the ROBERT EVEREST EXPEDITION
world music ensemble


(photos by Alan Turkus, unless otherwise credited)

The Robert Everest Expedition is a Minneapolis-based Latin-American and Mediterranean influenced world music ensemble whose music ranges from American jazz to Brazilian funk, Spanish flamenco to Italian folk, Cuban Son to Mexican Huapango, and several original compositions in many different musical styles and languages. This music cannot be classified, and therein lies the magic that the audience experiences. The musicians are united by their exploration into world music and their constant hunger to grow individually and as a group. All of them are involved in a wide variety of musical endeavors, and the Robert Everest Expedition is an attempt to integrate all of the far-reaching interests of these seven (plus more, at times) eclectic musicians into one ensemble. After an evening of music with this group many audience members feel they have been around the world and have thoroughly enjoyed the ride!

Robert Everest is a musician, singer, and songwriter whose ravenous appetite for the music of the world will never allow him to be confined to any one particular style. A native Minnesotan, he was first introduced to the piano at age 5, and at age 12 he acquired his first guitar, which remains his primary instrument, although he still composes and performs on piano, as well as many stringed instruments from around the world, including mandolin, Cuban tres, Andean charango, Brazilian cavaquinho, and Indian sitar. Robert has been a featured artist on many local radio and television stations, including KBEM, KFAI, MPR, KARE11, and WCCO Television.

Though mostly self-taught, Robert has studied jazz guitar in Minneapolis, classical guitar in Portugal, flamenco in Spain, Tango in Argentina, and many other styles of music throughout Central and South America, the Caribbean, and West Africa. His vocal technique has developed through many years of singing and instruction, including four years with the University of Minnesota Jazz Singers. During the last 20 years Robert’s second life calling has been foreign language. With a degree in linguistics from the University of Minnesota, and many travels and studies in Latin America and Southern Europe, Robert has become fluent in several romance languages, which he brings to the stage in the songs he performs.

Over the last few years Robert has become a dedicated full-time musician, performing an average of 4-5 times per week, rehearsing, teaching, managing several ensembles, and recording. He has recorded two solo CDs of music from Latin America, which have received national radio play and taken him to many international tour destinations. He has also recorded with his Brazilian quintet, Beira Mar Brasil, which performed regularly in the Twin Cities for many years. Robert has been dreaming of having an original world music ensemble for many years, and upon meeting the other members in this group, this dream has become a reality.

Michael Bissonnette, originally from New Bedford, Massachusetts, has been studying drum set and percussion for over 30 years. After receiving a music degree in 1983, he moved from Massachusetts to California, where he performed at Tibbies' Music Hall in Huntington Harbor from 1984 to 1990, and played drums at Knotts' Berry Farm's Can-Can Show for six and a half years. During this time Michael met Canyon Recording Artist Xavier Quijas Yxayotl, who taught him about the music and musical instruments of ancient Mexico. Subsequently, Michael learned how to make many different types of indigenous percussion instruments, began to collect instruments from all over the world, and energetically dove into many different styles of world music.

Other musical ventures in California included participation in the musical performances of the Orange County High School of the Arts, and two summers with the Starview Residential Facility in Torrance. During this time he worked with severely emotionally disturbed children ages 9 to 17. Through Michael’s facilitation of drum circles at Starview, the students developed team-working skills, and improved focusing abilities and self-esteem.

In 1999 Michael’s marriage brought him to Minneapolis, where he continues to perform, record, teach percussion and drum set lessons, and facilitate community drum circles in the Minneapolis area. He can be seen performing with Katie McMahon, the original voice of Riverdance, and other great local musicians such as Laura Mackenzie, Robert Everest, Heart of the City, and Glen Helgeson. Some of the percussion instruments that Michael plays include the berimbau, cuica, and pandeiro from Brazil; the doumbec from the Middle East; the djembe, log drums and caxixi from Africa; the Irish bodhran; the Aztec Death Whistle, the American drum set, and spoons. Michael and Robert met in September 2002 while performing in the Latin Renaissance concert at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.

During his fifteen years of drumming, Andrew Artz has won numerous awards for both performance and composition. While still in high school, he won the prestigious Outstanding Soloist Award from the International Association of Jazz Educators at the 1995 Head of the Lakes Jazz Festival in Duluth, MN. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in both Electrical & Computer Engineering and Philosophy, Andrew was also very active in the Pittsburgh music scene. Soon after arriving to CMU, he established himself as the Fine Arts department's "first call" for musical productions, and by the end of his time in Pittsburgh he had played for nearly every local college, university, and theatre group.

