Born: November 28, 1984 Primary Instrument: Congas
Vernon Allan Joseph Chatlein Born: 28 November 1984, in Willemstad-Curacao
Vernon is a very promising and talented conguero and all- round percussionist. He specializes in Cuban and Latin Caribbean Music, but he is also an excellent performer of local folkloric music. He studied Congas and Latin percussion under the tutelage of Mr. Pedro Driggs, Cuban percussionist and teacher at the Music Academy “Edgar Palm” in Curaçao. Vernon also studied with master-conguero Joaquim Pozzo and maestro Enrique Lasaga in Havana, Cuba and also Grammy award winner percussionist Pernell Saturnino. After graduating from the University of Netherlands Antilles majoring in Information Technology, Vernon went to Havana, Cuba to study music at the “Conservatorio Amadeo Roldan” where he did one year of formal studies and where he got his first Bata lessons from ironically a female percussionist and very good friend from Santiago, Cuba, Magdelis Savigne. In his second year in Havana he delved more profoundly in to the world of Bata and Afro-Cuban percussion.
Vernon is now based in Amsterdam, Netherlands where he is doing jazz studies at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with main subject percussion. He is currently an active member of the Percussion group “Kuenta I Tambu” (Drum Tales) led by Roel Calister.
Vernon has also performed with international musicians and artists such as Jazz singer Denise Jannah from Holland, Jazz guitarist Luis Salinas from Argentina, the Cuban Latin Millennium Jazz Orchestra, the internationally acclaimed salsa and jazz orchestra Rumbatá and also with New York Based Jazz pianist and great friend Alex Brown, Curacao native and Dutch Edison Award Winner Randal Corsen. Vernon also performed with his Conservatory's Big Band under the direction of Manhattan School of Music's Faculty Member and jazz educator Justin Dicioccio; where they did works by Clare Fischer.
Vernon headed the youth formation of CCC Jazz Ensemble, under the tutelage of maestro Dave “Ronchi” Matthew. The CCC Jazz-Ensemble had its première at the 15th Annual Curaçao Jazz Festival and had their encore in the 16th Festival, organized by the Curaçao Jazz Foundation. Vernon performed with the CCC Jazz-Ensemble for the “CIFA” Curaçao International Festival of the Arts during the “musical tour” TERTULIA. In his years while he was still living on the beautiful Island of Curacao Vernon also performed regularly as guest artist on the Scientology Ship Freewinds
International experience.
Vernon formed part of the artists and musician group representing Curacao in 2003-Carifesta VIII in Surinam and the “Festival Sorpresa” which was held in several cities in Holland in 2004. He has performed in Jazz Club La Zorra y el Cuervo in Havana Cuba; with Alex Brown Quintet in Twins Jazz in Washington, DC; as guest percussionist in the “IIIer Festival Internacional de Jazz” in Valencia, Venezuela; Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival in Aruba; in “Jazz Club”, San Jose, Costa Rica and many more. He has also performed at the ISA - Superior Institute of the Arts in Havana Cuba, where he presented his classical piece entitled: “Chapi ManuVer”. An interesting duo etude for the Curacao Chapi (Iron hoe) and Snare drum, the first classical piece written for the famous local instrument.
