THE DANILO PÉREZ TRIO WILL GIVE THE INAUGURAL CONCERT OF THE JAZZ AT BARD SERIES ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9 The Latin Jazz Weekend will also feature a film and jazz workshops
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.-Danilo Pérez, world-renowned jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, will perform at Bard College on Saturday, February 9. This concert, the first in the Jazz at Bard series, will begin at 8:00 p.m. in Olin Hall. Pérez will be joined by drummer Adam Cruz and bassist Ben Street. Admission is $20.
"I look forward to a positive exchange whenever I play-a give-and-take with the audience," says Pérez. "I feel like a doctor who gives medicine for people's souls. It's about more than performing-it's a feeling of goodness, an offering of fullness of energy for their journey."
Born in Panama in 1966, Pérez has been named the cultural ambassador of his native land. His recording Motherland (2000) is a heartfelt homage to the music of Americas that focuses on the roots of Panamanian music as well as American, European, African, and Native American heritages. Motherland was nominated for a Grammy in 2000 and was named one of the best albums of the year by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, San Diego Tribune, Billboard, and the JazzTimes Critic's Poll.
While completing his degree in jazz composition at the Berklee School of Music, Pérez performed with Jon Hendricks, Claudio Roditi, and Paquito D'Rivera, and produced the critically acclaimed reunion album (Mesidor), featuring D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. From 1989 to 1992 he performed with Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra. In 1993, he began to concentrate on his own ensembles and recording projects, Danilo Pérez (1993) and The Journey (1994).
In 1995, a story in the New York Times Magazine called Pérez "a stellar young player." He performed with Wynton Marsalis's band, becoming the first Latin artist to do so. Marsalis and Pérez continued their association, composing and performing music for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Pérez has also been featured in special projects with Roy Haynes, Jack DeJohnette, Gary Burton, John Patitucci, and Wayne Shorter, and performs duets with Steve Lacey.
A faculty member of the New England Conservatory of Music, Pérez teaches improvisation and jazz studies. For two years he was the artist in residence at the Irving Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, coordinated by pianist Irma Vallecillo. He was recently presented with a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Berklee School of Music.
The Jazz at Bard series will be an ongoing effort to bring internationally recognized jazz performers to the Hudson Valley region. In addition to this program, the weekend will feature jazz workshops with Pérez and Latin jazz percussionist Ray Mantilla, as well as a screening of the film by Woodstock's John Holland, A Night in Havana, about Dizzy Gillespie's trip to Cuba. Location and times will be announced. Also scheduled, as a fundraiser for the series, is a dance at Milagros Restaurant at 73 Broadway in Tivoli on Saturday, January 19, from 8:00 to midnight.
For further information about the concert and the Jazz at Bard series, call Raissa St. Pierre at 845-758-7410 or e-mail [email protected].
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