A community of musicians working together to
preserve the culture of music and
promote dignity, fairness, and democracy for musicians.

09/01/07 Profile: Candido Camero

Candido Camero, a member of South Florida Musicians Association since 1960, has been named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master and will receive the award in New York City in October.

The Cuban-American percussionist pioneered the use of more than one conga drum, using up to three congas and bongos to play melodies in addition to providing rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment. Candido has performed on the Jackie Gleason Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and on many specials, and has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Celia Cruz, Tony Bennett, Tito Puente, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, and many other greats. He was also a member of the Billy Taylor Quartet. 

09/01/06 Profile: Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis' biography reads like a timeline of South Florida music history. An impressive list of famous names have benefited from his talents, including Jackie Gleason, Rod Stewart, KC and the Sunshine Band, The Bee Gees, Jose Feliciano, Dr. Hook, Lionel Hampton, Betty Wright, Julio Iglesias, Willie Nelson, Diddy, Black Sabbath, Inner Circle, and countless others. Mike has worked in virtually every imaginable media and musical style; listing all of his credits would require many pages.

Mike's musical beginnings were somewhat tentative. "I started piano lessons when I was 6, but wasn't too thrilled. After I began playing the trumpet at age 12, I sort of got hooked on music. All the local high school band directors had a dance band, and at age 15 they put me on 1st trumpet." AFM membership has been an important part of his life for 53 years, having first joined a small local in Hamlet, North Carolina. "We played all over North and South Carolina. I wasn't even old enough to drive. Somebody had to give me a ride to the gigs!" Mike later transferred his membership to Local 802 (New York) and finally, in 1964, to Local 655.

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07/01/06 Profile: Steve Roitstein

steve2003.jpgSteve Roitstein is a songwriter, producer, composer, arranger, and musician with over 25 years in the industry. He began his career as a French horn player, working with South Florida symphonies and performing with many great artists in show orchestras. Steve has been honored to record with numerous musical legends such as Julio Iglesias, Jaco Pastorius, John Denver, Tito Puente, Celiz Cruz, and Cachao.

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06/01/06 Profile: Jeffrey Apana

apana.jpgJeffrey Apana received his BM in performance from the Eastman School of Music where he studied oboe with Dr. Richard Killmer and Mr. Henry Schuman and English horn with Mr. Jonathan Parkes. He received his MM in performance from the Florida State University as a student of Dr. Eric Ohlsson, and has participated in master classes of John Mack and Joseph Robinson. A member of the Ohio Light Opera orchestra from 1991-1992, Apana has played with the Seaside Music Theater orchestra in Daytona Beach since 1993 and is presently oboist and English hornist with the Florida Classical Orchestra.

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