He studied under Paul Evans, Eric Kloss, and Dave Pellow. After college, Andy worked as a show drummer and music director for Celebrity Cruises, and now resides in Saint Paul. He has worked as a guest artist and instructed jazz combo classes at Hamline University, and is a drum set clinician for area schools and churches. Andy is presently performing with world music artist Robert Everest, variety band Trish & The North Shore Drive (TNSD), jazz quartet Chill 7, and the acclaimed Stan Bann Big Band. Through his career on land and sea, he's backed up many national and international performing artists, including Claudia Acuna, Barry Danelian, Mark Preston, and Jack Walker. Locally, he has also worked with the Jerry O'Hagen Big Band, the Twin Cities Jazz Orchestra, and Robby Vee.

Pete Whitman, arranger, composer and saxophonist, has been an active member of the Minneapolis/St. Paul jazz scene for the past twenty years. He has performed with such distinguished ensembles and musicians as the Minnesota Orchestra, Jack McDuff, the Woody Herman Orchestra, the JazzMn Big Band, and is the leader of the Minneapolis based jazz sextet Departure Point. Whitman has recorded extensively as a sideman and has three CDs out under his name: Departure Point on Igmod Records, The Sound of Water and Where's When, both on Artegra. His latest CD, Where's When, features the X-tet, a ten piece ensemble led by Whitman which was named

Gus Lindquist was born back in February of 1976 in the beautiful city of Duluth, MN. He started his musical education at 6 with piano lessons. However, by 8th grade, he had picked up the trumpet, and has been hooked ever since. Gus went to college at Gustavus Adolphus College (no, not because of the name) and double majored in physics and music and studied with Dr. Stephen Wright. After college, he became a software developer, but freelanced on the trumpet more and more. In the spring of 2002, gus joined Lorie Line and her Pop Chamber Orchestra. Ever since, when not on tour with Lorie, gus is in town freelancing and making music with many of the best groups and organizations in town. Below is a list of just a few of the groups you might catch him with!

Lorie Line and her Pop Chamber Orchestra, Norman Leyden Big Band, Steve Wright Big Band, Crystal Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Steve Millar and Diamondhead, Klezmer And All That Jazz!, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Guthrie LAB, Children's Theater Company, Minnesota Valley Chorale Orchestra, Gloria Dei Brass, Mount Olivet Brass, St. Peter Sommerfest Orchestra, and of course, the Robert Everest Expedition!

Dan Arlig was born in Springfield, Missouri and started playing viola 9 years old. He studied Double bass performance at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with Cecil McBee. Dan graduated with honors in String Instrument Repair from Minnesota State College - SE Technical; Red Wing, MN; studied with Lisbeth Nelson-Butler. He also has a degree in Violin Making and Restoration from North Bennet Street School, Boston, MA. Dan studied there with Kevin Kelly, David Polstein & Thomas Hummel. Dan currently lives and works in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and performs regularly as a multi-instrumentalist with several ensembles around the Twin Cities Area, playing various musical styles.

Minneapolis-based jazz pianist and composer, Mary Louise Knutson, has been called "one of the most exciting and innovative artists to happen to jazz piano in quite some time." Her warm, inviting tone, broad range of emotional expression, and distinctive compositions have brought her much recognition on the national music scene. In 2005, she was selected as one of five finalists in the Kennedy Center’s Mary Lou Williams "Women in Jazz" Pianist Competition and in 2006 she was nominated for "Jazz Artist of the Year" and "Pianist of the Year" for the Minnesota Music Awards.

Knutson has performed with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby McFerrin, Dianne Reeves, Kevin Mahogany, Slide Hampton, Richie Cole, Greg Abate, Von Freeman, Peter Erskine, Billy Hart, and Richard Davis. As a show player, she has performed with such musical acts as Michael Bolton, Trisha Yearwood, Donny Osmond, Smoky Robinson, the Osmond Brothers, and comedians Phyllis Diller, Jack Carter, Rob Schneider, Kevin Nealan, Judy Tenuta, and more. She is the newest member of the Robert Everest Expedition, and we are very honored to have her with us!

photos by R. Everest

photos by Bryan Aaker

Other musicians who have performed with the Robert Everest Expedition include pianist Marco Sambrotta, bassists Jocko MacNelly and Tony Axtell, who, along with Peruvian percussionist, Chico Chávez, and Prairie Home Companion veteran violinist, Gary Schulte, are featured on the CD. Cellist Anna Vazquez joined us for our January 2009 performance at the Dakota Jazz Club, where the above photos were taken by Alan Turkus. We are all very grateful for the wonderful musicians that have been so instrumental in the formation and development of this ensemble - Thank you!

Check the performance calendar for upcoming public shows.