Bassist Al Criado was born in Havana, Cuba and started playing professionally in Chicago, Ill. at the age of nineteen. He moved to Los Angeles in 1978 where he lived for twelve years, and is presently residing in the Pacific Northwest since 1989. Accomplished in both fretted and fretless electric basses, Mr. Criado is well versed in all styles of the instrument, intimately immersed in Jazz, Funk, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Caribbean, and African repertoires. Al has worked with such luminaries as:

Alex Acu?a; Obbo Addi; Justo Almario; Susan Anton; Baked Potato House Band (Quest); Marty Ballin; Justo Betancourt; Baya; Mel Brown; Jimmy Buffet; John "JB" Butler; George Cables; Don Cherry; Dihan Carroll; Linda Clifford; Norman Connors; Luis Conte; Rita Coolidge; Mayuto Correa; Sammy Davis Jr.; Dariush; The Drifters; The Emotions; The Fifth Dimension; Faramaz Aseff; Brandon Fields; Steve Freyette; Foday Musa Susso; Chico Freeman; Frank Gambale; David Garfield; Dizzy Gillespie; David Goldblatt; Tom Grant; Robert Grennidge; Jasmine Guy; Eddie Harris; Tootie Heath; Michael Henderson; Joe Heredia; Gary Hobbs; ��Stix�� Hooper; Bruce Hornsby; Thelma Houston; Linda Hopkins; Linda Hornbuckle; Shirley Jones; The Jones Girls; Andrei Kitaev; Eartha Kitt; L.A. Despers; Patrick Lamb; Bill Laswell; Debra Laws; Eloise Laws; Ronnie Laws; Charles Lloyd; Macaw; Dean Martin; Pat Martino; Bennie Maupin; Mandingo Griot Society; Larry J. McNally; Pablo Menendez & Mezcla; Munyungo Jackson; Nu-Shooz;Toshi Onizuka; Devin Phillips; Peter Piazza; Luciana Proa?o; Don Randi; Lou Rawls; Della Reese; Dianne Reeves; Poncho Sanchez; Rena Scott; Bobby Rodriguez; The Shirelles; Nancy Sinatra; Srunz and Farah; Bill Summers; Sylvester; Jep Tatoo; Tolu; Steve Tavaglione; Mel Tillis; Bobby Torres; Phil Upchurch; Steve Vai; Dave Valdez; Dave Valentin, Jimmy Witherspoon.

Al Criado has recorded a variety of T.V. and movie soundtracks (Ann Margaret Special, NBC ��81; Cheech & Chong ��Still Smokin����; Young and the Restless; Spectravision Television; Friday's (NBC '82) and has played in close to one hundred syndicated commercials for radio and television (Nissan; U.S. Army; Kraft Foods; Aramis; Schlitz; Lowenbrau; American Airlines; United Airlines; Wrigley's Gum, ad infinitum��). Al Criado has had the privilege of performing in major rooms and concert halls throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan, including appearances as a headliner��s sideman with 13 major and minor symphony orchestras around the world.

Mr. Criado has also been involved in the teaching community. While in Los Angeles, Al instructed a Latin Bass Performance Class at the BIT, a division of the Musician's Institute of LA, at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Or., and Portland State University, Portland, Or. He was a Bass Instructor for two years at Hudson Bay High School in Vancouver, Wa., and taught private lessons at Beacock Music education Center, also located in Vancouver, Wa.

Al Criado is involved in commercial music writing with his company SoreOneMusic Design, producing background music for industrial films, commercials, radio, television, and internet web sites. In 2004 Mr. Criado built a new recording studio, Blackberry Jam Recorders, where he is writing and producing for many acts such as Barbara Lusch, Brian Ward, Margaret Linn, flamenco artist Toshi Onizuka, young soneros Ca?a Son, Brazilian pop star Ellen Cruz, as well as new rap sensations Ful'Moon, featuring Lilla D��Mone. Al has now undertaken a new project: 2:3 Trio with drummer/percussionist Reinhart Melz and pianist Ramsey Embick�� exploring the roots of improvisational music in the Afro-Caribbean realm. Also, Mr. Criado is currently collaborating with saxophonist David Valdez and studio ace David Goldblatt on a live project. Al also performs regularly with New Orleans saxophone young-lion Devin Phillips.

Al Criado is a world-class performer that believes in maintaining only the highest musical standards.

Gear

Carvin Cort Basses Dr. Bass Gianinni Guitars