When not performing or composing for Trio Paradiso, accordionist Rich Kuhns squeezes out a living in various other musical contexts. He recently returned from a European tour with Harry Belafonte.
A member of the Latin jazz ensemble Soul Sauce, he also performs and records with Brazilian vocalist Claudia Villela and Venezuelan vocalist Maria Marquez. His accordion can be heard on a number of feature filmscores the most recent being a Merchant/Ivory film The Mystic Masseur. He contributed a composition to the PBS documentary ‘Alice Waters and Her Delicious Revolution,’ performed by Trio Paradiso last fall. In October 2002 he composed and performed an original score on solo accordion to accompany the silent film Nosferatu at the Fine Arts Cinema in Berkeley.
A San Francisco Bay Area native, Guitarist/composer Steve Erquiaga’s career has touched many areas of the music world. He has recorded and toured with such varied artists as Bobby McFerrin, Joe Henderson, Les McCann, John Scofield, David Byrne and more. Steve’s recently released CD “Cafe Paradiso” (Imaginary Road Records) was on the Billboard Classical/ Crossover chart for 11 weeks, reaching #10. “Erkiology,” released in 1992, features Peter Erskine, Jimmy Johnson, Bob Sheppard and other noted players. It reached #3 on the jazz airplay charts. He appears on many of the Windham Hill compilation albums such as “Winter Solstice III, IV and V,” “The Impressionists,” “The Romantics,” and “The Bach Variations.”
Besides having played in many local party bands and many local clubs, Rich Girard has played, toured and recorded with such groups and individuals as Mose Allison, Gerry Mulligan, David Byrne, Mel Torme, Andy Narell, Steward Copland, John Sebastian, The San Francisco Pops Orchestra, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, The Los Angeles Pops Orchestra, The Philadelphia Pops Orchestra, Cleo Laine and many others. Music has also given him the opportunity to travel to South America, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreaux Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, JVC Jazz Festival, Finger Lakes Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and in other countries.
Trio Paradiso has recently recorded together as part of a documentary film “Alice Waters and Her Delicious Revolution” for the PBS American Masters series.
