Saturday nights at the Festival of Arts are for the birds- the song birds that is! Extraordinary singers from all over Southern California take the stage in this music series that will leave you saying “Wow- can they sing!”

Jazz is one form of music that transcends most other genres and has done so throughout the ages. Its complexity, off beat rhythms, sophistication and constant desire to improvise and evolve itself courses through its precious origins. Those traditions run deep within the soul of award-winning vocalist Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim and there is no greater gift than seeing her sing her story in full flight.

A vibrant mix of cultural heritages that underpin her every move, Tawanda was raised in the deep south of New Mexico on the border with Texas. She is proudly a first generation American with a mother from Germany and a father from Mozambique. That fusion of intoxicating backgrounds gave her access to music that many do not experience and which will forever stay in her heart. Family gatherings would feature music from Cuba, the South Pacific Islands, the Middle East and France with groups like the Gypsy Kings and Te Vaka providing a constant undercurrent to her early life.

Always looking forward, Tawanda delves deep into the worldwide Jazz scene and explores the multi-genre fusion that can be found in its paradise of riches. That desire to respect not only her peers but the origins of her name which translates as ‘we are more’ in a Bantu dialect called Shona, has embedded a deep-rooted desire within her to give back to those around her.

There is no better affirmation of that talent than winning the prestigious 2020 Sarah Vaughan Vocal Jazz competition. An accolade previously conferred on artists such as Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, and Samara Joy McClendon, there is no better demonstration that all her hard work is paying off.

Now based in Los Angeles and with a whole host of performances that have enthralled audiences everywhere, Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim is set to soar on the wings of success. MWO management are proud to have such a wonderful artist join their team and look forward to a future together that will bring endless joy to the Jazz community.

Since his first solo release in 1988, Tony Guerrero has established himself in a variety of areas. His work as a contemporary jazz flugelhornist, trumpeter, composer, and producer has garnered him both critical success and a worldwide audience. He has toured the United States and much of the world as a headliner in major jazz festivals, concert halls, and clubs and has enjoyed commercial radio success not only with his own releases but with music he’s written for other artists. To date, he has released twelve solo CDs, some of which have charted on the Billboard Top 20, as well as a variety of special releases. He has appeared on around 200 albums as either producer, composer, arranger or as a musician performing on either trumpet, flugelhorn, piano, guitar and more. Guerrero’s work as a musician and composer can also be heard in movies and on television.

Guerrero’s resume reads like a who’s who of contemporary music. He’s worked with a diverse roster of artists, including jazz legends Freddie Hubbard, Tom Scott and Joe Sample, rock icons Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, Slash and Billy Idol, pop sensations Chance the Rapper, The Jonas Bros and the quadruple-platinum soundtrack to Disney’s High School Musical, as well as Hollywood icons Dick Van Dyke, Jane Lynch, Merv Griffin and more.