Tampa Bay World Nation
“School Of Fish”
Tampa Bay World Nation performed in May 2006, as part of a “Sharitage Festival” at Spring Hill Elementary in Spring Hill, Florida. The group featured three talented children: drummer, Justin Bacchi, then age 10; singer Kaitlin Matthews, then age 9; and her brother, guitarist Shane Matthews, then age 11. Through cultural and musical influences of teacher/collaborator Katia Valdeos, a native of Lima, Peru, instrumentation included el cajon, an Afro-Peruvian box drum; la quijada, also known as a “donkey’s jaw;” and la cajita, a small box hung around the neck that Katia played by tapping with a special stick while simultaneously opening and closing the top.
In March 2008 the group appeared as part of a Destiny Quibble & Friends tribute to honor dedicated members of the Hispanic Civic and Cultural Scholarship Foundation (HCCSF) in support of their scholarship fundraiser. The program included an original song, “Walking in a Memory;” songs in Swahili, Yoruba, Japanese, and Spanish; and the guitar expertise of Shane Matthews, performing “Malaguena.” Among the “friends” was Bastante, a Latin flavored vocal and percussion group featuring Daisy Echegaray, Miluska Valdeos, Katia Valdeos, and Cynthia Haring. News articles appeared prior and after the event.
Currently, we are completing our Doo Wop recordings with plans for another ethnic CD, “School of Fish,” later in 2011.
Jessica Doolittle, 16, is one of the earliest members of the Tampa Bay World Nation singers. When she was six, Jessica performed at area shows and in the recording studio with World Nation. Jessica is a singer, dancer, and musician who plays guitar and keyboards. She is also active in community service and music teaching with her brother, Shawn, through their “Kids Helping Kids” Children’s Charity Fund. For more information, contact: www.sjdccf.com.