Carlos Caly Araiza is originally from Oakland and raised is San Francisco. Formal music studies began at age 10 playing alto saxophone at Laguna Honda School in San Francisco. From there Caly continued music studies at Everett Jr. High School playing tenor sax in the big jazz band. Caly moved on to perform tenor sax in the big band jazz program at Mission High School, then on to major in music at San Francisco State University receiving a Masters Degree in Creative Arts Education.
First professional gig at age 15 at the Transfer Club in SF playing tenor sax with the youth salsa band: Conjunto Juventud. From this point on Caly plays in about 5 bands simultaneously keeping the gig calendar full as a free-lance musician.
Caly performs vocals, flute, saxophones, guitars, piano, and Latin Percussion (bongo, congas, timbales, and small percussion).
Caly has been a regular member of the following groups: Afro-Mystik, J.Boogie's Dubtronic Science,
Benny Velarde, Roy Brown, Daniel Valdez and Brotherhood, San Francisco Taiko Dojo, Danilo Paez y su Orquesta Universal, Cubanacan, Tumbao Y Cuerda, and more. Caly composes, arranges, performs and produces music currently for the following productions:
Araiza Salsajazz, Mambo Cats, Latin House Players, The Beat Gens,
and contemporary R&B group Caly.