Howard Levy
Howard Levy is a musician without limits. His musical adventures include journeys into jazz, pop, rock, world music, Latin, classical, folk, blues, country, theater, and film. He has appeared on hundred of cd’s, won a Grammy (1997), won a Joseph Jefferson Award (1986) for Best Original Music for a Play, and has performed many times on American and European television and radio.

Universally acknowledged as the world’s most advanced diatonic harmonica player, Howard developed a fully chromatic style on the standard 10 - hole diatonic harmonica, revolutionizing harmonica playing and taking the instrument into totally new territory. He is also an accomplished pianist and composer, and plays many other instruments as well, including flute, ocarina, mandolin, saxophone, and percussion. website - levyland.com

Fox Fehling

Fox Fehling was born in Iowa City, Iowa. She started playing violin at the age of 9, and by age 15 was soloing with The Cedar Rapids Symphony and The University of Iowa Symphony under James Dixon. Her teacher was Allen Ohmes. Fox moved to New York to attend the Manhattan School of Music on a full scholarship, where she studied with Rafael Bronstein and won the Mischa Elman Award. That led to a tour of Italy with Joseph Seiger, Elman's accompanist.

She then studied at Juilliard with Dorothy DeLay, and played in many festivals, including The Meadowbrook School of Music with James Levine, The Spoleto Festival (Italy), and The Aspen Music Festival

Ms. Fehling played in The Orlando Symphony and The Lyric Opera Orchestra (as Assistant Principal Second Violin), before Sir George Solti appointed her to The Chicago Symphony in 1979. In 1994, while on a one- year sabbatical from the CSO, she served as assistant concertmaster with The Bergen Philharmonic in Bergen, Norway.

In Chicago, Fox has played in Music of the Baroque (1986-present), Bach Week in Evanston (1972-2000), and for 20 years was concertmaster and featured soloist with The Loyola Chamber Orchestra.

From 1994-2000, Fox was resident violinist in the Wallowa Lake Chamber Music Festival in Enterprise, Oregon. In the '80s, she was the fiddler for the CS Okies, a Bluegrass/Western Swing band made up of members of the CSO. She also played many school concerts with her string trio as part of the CSO's community education programs, bringing great classical music to thousands of schoolchildren.

Fox played on a CD of tangos in a quartet with former CSO concertmaster Ruben Gonzales. Ms. Fehling performs on a 1730 Mateo Gofriller violin formerly owned by Jascha Heifetz.

Alejo Poveda
Drums and percussion
Founder and leader of the band, Alejo is from Costa Rica. He toured extensively in South and Central America before moving to Chicago in the 1970's. He founded Chévere as a percussion ensemble in 1977.

Steve Eisen
Saxes, Flute, and Congas
Steve, an original member of Chévere, is one of the leading sax players in the midwest. For years he has played and recorded with many of the music industry's top artists.

Ernie Denov
Guitar
Ernie composes some of Chévere's best- loved tunes. He has been one of Chicago's top guitarists for many years, performing with many Chicago groups and leading his own bands as well. He currently tours with Mars Williams' Liquid Soul.

Chris Cameron
"Chicago Hambone"- Hammond B-3 Organ, Fender Rhodes, keyboards
Chris, one of Chicago's leading studio keyboard players, brings his mastery of the electric keyboards, great sense of humor, and a dynamic, bluesy solo style to the mix of Chévere. Chris also produces and records with Sonia Dada.

Joe Rendon
Congas, percussion, and vocals
The leading congero in Chicago, Joe brings his deep knowledge of traditional Afro- Cuban percussion and chants as well as his virtuosity and ability to adapt the congas to any style of music. Joe has performed with Paquito D'Rivera, Andy Montanez, Irakere, and many other Latin artists.

Ruben Alvarez
Timbales, percussion,drums, and vocals
In addition to his electrifying playing, Ruben is also a noted Latin Music educator who has traveled to Cuba many times to deepen his knowledge of Afro- Cuban music and culture. He currently has a band with Chuchito Valdes, son of the great Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes. He is also a bandleader, and has toured with many top artists.

Eric Hochberg
Bass
Eric has played with Lyle Mays, Terry Callier, Ken Nordine, Kurt Elling, Paul Wertico, among others. He is also a bandleader, producer, singer, trumpeter, and composer.

Mark Ohlsen
Trumpet
In addtion to his charismatic lead trumpet playing, Mark is also a skilled recording engineer and arranger. A veteran of many jazz big bands, he also has played the Blues and Funk circuit, touring with Big Twist and The Mellow Fellows, The Chicago Catz, and others.