Carlos Francis is the son of Panamanian parents. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York where he began playing the trumpet in the fifth grade. He continues his music education in Irvington, New Jersey where he participates in marching, concert and jazz bands. He attended Montclair State University where he received his B.A. degree in music education.

It is no coincidence that Carlos is a musician and teacher since he hails from a family of musicians and educators. His grandfather Romeo Francis was a bandleader (played baritone sax), his uncle Claude Walker Jr. was a drummer and bandleader. His father is an excellent tenor saxophonist who plays in a variety of Latin bands (La Conexion Panamena) and is a contributor in this CD.

There are quite a few educators in the family, which includes his grandmother Louise McGrath Walker, who was the founder/owner of the McGrath Walker Business School, and Joyce Headley (aunt) in Panama. His mother, Jacqueline Walker Sapp, is a bilingual guidance counselor; Louis Walker (uncle) is a former principal. Ivy Richards (cousin) is a teacher all in the N.Y.C. public school system. Carlos also has a brother (Andrei Francis) who is an outstanding club DJ for Brokers Entertainment Complex in East Orange, NJ.

An outstanding studio musician, Carlos has recorded with Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Denroy Morgan, Charles Farland, Kool and the Gang, Rites of Passage and the Spirit of Life Ensemble.

Carlos has performed with Lionel Hampton, Jimmy McGriff, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, David “Fathead” Newman, Randy Weston, Rhoda Scott, Gloria Coleman, Don Patterson and many others.

Carlos has toured Europe, performing at the Pori (Finland) Jazz Festival and “The Duc Des Lombards Jazz Club in Paris, France. He also made numerous television appearances, performing with the Spirit of Life Ensemble on Fox 5, NUN 50, and Comcast (NJ) Cable live at Liberty Park. He performed with the group Rites of Passage on a live radio broadcast on WBGO for the 1997 Newark Jazz Festival and was also interviewed for the Spirit of Life CD “Feel the Spirit” which featured his composition “Happy Blues” also broadcast on WBGO.

Carlos’ trumpet influences are Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Woody Shaw, Cat Anderson, Maynard Ferguson, Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker, Hugh Masekela, Herb Alpert, Chuck Mangione and Tom Browne.