Santiago Sebastian “C-bass” Chiriboga is a Percussionist/Improviser/Composer/Educator in the NYC area. He graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music and has played/studied with many notable artists such as: Willie Nelson, Annie Lennox, George Garzone, Greg Osby, Gilad Hekselman, Hal Crook, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, Frank Foster, Bill Whelan, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson, Ian Froman, Patrice Rushen, Aj Rafael, Shea Rose, Hillary Jane, Daphne Khoo, and Harris Simon (recorded with Michael Brecker) in distinguished locations such as: The Blue Note, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Jordan Hall, Berklee Performance Center, Sandler’s Center for Performing Arts, Agganis Arena, and Roper Theatre.
Born on October 27, 1990, Santiago Sebastian “C-bass” Chiriboga’s musical odyssey began in his hometown: Virginia Beach, VA. C-bass began playing classical percussion when he was in high school at the late age of 14. A few years later, he was accepted into the demanding Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) for orchestral percussion. Throughout his time in high school and GSA, he was the first chair percussionist in many of Virginia’s honor ensembles such as All-District Band, All-State Band, All-City Drumline, and Senior Regional Orchestra. C-bass was later asked to play with the Virginia Wind Ensemble as a percussionist where he would find himself performing concerts at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
Hungry to diversify his musical background, C-bass auditioned and received a heavy scholarship from the highly reputable Berklee College of Music. At Berklee, C-bass was always in demand as a studio/live percussionist/drum set player; combining his background in orchestral percussion and his new love for improvised music. He toured and performed with many students and faculty at Berklee. During his last few semesters of college, he earned the Charles Mingus Jazz Composition Award and the Berklee Contemporary Orchestra Performance Award. On August 2013, C-bass graduated from the Berklee College of Music with a Bachelors Degree in Jazz Composition and Percussion/Drum Set Performance.
Right after a two-month gig in Virginia from September 2013 – November 2013 with the Harris Simon Trio, C-bass moved to New York City to continue developing his art through the rich musical environment that the city has to offer. C-bass continues to be in high demand in Virginia, Massachusetts, and New York and plays percussion and drum set for various artists and acts. He also leads his own group entitled “C-bass’ Infinity Band.” He plans to release his first album with his group sometime in 2015.