Artist Bios

Outstanding Spanish Guitar Music for your Wedding!

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"Trio Paz embodies the essence of what is great about live music"

Trio Paz is an infectious musical mix of Flamenco Rumba, Latin, and Brazilian, intricately and virtuosically crafted into the perfect blend of delicious moods for your event. Whether you're planning the perfect romantic moment, a joyous festival celebration, or a sumptuous feast, Trio Paz adds an unparalleled latin flair. Trio Paz's experience, depth, professionalism, and sheer love for music translate into an unforgettably enjoyable experience for everyone.

"Guitarist Daniel Fríes provides the bands flawless rhythm, setting up fellow guitarist JP Boungiorno's impressive leads and sweet mellodies.  All to the while, percussionist Surya Patri lays down masterful beats with a playful tempo that gets your feet moving and won't let them stop. Whether your dancing or watching, Trio Paz keeps it exciting and fun (If you're watching then I would like to see a note from your doctor).  They have an engaging and lighthearted stage presence that embodies the essence of what is great about live music." -Chad Markell, a satisfied Groom.

Let Trio Paz help make your event a success!
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Daniel Fríes

Daniel Fríes is one of the premier flamenco guitarists in California, both as an accompanist for flamenco song and dance, and as a soloist. He has performed with many world class and local flamenco artists as La Tania, Andrés Marín, Cristo Cortés, and Manuel Gutierrez, Caminos Flamencos, Carola Zertuche, Arte y Compás, and Carolina Lugo's Brisas de España, for which he has been musical director. While in Italy, he performed with two of the country's top dancers, Juana Cala, and Maria Jose Soto Leon in venues from Venice to Milan to Sicily. While his playing style remains grounded in the roots of the traditional Spanish flamenco, he also explores new directions in musical composition as well as blending of elements from the various musical traditions around which he grew up in San Francisco; Indian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African. He has performed in venues ranging from San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, to venues in China and in India. He also directed the music for "Zambra Bailar," a company mixing flamenco with Middle Eastern music and belly dance. In 2002, he composed and directed the music for La Tania's ongoing project, "The Passage of The Muse." In 2003, Mr. Fríes took his band Funkiri to Sevilla, Spain. More recently, he has pursued collaborations with a wider range of musicians, including the outstanding persian singer Hamed Nikpay, with whom he produced Mr. Nikpay's 2008 release and subsequent tour "All is Calm." Mr. Fríes has studied in Spain with several flamenco guitar masters, including Manolo Sanlucar, Paco Peña, and Jose Luis Rodriguez. He has also studied Indian Classical music under Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and Ghanain drumming with C.K. Ladezkpo, and has B.A. in Music from U.C. Berkeley.
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Jean-Paul Buongiorno

Jean-Paul Buongiorno was born on September 25th, 1975 into an Italian-French family. His musical training began with classical piano at an early age. He later taught himself electric guitar in high school by listening to the blues guitar playing of B.B King, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix and many others. Later, while attending Art School at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he became influenced by Jazz, Brazilian, and world musicians such as Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Paco de Lucia,Tom Jobim, Baden Powell, Joao Gilberto, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Bob Marley, and many more.
        Jean-Paul’s passion for music has led him through many genres including; blues, funk, reggae, Cuban, Brazilian, and flamenco all of which are reflected in his unique personal style of playing as well as in his compositions. He has lived and performed in Brazil, Spain and the U.S absorbing the music of each country. Jean-paul has studied with jazz guitarist Mimi fox, flamenco guitarists Daniel Fries and Juan del Gastor, Brazilian guitarist Paolo Bellinati, and many others.
Jean-paul currently lives in Berkeley California where he continues to perform, compose and teach.
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Surya Prakasha

Surya Prakasha is noted for his steady time and feel, clear phrasing and taste, sensitive touch and dynamics, flexibility and supporting ability, intensity and emotional fire. A versatile drummer, Surya has experience playing a diverse range of music styles.

Surya graduated with a Bachelor of Music from the Oberlin Conservatory(link) in 1999, where he apprenticed with jazz drummers Greg Bandy, Michael Carvin, Joe Morello, and Dennis Mackrel. He studied intensive music theory, history, performance, composition and arranging with composer and educator Dr. Wendell Logan.

Surya studied African diaspora drumming with percussionist Adetobi Greg Jackson and dancer Adenike Miriam Sharpley from 1994-1999 and performed with both. He studied classical snare drum withMichael Rosen and performed with the award-winning Oberlin Jazz Septet and Ensemble.

Surya has performed with musicians of note such as:
Trumpeters Clark Terry, Mike Mossman, Marcus Belgrave, Matt Schulman, and Greg Glassman; Bassists Jamil Nasser, Lamar Gaines, and John Evans; Pianists Harold Mabern, Muhal Richard Abrams, Neal Creque, and Dave Matthews; Saxophonists James Moody and Donald Walden; Flautist James Newton; Guitarists Bobby Ferrazza, John Schott, and Shelley Doty; and Vocalists Jane Monheit, Vanessa Rubin, Jacqui Naylor, Spencer Day and Pyeng Threadgill.
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Valentino, a.k.a. Valentino Peeps, is a Bay Area native whose artwork is Music. He co-founded Reclaim-Music (Music/ Event production, Recording Studio) in 2006 and went on to build the production company, StarFire Global Music Group in 2012. He has freelanced as a drummer/ percussionist since 1997 and as songwriter/ vocalist since 2002.
Blessed by the support of his family and their vast musical tastes, Valentino began music lessons at the age of six. Piano, followed by the Violin, followed by the Guitar. At 9 years of age he fell deeply in love with the drum set.
Private study, Bay area public schools and local bands built his experience performing Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, Rock & Roll, Soul, and various Latin Music.
At 14 years of age he inherited an Ensoniq ESQ-1 keyboard, a Midi cable and a Roland Tr-505 drum machine which catalyzed Valentino's love for creating original music. Composition/ Production came naturally to Valentino, who beat boxed himself to sleep every night for years.
Drumming has now taken Valentino around the world and given him an identity in the Bay Area music scene. Valentino is currently writing and producing for variety of joint projects as well as writing, performing and producing his solo work.
Driven by a continued thirst for experience,Valentino works and has worked with AguaLibre (formerly O-Maya), Femi Andrade, Ambrose Akinmusire, Jonathan Finlayson, Dayna Stevens, The Hogan Brothers, Michael " Mike Tiger " Aaburg, Destani Wolf, Terry Disley, Daniel Lucca Parenti, Boon, Dynamic, Antique Naked Soul, Valerie Troutt, Steve Taylor, Kirby Dominant, Zion-I, Crown City Rockers, Headnodic, Alphabet Rockers, Hawk Beatz, Bicasso, Malik Ameer, Prophets of Rage, Rico Pabon, John Santos, Pete Escovido, Greg Landau, Joowan Kim, Piero Infante, Orlando Torriente, Digital Underground, J. Mage, Dream Dance Company, The Embodiment Project, the late Bay Area Jazz Greats Ed Kelly and Robert Porter, The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and the Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble just to name a few.
Valentino's legacy is one of positivity and impressive musical taste that will no doubt move the spirit of listeners all over the world!