Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

My guest today is Mayra Casales. Mayra is gifted Cuban percussionist, respected band leader and passionate mentor to young jazz musicians.  Mayra was born in Havana, Cuba. Her family fled to Miami when she was about 6 years old. Music was an integral part of her family: her father played guitar, her mother was a singer and Mayra joined her older brothers to form a percussion section. In fact, Mayra says that music helped her family survive when they moved to Miami; serving as both their release and solidarity. Mayra has played with a variety of jazz and Latin artists, including: Celia Cruz, Machito, Joe Cuba, Miquelito Veldez, Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne Shorter, Carmen Lundy, David Amram, Regina Carter, Sophie B. Hawkins, Regina Bell, Dave Stryker, and The O'Jays. In 2008 Mayra helped found the vibrant World Latin music group Cocomama, which she now leads. Mayra is the Director of the Toni and Ed Fallon Jazz Scholarship to honor the memory of Bill Evans, providing financial support to promising h