The Jose Aponte Trio is a unique Puerto Rican-Polish trio composed of Jose M. Aponte, Krzysztof Puma Piasecki and Stan Michalak.
José M. Aponte (Puerto Rico) is a principal lecturer in the percussion and jazz departments, where he teaches drum set and Latin percussion. In addition to private lessons in the studio, José is the director of the UNT Afro-Cuban Ensemble, Brazilian Ensemble and Latin Jazz Lab Band. He is also an active member of the Dallas/Fort Worth music scene as an independent performer and studio musician with groups such as Fifo and Citizens of the World Colombian Jazz Group, Fifo and his Afro Bacanos Salsa Band, John Murphy Jazz Trio, and singer/songwriter Tania Cordobes, David Lee Schloss’s Caravan, Kalimbe World Jazz Group, Island Boogie Caribbean Band, Justin Cash Jazz Fusion Trio, Tito Charneco’s Diaspora Jazz Group and his projects (José Aponte and Caribe Club Latin Jazz Quintet, Batuque Brazilian Jazz Trio and Brasuka Brazilian Jazz Group). José has performed with artists like Giovanni Hidalgo, Emil Richards, Carlos Guedes, Poncho Sanchez, Batacumbele, Gino Vanelli, Brian Bromberg, Lyle Mays, Andy Narell, David Rudder, Relator, Fred Hamilton, Dan Haerle, Tracy Thornton, Lian Teague, Airto Moreira and Michael Spiro.
Krzysztof Puma Piasecki (PL) graduate of the Katowice Academy of Music, Jazz and Popular Music Department. Composer, arranger, pedagogue – one of the most versatile guitarists on the Polish music scene. He won the bronze medal “Gloria Artist”. He has recorded twelve albums and dozens of albums as a session musician. He appreciates working with young people and teaches at the Little Jazz Academy in Gorzow, at the Blues and Borem workshop in Boleslawiec, as well as at the international jazz workshops held as part of the HANZA JAZZ FESTIVAL in Koszalin. He is also the founder of the Opole Jazz Association “OSJ” in Opole. Accompanied such world stars as Jose Feliciano, Shirley Bassey, Alan White (played with YES group, Joe Cocker, Erick Clapton), Cindy Blackman (played with Joe Henderson, Lenny Kravitz, Cassandra Wilson), Johnny Rabb (played with Frank Gambale, Maynard Ferguson), Tonny Royster Jr. (Branford Marsalis, Terry Lewis) Carmine Appice (Jeff Back, Ozzy Ozbourne, Pink Floyd) Bill Mollenhof, The Drifters, Ralf Rickert, ‘Carl Palmer (ELP), Charlie Green, Siggy Davis, and stars of the Polish stage – Jozef Skrzek, Hanna Banaszak, Ewa Bem, Urszula Dudziak, Grażyna Łobaszewska, Krystyna Prońko, Maryla Rodowicz, Lora Szafran, Anna Panas, Grażyna Auguścik, Kuba Badach, Mieczysław Szcześniak, Spinache, Ryszard Rynkowski, Zbyszek Wodecki, the “Vox” group and many others.
Stan Michalak (PL) is an outstanding bassist whose musical skills are deeply rooted in the tradition of European classical music, jazz and creative musical improvisation in the broadest sense. For many years, he was associated with the Berlin art scene. He recorded with H.J. Roedelius, a pioneer of contemporary electronic music, collaborated with the great American singer Eartha Kitt, as well as with artists representing a wide range of art, such as Herb Geller, Oliver Johnson, Billy Bang, Frank Lacy, Mike Russell, Reggie Moore, Siggy Davis, Sharifa, Yola Wesolowska, DJ Spooky, Spinach, Jocelyn B. Smith, “Detroit “Gary Wiggins. He has recorded several albums, including “Theater Works” by Roedelius featuring Brian Eno and “Tales from the Earth” – with Grammy-nominated Omar Sosa, guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly (ex-Miles Davis Group) and African musicians including Aho drummer Luc Nicaise and balafon virtuoso Ali Keita.