Orquesta Bravo! is Indianapolis' newest and hottest salsa band composed of eleven of Indianapolis' finest and most talented musicians.
Stacie Sandoval is the lead vocalist and founder of Orquesta Bravo! She is happy to have found such a great group of talented, enthusiastic and involved musicians. Stacie arrived in Indianapolis in September 2002 from Los Angeles, California. Singing has taken her to many different locations including Switzerland, where she participated in A Night of Broadway, which featured several talented Broadway actors, including Ute Lemper. Stacie started focusing on salsa music in 1998 and performed with national acts such as Kevin Ceballo, Michael Stuart, Johnny Rivera, Frankie Negron, and Eddie Santiago. Stacie also sang with local salsa bands, Rudy Regalado y Orquesta Chevere, Yari More, La Palabra, Macondo, and Mazacote.
John Garrett is the trombonist for Orquesta Bravo! John scores and produces music for HBO, ABC, NBC, Cinemax, Discovery, A&E, CNN, Ford, McDonalds, 7-Up, and more. He has also worked with many artists such as John Mellencamp, Alan Jackson, Amy Grant, Toby Keith, etc. In addition, he has served as Music Director and Arranger for many national conventions and TV shows. He has won numerous national and international awards for his work including the Emmy, the Clio, the Telly, and the Addy.
Dave Blickenstaff is the saxophonist for Orquesta Bravo! Dave has performed with national acts such as the Temptations, the Four Tops, and Diane Schuur. Regionally, he has played with the Von Ohlen-Allee Big Band, the Blue Wisp Big Band, and the Buselli Wallarab Jazz Orchestra. He has also performed with the Midcoast Swing Orchestra, Harold Cardwell, Jeff Deherdt, the Cool Chilies, and the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra. His twenty-plus years of professional experience includes festival, touring, club, musical theatre, private, industrial, symphonic, recording, and cruise ship venues. His introduction to Latin and Salsa music was with Jorge Alvarez and Orquesta Novasound in Atlanta.
Andre Rosa-Artis is one of the percussionists for Orquesta Bravo! He specializes in Cuban and West African hand drumming. He has studied in Cuba and Africa, and has played with Afro Cuba de Matanzas, Sancocho, and the National Dance Ensemble of Ghana.
Jesse Witmann is a bassist, composer, and educator in the Indianapolis area. A recent graduate from Indiana University, School of Music he has studied bass performance with Bruce Bransby, Rufus Reid, and Robert Bowman. He has performed in the 30th Annual North Sea Jazz Fest in the Hague, the Netherlands and has played with Grammy award winner David Sanchez. As well as being a Down Beat Magazine award winner he is also the winner of the I.U. School of Music Annual Latin American Music Competition. He is now living in indianapolis working as a freelance musician and educator.
India Farley is one of the singers for Orquesta Bravo! India used to sing with the IU Soul Revue in Bloomington, Indiana and she has sung with Indianapolis-based R&B band The Aberdeen Project. She also sings contemporary gospel music as a member of the praise team at New Beginnings Fellowship Church.
Isaac Salazar is the piano player for Orquesta Bravo! Other pianists who play with us are Ken Fary and Eugenio Urrutia.
Raul Padro Raul has been a musician for 34 years. The trapset is his primary instrument but he also plays Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, and West African percussion. He has played with Mariano Morales, Tito Puente, Andrew Lázaro, Orlando Cotto, Patato Valdez, Duduka Fonseca, Livingston Taylor, The Gifts Soul Revue, Dan Hanley Band, After 5 Show Band, Speak Easy, Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign, Moments Notice, Luis Padro, Afro Cuba de Matanzas, Alfonso Llorens y Su Dinámica, Ñoño, Reynaldo Gonzalez, Ron Brinson, Invisible Art, Cathy Morris & her Brazilian Lounge Band, Prince Julius Adeniyi, and still plays with Sancocho Music & Dance Collage and the Orí Quintet.
Gary Grazziano plays lead trumpet for Orquesta Bravo!
Omar Ruiz-Oliver is one of the percussionists for Orquesta Bravo! He specializes in Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and West-African Percussion. He has performed with groups such as Ana Shango Ire Tambor Folklorico, San Jose Latin Jazz Ensemble, Charanga Nueve, IU Latin American Ensemble, Mojai, Marcos Calvacante, Janiece Jaffe, Steve Houghton Quintet, the David Baker Jazz Band and Mariano Morales. He is the Director of the Hand Drumming and Steel Band Ensemble at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Hugo Viera is a percussionist with Orquesta Bravo!
