Ciba
George
Anthony
Jiri
Kenneth
Doris Spain
At six years of age, Ciba started playing the drums in the Pisek Music School Orchestra and played with them for nine years. At age 15, he was accepted at the Prague Conservatorium where he studied drums and piano for 4 years. At age 18, he started playing drums with the Pisek Symphony Orchestra and played with them for about six years. During this time, he also played drums for the Prague Theater Orchestra.

He played with many local bands, did theater and plays in Prague prior to moving to the United States. He also performed on the OK Band’s last LP.

He partnered with Doris Spain and Alice Vedral Rivera (band lyricist and manager) in November of 2002 and in 2003 they formed Rhythm on 22nd.

Ciba Jesina
While R on 22 was going through several transitions in 2005, Ciba started to drum for ‘Euroband’ (a Czech cover band) and continues to play with them on special occasions. He, also, drummed for ‘CIA’ (Czechs In America) and his position as ‘special guest’ for Ravenhouse has turned into being their permanent drummer. Other projects included the lead role in the Czech musical ‘The Pied Piper’ in 2007.

Ciba not only plays drums, piano, guitar and bass, he is a talented and prolific songwriter. With the exception of one song, he wrote all of the music and some of the lyrics for the first cd. His collaborations with his cousin, Alice Vedral Rivera, account for half of the cd. Ciba has loved the blues from the time, as a four-year old, he first played blues on the piano with his dad. So it is no surprise that the blues influence is noticeable in his original work.

Ciba is delighted with the newest additions of Kenneth James on drums, Anthony Banks on bass and Jiri Cafourek on lead guitar. Composing new music as a team brings an additional dimension and the band’s sound has gotten funkier.

A special shout out and much appreciation for their past and continuing contributions to R on 22nd go to former band partner - Doris Spain and to former band mates/contributing artists: Neal Rudnik, Martin Dreilich, Mark Jourdan, Andy Bowers, KJAZ (Kevin Graham), Gary Packard, AV (Alex Varner), Janey Age (Jana Hurdesova), Iva Schlezingrova, and Vlasta Kucerova.

Ciba’s influences include:
Ivan Hlas, Vaclav Kopta, Martin Kraus, Bluesberry, Phil Collins, John Mayall, Buddy Guy, The Beatles, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Koko Taylor, Etta James and James Brown.

Ciba would like to thank the following people for their support:
His Czech and American family, Doris Spain, L & J Lounge, his children - Kate and Filip, the people from Harlem Avenue Lounge, Frank, Corey, Albi and the rest of the gang from Klas Restaurant – our super fans, Alice Rivera - for her great lyrics and Neal Rudnik – who lent him his bass.