Leif Totusek

Leif Totusek (born 11 May 1964 in USA) is an American guitarist, band-leader and composer. A major player on the scene in London, Seattle, Boston, who has played, collaborated and been special guest with African Artist Mose Fan Fan, Ali Birra, Geoffrey Oryema, Diblo Dibala, Orchestra Virunga, Tabu Ley Rochereau and many other important artists. He is also well versed in the be-bop idiom, and many other musical styles and cultural music.

Raised in a musical family on Capitol Hill in Seattle, WA, Leif first began performing at age 15 with Seattle's F.A.M.E and St. Teresa Gospel choirs and numerous musical groups, including: "Lora and Sukutai"(Zimbabwe), "Paisley Sin"(Seattle-grunge), with "M.T.Q." [aka Martin Totusek Quintet] (jazz and blues originals, standards, and the music of Thelonious Monk) at the 1987 Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, and others.

At age 17, Leif traveled to London, England and immersed himself in the London ethnic/jazz scene. He toured with Soukous veteran Mose se Fan Fan, (former member of the late Franco Luambo Makiadi and TPOK Jazz) and his group "Somo Somo" - members included: Roy Dodds, John Glyn, Huw Warren,Doreen Webster, T. Daniel Howard. He also performed with Nigerian jazz artist Gasper Lawal "The African Oro Band" - Salah Dawson Miller’s World fusion band "Orquesta Chakckouka" - Eddie Edem "Hi-life" and with many other world and jazz musicians. In 1982, Leif created his African/jazz influenced band "Freestyle Candela" adding Arne Livingston on bass and percussionist Mamadi Kamara on percussion in 1984. It was originally called "Seattle Jazz" then "Freestyle" before settling on "Freestyle Candela".

At age 26, Leif relocated to Boston hiring local musicians Joshua Redman, Mark Turner, Scott Gilman, Jessica Lurie and others. Blending Soukous, blues and jazz in his original compositions, Leif helped popularize Zairian Soukous guitar in the Boston music scene. He also performed and recorded with the Haitian band Batwel Rada and the Senegalese band "Ibrahima Camara and Safal".

At age 29, Leif returned to Seattle creating his new band name Freestyle Candela ." Today he resides in Seattle still performing shows with his groups "Leif Totusek and 1-2-3", "Freestyle Candela" and other artists.

FREESTYLE CANDELA:

• Bumbershoot (1994, 1996, 2002)
• Northwest Folklife (Mercer Arena)
• Fremont Fair
• 2007 Whidbey Island Festival
• 2009 Seattle Weekly's REVERB
• 2009 Seattle OnHold Music
• 2008/2009/2010 Triple Door . . .

GEOFFREY OREYEMA

• 1999 WOMAD Seattle - Marymoor Park, France 1999 Tour

LORA AND SUKUTAI MARIMBA AND DANCE ENSEMBLE

• NW Folklife - Memorial Stadium
• Moore Theater
• Triple Door
• WOMAD Seattle . . .

LEIF TOTUEK & 1-2-3

• Seattle Art Museum
• 2002/2009 Earshot Jazz Seattle Art Museum
• 2002 Experience Music Project . . .

SOMO SOMO

• band member 1984-1989, WOMAD . . .

IBRAHIMA CAMARA

• Boston Orpheum Theater . . .

BATWEL RADA

• Boston Strand Theater
• Sommerville, Theater,
• Tour 1997 Haiti. . .

ALI BIRRA

• NW Folklife(Seattle Opera House)

ORQUESTA CHAKCHOUKA

• 1989 Glasgow International Jazz Festival, WOMAD

Bill Summers

• "Bill Summers (musician)" "Hands Across America" 1986 The Bagley Wright Theatre. . .

FREESTYLE CANDELA:

• Banning Eyre/Boston Phoenix, March 22, 1991
• Norman Weinstein/NPR (Monitor Radio) Dec. 13,1996
• Danny Housman/Seattle Stranger - January 24, 1994
• Fernando Gonzalez Boston/ Globe - Friday,March 6, 1992
• Boston Music Awards March 2, 1992
• David Meinert/Seattle Weekly 2002
• Erik Neumann/Seattle Weekly 2009

other reviews: London jazz Cafe - Elijah Wald - Paul de barros - James Kirchmer - Boston Music Awards - City Limits - Earshot Jazz - Norman Weinstein