Toby Whitaker (aka Edward Tobias Whitaker) has been with Bio Ritmo since 2002. He is responsible for many of the horn arrangements and also known as the bands official “driver”.
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Toby Whitaker received his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies and Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University and his Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University, where he had the privilege of studying with trombone virtuoso Conrad Herwig (Eddie Palmieri Orchestra), and taught jazz chamber ensembles. In 2014, he joined the Christopher Newport University jazz faculty.
Toby is a trombonist, composer and educator. He has toured throughout the United States with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of Buddy Morrow and has performed internationally with the salsa ensembleBio Ritmo, for which he also composes. He has performed at music festival sand venues in New York, Spain, France, Switzerland, Poland and theRepublic of Georgia. He was also a member of the Devil’s Workshop BigBand based in Richmond, Virginia which featured guest artists such as trombonist Ray Anderson and trumpeter Brian Lynch. In 2004 he was a featured soloist with the University of Virginia Jazz Orchestra performing the music of Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Toby has also led his own big band and is in the process of completing his first album as a leader featuring his original big band compositions as well as his own arrangements. As a sideman, Toby has appeared on numerous recordings encompassing a broad range of styles, and has frequently acted as musical arranger for a multitude of recording projects.
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(Photo Courtesy of Lauren Serpa)
