The Latin Recording Academy has awarded Yamaha Marimba/Vibe Artist, David Samuels, and the Caribbean Jazz Project a Latin GRAMMY® in the category of Best Latin Jazz Album for their album Afro Bop Alliance. This is the Caribbean Jazz Project's first Latin GRAMMY Award. The group previously won a GRAMMY Award in 2003.

Dave Samuels, with his distinct musical personality, has established himself as the top mallet player of his generation. He is recognized for his fresh new sound and creative approach to both the vibraphone and marimba. Dave has demonstrated his versatility and gained worldwide recognition by performing and recording with a broad scope of artists including Gerry Mulligan, Oscar Peterson, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Carla Bley, The Yellowjackets, Pat Metheny, Bruce Hornsby, Frank Zappa, The Fantasy Band, Spyro Gyra, and Double Image.

Samuels has led the Caribbean Jazz Project for the last 15 years and has also been voted Best Vibes Player in both Jazziz and Modern Drummer magazines. Other recognitions include being elected to the Board of Directors of the Percussive Arts Society and invited to serve on the Stamford Cultural Development Corporation. Dave performs on the YM-5100A 5 Octave Rosewood Grand Marimba and the YV-3910 3-1/2 Octave Gold Soloist Vibe.

Yamaha welcomes percussionist Gordon Gottlieb to its extensive percussion roster.

Gottlieb has had an active performing life in a variety of musical traditions. From soloist with the New York Philharmonic to recording with Michael Jackson, playing with an escola de samba in the carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro to recording Stravinsky's Les Noces, Histoire du Soldat & Renard with Robert Craft, conducting at Carnegie Hall to performing with Stevie Wonder, Gordon has enjoyed eliminating musical boundaries.

Since 1970 he has been actively involved with the N.Y. Philharmonic and has also played with the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Casals Festival, as well as major opera, ballet, modern dance, Broadway orchestras.

Gordon has recorded for more than 50 record companies, countless television commercials, and on the sound tracks of more than 170 feature films. Also since 1996 Gottlieb has been teaching and playing at the KoSA International Percussion Workshops, and teaching at the Juilliard School since 1991.

Multi-genre cellist and electric cellist Tina Guo has appeared as a soloist with the San Diego Symphony, the State of Mexico National Symphony, the Palomar Symphony, the Paducah Symphony, the Petrobras Symphony and the Barra Mansa Symphony in Brazil, the Pueblo Symphony, the Auburn Symphony, the Idylwild Symphony, and the Vancouver Island Symphony.

Guo’s latest highlights have included a performance with violinist Midori Goto in Dvorak's American String Quartet, recording solo cello on John Legend's new album, playing on the soundtrack for the movie "Hancock," and was also featured on the electric cello in an album for the Yamaha SV Quartet Series which were distributed to music programs in schools nationwide.

Last summer, Tina toured with rock/classical crossover girl-band "Metaphor" through Australia, performing 22 consecutive shows in 21 cities on the electric cello. Currently in the studio, Tina is recording her solo New-Age/Classical CD as well as an album with her progressive metal band, "Off the Deep End," in which she plays the electric cello, keyboard, and also sings. In addition to "Off the Deep End," Tina's newest progressive rock project, "Underworld," is also in the studio. "Underworld" consists of Tina on the electric cello, Steve Augeri on vocals, Kee Marcello of on guitar, Vitalij Kuprij on keyboards, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Virgil Donati on drums.