William Preston Laura Juliana Varela Zach Preston
From the beginning |
Where we are now |
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The Caribbean Club Trio was founded in 2016, and has remained one of Southern Ontario’s hardest working bands ever since. Laura Varela fronts this dynamic family band, accompanied by her husband Zach Preston, and brother-in-law William Preston. The group composes, performs and travels together.
Inspired by their travels and collaborations within Cuba and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, the group presents their signature small-format, high-energy showcase of Tropical music. |
The Caribbean Club Trio is the pride and joy of its three founding members, as they take traditional Afro-Caribbean musical forms to inspired new heights with heartfelt compositions and captivating solos.
The band can be found touring within Canada annually during summer months. During wintertime, the group takes to the tropics to compose, collaborate, and record, capturing the sounds of the tropics through their modern lens. To this day, Zach, Laura and William continue composing and recording music that takes you on a musical journey, inspired by the deeply rooted culture of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. |
Laura Juliana Varela - Lead Vocalist & Percussion
Originally from Colombia, Laura Juliana Varela is the Caribbean Club Trio’s tropical connection. As the front-woman of the group, she has dedicated her life to the Congas, and the musically rich world of Afro-Latin percussion. In the Caribbean Club Trio, Laura shares her musical gifts as not only a percussionist, but as the band’s powerful lead vocalist as well. Laura can always be caught travelling to or from Havana, as she immerses herself in true Afro-Caribbean rhythms and rumba culture. Laura’s musical pursuits in Cuba are also the root of her distinct vocal style, as she brings together Afro-Caribbean Vocal Traditions, with passionate Latin-Jazz scat solos. Within the Caribbean Club Trio, Laura rose to the occasion as the group’s multi-tasking percussionist, simultaneously performing congas, bongos, cowbells, and cymbals. Laura’s dominating musical presence with her band is a testament to her advocacy of female empowerment.
Zach Preston - Guitarist & Backing Vocalist
Zach Preston has devoted his life to music and the nylon string guitar. With influence and musical exchanges from his time in Southern Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean, it is no doubt he has honed his skill on the nylon string guitar, and developed an unmistakable signature sound along the way. His philosophy and approach to guitar continue to push the limits of its musical role in modern Latin and Caribbean music. Zach’s belief and lifetime goal is to share his unique perspective to the role of the guitar in the culturally rich music of the Caribbean. By reconnecting lost musical heritage between the stylistic approaches found in Spain, Africa and the Caribbean, he hopes his life work leaves a map to understanding the truly diverse and incredible role the guitar can have in Latin Music. Zach continues his work, pushing the limits through both recording and performance with the Caribbean Club Trio, enjoying a performance career both nationally and Internationally between Canada and Latin America. In 2015, Zach was named Instrumentalist of the Year in the Niagara Music Awards.
William Preston - Bassist, Clave & Kick Pedals
William Preston fell in love with the electric bass at an early age, and since then, has enjoyed an upbringing of performing music in various styles, with Afro-Cuban music, Funk, R&B, and Jazz as his home-bases. Within the Caribbean Club Trio, Will has been able to pioneer a style of multitasking performance not yet seen on the Latin-Jazz world stage; performing tumbao as well as soloing on his signature 6-string bass, whilst simultaneously holding down clave and kick pedals with his feet. As a composer, it’s through Will’s diverse musical upbringing, and unbiased ear that he continues to combine styles in re-imagined ways. He credits his Afro-Latin-Music love affair to his past collaborative projects, as well as musical exchanges during his regular travels to Havana, Cuba. William Preston’s electrifying performances continuously push the boundaries of the electric bass’s role in modern Latin Music, while supporting his colleagues with his instantly-recognizable sound.