ways she couldn’t with words. Raised in Brooklyn by parents from Poland and China, she grew up learning music by ear before getting her Bachelors in Jazz Piano Performance and a Bachelors in Psychology from the Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio. She plays piano, keyboard, and synths with bands of all genres and has led her own quartet, performing her original compositions in New York City venues such as the Kitano, Rockwood, the Bitter End, and Nublu. Her first EP, “Silver Spoons,” was released in October of 2018 and is named after one of the many beautiful houseplants that fills Julia’s apartment. In April 2020, her trio “Unspooling'' released a self-titled album of their original compositions and collaborative works. Currently you can hear Julia performing most often with the all-female salsa band Lulada Club, Alex Asher’s Slow Motion, the Arnan Raz Group, and Reginald Chapman’s Chaphouse.
Tina Lama is a bassist from Ithaca, NY. Over the past 20 years, she has performed and recorded with various groups throughout North America. She is featured on over 20 albums - most recently with the Emmy-nominated group, Gangstagrass, whose music is the theme for the FX Network show "Justified". In addition, she has performed alongside many great artists including Tony Bennett, Danilo Perez, Adam Cruz, Jimmy Heath, as well as members of A Tribe Called Quest and Black Sheep. tinalamamusic.com
Derek Swink received his education at Western Michigan University where he studied with Judy Moonert, Keith Hall, and Billy Hart. After graduating, Derek performed around the world as a musician on Holland America Cruise Lines. Since moving to NYC, you can hear Derek performing with world-class musicians in the pits of musical theatre, in late night jazz sessions, and on recordings with local bands like Drown Your Boots and Dizzy Bats.
Originally from Indianapolis, Andy Warren earned a jazz studies degree from the University of Michigan, where he studied trumpet with William Lucas of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, jazz great Ingrid Jensen, and Dwight Adams of the Stevie Wonder band. Andy moved to New York City in late 2013 and has since earned a reputation as a versatile sideman capable of tackling any musical situation, including jazz, swing, salsa, soul, and classical. Career highlights include playing for two international musical theatre tours (Dreamgirls and A Christmas Story: The Musical) and performing at world-renowned venues such as Birdland, Blue Note, Rainbow Room, and BB King Blues Club. In addition to maintaining a filled freelancing schedule, Andy stays busy teaching, arranging/transcribing music for a variety of bands, and playing the bongos and other Latin percussion.
