George has enjoyed a successful musical career since returning to San Antonio in 1980. His professional commitment to music has included membership in the Musicians Society of San Antonio and private teaching. He is a regular lecturer at Oasis Senior Education Center. He often accompanies local poets at literary events.

His credits include work with Jim Cullum’s Jazz Band, Sy Zentner Big Band, Cab Calloway, Eartha Kitt, Mose Allison, Chuck Berry and Clifford Scott. George’s own jazz ensemble, The Regency Jazz Band, founded in 1982, has performed at Jazz’SAlive, and the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi, The South Texas Music Project sponsored by jazz station KRTU, along with regular performances at The Witte Museum, The McNay Museum, Bihl Haus Arts, AnArte and Musical Bridges Art Galleries. For over 30 years, George has hosted a popular holiday concert in December called Holiday Saxophones.

After meeting José Rubén De León in 2004, the two, along with pianist Dr. Aaron Ellington Prado, began collaborating on SIMPLEMENTE LARA. Other projects have included an all bolero salute entitled El Corazón del Bolero and the tribute to singer, composer, jazz pianist Nat King Cole called Unforgettable.

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As an undergraduate at Columbia University in New York City, Prado became heavily involved at WKCR 89.9FM, Columbia’s famous jazz station, and studied jazz history under the tutelage of famed jazz historian, producer, and guru Phil Schaap.

After college, Prado free-lanced in San Antonio’s jazz fertile jazz scene, and worked at Trinity University’s radio station – KRTU 91.7FM where, as Music Director, he helped create the station’s identity as a world-class mainstream jazz outlet. As the “voice of KRTU” – he was on-air daily as host of the acclaimed educational program – “Lunch Feature with Aaron Prado”.

In 2009, Prado moved back to New York City to continue his music training at NYU’s Jazz Studies graduate program, and had the opportunity to study and perform with giants of today’s jazz scene, such as John Scofield, Kenny Werner, Vijay Iyer, Gene Perla, Andy Milne, Jean Michel Pilc, Gabriel Alegria, Wayne Krantz, Ralph Alessi, Brad Shepik, Rich Shemaria, Memo Avecedo, Ralph Lalama, and others.

In addition to extensive performing at premier New York jazz venues – including the Blue Note and the Jazz Gallery, Prado recorded an album and toured Peru with Chilcano, an Afro-Peruvian jazz ensemble.

In May 2014, Prado received A Doctor of Musical Arts with jazz performance specialty from doctorate at the University of Texas Austin’s Butler School of Music.

He looks forward to being a leader in presenting original jazz compositions to new audiences, and intends to preserve and extend the rich history of jazz music in Texas.

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De León began his theatrical career in his hometown, Laredo, Texas. He served as Artistic Administrator and Director for the Laredo Little Theatre. An accomplished vocalist and independent record producer, he has recorded on borrowed time | tiempo prestado,  Bengali Lullaby, Coleción de canciones populares antiguas por Federico García Lorca, SIMPLEMENTE LARA, and Christmas Carols/Villancicos of Latin America and Spain,  available on CD at farolitomusic.com.  De León earned a MA in Pastoral Liturgy and Music from St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana and a BA in Theatre arts from the University of the Incarnate Word (formerly Incarnate Word College). He is founder and artistic director of teatro farolito. De León makes his home in San Antonio where he remains active in writing, performing and recording. He is the coordinator of the Motherhouse Chapel of the Incarnate Word.

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