Super Karma: Artists
Super Karma
Super Karma was started by Sabrina Sosa de Brer a Kundalini yoga teacher, singer, songwriter and artist. Longing for a little sabor in the selection of yogic music offered, she started chanting mantras to her favorite Mexican and Latin songs. Delighted with the result she enlisted her fellow band mates from the group Roxy Especial and writing/arranging began. Jamieson Trotter (a ludicrously talented arranger, pianist and producer) and Roxy Trotter (his wife and Sabrina’s sister) developed Super Karma into what you hear now. With the support of Luna Records, LLC., the likes of musicians such as Quetzal Flores (from Quetzal), Paul Gonzalez (the percussionist for Paulina Rubio and others) and Bassist Leo Nobre (Shakira) created a sound that is untouchable in it’s grooves and authenticity.
Sabrina Sosa de Brer - Singer/Writer
Music came early into Sabrina’s life via her older sister Roxanna. Singing, writing and performing were all commonplace activities by the age of 5yrs old. However, the visual arts cried out louder after high school and Sabrina graduated from UCLA with a bachelor in Fine Arts (where she met her husband Christian, also an Art major). Still making music with her sister’s band Roxy Especial, she began to see a gap in the yogic /mantra music she was just starting to get into through Kundalini yoga. Not a natural yogi (overweight & underflexible) Sabrina resisted even stepping into a yoga class, until her sister dragged her along (despite protests of the wrong outfit and a borrowed mat). The first class was a perfect fit and it was love at first mantra. Less than 2 years later Sabrina was completing her K.R.I. certified 9 month teacher training course and recording these songs. The gap that was filled was an acoustic merging of latin rhythms & yogic mantras – a niche to be sure, but a niche that fits perfectly in Sabrina’s heart.
Mick Taras - Tres & Guitar
“So much music, so little time”. That’s probably the most important philosophy adopted by guitarist Mick Taras.
Forced by his mom to take piano lessons at the age of 6 thru 14, Mick, developed sense of rhythm and melody very early in his life, even though without having too much fun with it. “I am so grateful for those years of painful piano lessons” Mick admits today...”.that’s when I learned how to read and write music and most important that’s when I learned all the music theory concepts”.
Mick picked up the guitar at the age of 15 and after only a few years of strumming along a few chords inspired by Bob Dylan and Neil Young, he found himself on the road of a major tour at the age of 18. “Joe Perrino and the Mellowtones” was the Italian band that between 1984 and 1987 had 3 top 5 hit singles in Italy, France and Germany. “I owe everything to that rock’n roll band...they put the passion for the job into my system and they inspired to pursue music as a full time career”. It was during that time that Mick started doing his first recording sessions and that’s when he quickly discovered the blues and the R’n’B phenomena. Mick led the R’n’B band “That’s all folks!” thru a year of opening shows for the legendary B.B. King thru out Europe.
Mick moved to the USA at the age of 25 where he attended 2 years at the Guitar Institute of Technology of Hollywood. His passion for Country and Bluegrass was dominating his life at that time and Guitarist Steve Trovato took Mick on the road as a second guitarist for his Country/Bluegrass band. His first 2 years in the States saw Mick touring with legendary country acts such as Suzy Bogus and Boy Howdy. In 1995 Mick was nominated “Best mandolin Player of the year” by the Country Music Association for his recording for the debut record of the band “Platte River Crossing”.
!997 was the year when Mick entered the world of Rock; he played guitar with the Motels thru out the year 2000 and those years included the recording of their live DVD “Live in Sidney, Australia” and their live CD “Live at Universal”; when the Motels were off the road and not recording in the studio Mick toured with RCA recording artist “Leah Andreone”.
Paul Gonzalez - Drums & Percussion
Some of the musicians Paul has had the pleasure of performing/recording with include: Chaka Kahn, Nelly Furtado, Richie Kotzen, Dave Samuels, Narada Michael Walden, Joy Enriquez, Lee Sklar, Cristian Castro, Louie Shelton, Carlos Vives, Jorge Calandrelli, Claudia Brant, Tony Campise, Casey Scheuerell, Dean Anderson, DJ Kane, Nicho Hinojosa, Cherie, Ziggy Marley, and Paulina Rubio. Paul has recorded and appeared on many albums as well as TV show cues, commercials, and films.
Paul has earned numerous awards which include Regional and State Winner of the P.A.S. International Drumset Competition (1991), Gretsch Drums Endorsement, AQUARIAN Drum Heads Endorsement, Regal Tip Endorsement, Gibraltar Hardware Endorsement, LP Percussion Endorsement, Berklee College of Music Percussion Department Achievement Award, Berklee B.E.S.T. and B.A.S. Scholarships, Most Outstanding Freshman, Junior, and Senior Musician Awards at Sam Houston State University, and making the Texas All State Band/Orchestra 3 out of his 4 years in High School.
Nate Lapointe - Guitar
Nate LaPointe began playing guitar at age 5. By age 9 he was playing solo at festivals and by age 14 he was playing clubs with his father in the band the 2 of them started. A combination of growing up in Laramie, Wyoming and his father’s passion for music, Nate was exposed to a wide variety of music ranging from jazz to classical to rock to country. At age 15, he took the jazz road which eventually led him to California Institute of the Arts(1996-2000) where he earned his BFA in jazz guitar after studying with such greats as Larry Koonse, Joe LaBarbera, and Clay Jenkins. Currently Nate performs with various groups throughout Los Angeles and the world ranging from the Jeff Jensen Blues Band to Cubensis (a Grateful Dead tribute) to Roxy Especial (a latin/pop phenomenon) to 60's soul/R&B legend Bobby Womack.
Nate starred in a Grateful Dead guitar instructional DVD through Cherry Lane Publishing that has now officially been released. Nate stays busy with his new love, the pedal steel guitar, as well as occasional studio session work around Los Angeles. He also teaches beginning and advanced guitar and music theory privately. During the summers, Nate teaches at the acclaimed Academy of Creative Education in North Hollywood.