Yohannes Tona: World-Fusion

Bassist Yohannes Tona, a core member of Cory Wong’s touring band, will showcas his own world-jazz compositions at Berlin.

Band Members:
Yohannes Tona – Bass/Compositions
Matt Berry – Guitar
Wendell Henry – Drums
Steven Hobert – Keys
Pete Whitman – Sax

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Yohannes Tona was born in Awassa, a vibrant city in southern Ethiopia where he taught himself how to play the guitar by watching his parents’ choir rehearsals. After gaining national recognition in the Ethiopian church scene, he moved to the capital, Addis, to pursue musical education at Yared Music School. This was followed by a scholarship to his dream school, Berklee College of Music in Boston. He spent nearly two productive years at Berklee before landing the role of music director at an Ethiopian Evangelical church in St. Paul, where he would settle and start a family.

Since the early 2000s, Tona has built himself a name as a band leader and a sideman, performing along some legendary Minneapolis artists and international musicians. Such names include Cory Wong, Dr. Mambo’s Combo, Nachito Herrera, Jef Lee Johnson, The Sounds of Blackness, and The Steeles. While grateful for the incredible experience of playing big stages with such great names, Tona believes he is also responsible for sharing his original music—music that reflects his Ethiopian/African roots and the American experience—with the world.

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Matt Berry is a guitarist and educator based in the Twin Cities. Some of the artists he has toured with include John Michael Montgomery, Collin Raye, T. Graham Brown, and Mandy Barnett. Since moving to the Twin Cities in 2018, he has had the privilege of performing with Dr. Mambo’s Combo, Ginger Commodore, Brandon Commodore, and the River Show. Berry also teaches guitar at North Central University and Cleveland State Community College.

Wendell Henry is a touring/session drummer and percussionist, born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. After 16 years in Minneapolis, he now calls Nashville, TN, home. Drawing from jazz, Afro-Caribbean, and gospel traditions, his rhythmically versatile drumming has led him to perform with a wide range of artists, including Michael McDonald, Kirk Whalum, Tommy Sims, Robben Ford, Mandisa, Ricky Skaggs, John Patitucci, and the Gettys.

Steven Hobert’s music spans a wide breadth of vocabulary and spirit from the Americas, West Africa, and the flamenco tradition. His projects include Sirclesound; Oudyano, with renowned Syrian oud player Issam Rafea; the world-beat driven ensemble FireFlyForest; and the contemporary jazz group Wall Smashers. He has released three albums: Ballet, Ocean Eyes, and Soft Equation.

Pete Whitman is a saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator based in the Twin Cities. He has performed with such distinguished groups as the Minnesota Orchestra, Jack McDuff, Curtis Fuller, the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Jazz MN Big Band, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Andres Prado, Dave Stryker, the Temptations, and the Midtown Men. Whitman has three CDs under his name: Departure Point (Igmod Records), The Sound of Water (Artegra), and Where’s When (Artegra). He also taught saxophone, improvisation, and arranging for 18 years at McNally Smith College of Music and directed the McNally Smith Jazz Orchestra.