Band Members

Robbie Cree is a native of north-central Montana and the surrounding reservation lands, not far from where Chief Joseph made his last stand.  Witnessing the plight of Native Americans in his hometown  raised his awareness of social justice and human rights. Together with his exposure to world music rhythms from his extensive travels to developing countries on charitable medical mission trips, Robbie forged musical compositions combining upbeat African and Latin rhythm with his love of American blues, jazz, and other musical styles from oppressed cultures.  He studied classical and jazz piano as a youth and has also studied blues, flamenco and bossa nova guitar and blues harmonica.  He was formally the band leader of Flor de Cana and de Mala Fama and played in the Afro-beat project Afrodesiac.  He is a medical doctor who holds a Master’s degree in Public Health and is the president and founder of Surg+Restore, a medical charity working in Sierra Leone and Ghana and is Chairman of the Oregon Public Health Association. He composes in English, Spanish and Sierra Leone Krio languages.

Former Professor of Music at the University of Havana, Dashel Ruiz Perez has extensive training and teaching experience in classical, jazz and flamenco guitar.  He formerly played with the Cuban bands Acetunas sin Huesos, Buena Fe and the Spanish Ballet of Havana, prior to defecting to the United States through Mexico. He has credits on radio and television compositions in La Habana and has played with Portland bands, Flor de Caña, the Bobby Torres Quartet and Pepe Raphael.  His extensive knowledge of Afro-Cuban rhythms is a foundation for Ojos Feos’ all-original and creative style and lend uniqueness to his captivating improvisations on the electric guitar.

Cristina Amaya is an international lady who has always loved story lines. She is Colombian-Canadian-American.
As a child, she wanted to be a writer, but quickly realized sound, movement, and performance are her passions.
She studied public relations and English Literature in university, and is trilingual (Spanish, French, and English.)
Born in Montreal, she was exposed to a very multi-cultural community, and, subsequently, spent the first two years of life in Hawaii. She then moved to a remote area of Maine, where she felt alienated, as the population lacked diversity.  At the age of 14 she re-located to South America and was mesmerized by the people, the food and the culture. She is honored to be  the female singer for Ojos Feos, a world music project that serves as  international voice for the unheard and unseen. She has a very eclectic taste for music, a love for yoga and enjoys exercising, dancing and the outdoors.

Born in San Diego California, Chris has played both the electric and acoustic Bass for 29 Years and was a university music major.  He has spent a great deal of his musical career playing a multitude of style such as jazz , rock, flamenco and world fusion. He was a founding member and band leader 0f the experimental fusion group Zindu, in southern California, before moving to Portland in 2008.  Here in the Pacific Northwest he has immersed himself  in the blues and jazz scenes and has played  with Hi Fi Mojo, and also as a studio musician.

A lifelong percussionist, Eric spent his formative years forming and playing in rock, blues & ska bands.  Also a lifelong humanitarian, he has spent countless hours volunteering to help the less fortunate in the Portland area, most notably when he was working with Transitional Youth, a local non-profit that helps homeless youth transition off the street.  In an attempt to learn the Spanish language, he moved to the Dominican Republic in 2010, where he was not only immersed in the language and life of the people in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country, but also immersed in the sounds of merengue, bachata, & regatón.  After living in the Dominican Republic, he returned with a passion for Latin percussion, including the congas, bongo, timbales, and a plethora of handheld instruments.  Eric plays with a variety of Latin bands in the Portland area, such as Flor de Caña, De Mala Fama, Conjunto Alegre, Cilantro and Oleada.