Martin Bejerano is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

pianist, composer, arranger, and educator.

Life and career

Bejerano was born in

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

, and is of Afro-Cuban heritage. He graduated from the New World School of the Arts at

Florida State University Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...

and obtained a master's degree in jazz piano performance from the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...

. He joined drummer Roy Haynes' band around 2000, and guitarist

Russell Malone Russell Malone (born November 8, 1963) is an American jazz guitarist. He began working with Jimmy Smith in 1988 and went on to work with Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana Krall throughout the 1990s.Neuroth, Matt. (2008). ''Bio: Russell Malone.'' Retr ...

's quartet in 2002. Bejerano's first album as leader, ''Evolution/Revolution'', was released in 2007. '' The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' commented that there was a "classical sumptuousness in his work, though in jazz terms he is most obviously influenced by

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

".Cook, Richard and Morton, Brian (2008) ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings''. Penguin. p. 107. In 2010, Bejerano was awarded a

Chamber Music America Chamber Music America (CMA) is an American non-profit organization that provides small ensemble professionals with access to a variety of professional development, networking, and funding resources. CMA's regular initiatives include grants, awards, ...

commission for a new jazz work.Pulliam, Becca (April 19, 2012
"Martin Bejerano Trio on JazzSet"
npr.org Bejerano has cited as influences a number of rock and pop bands and classical music composers and performers, as well as jazz musicians including pianists Corea,

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

, and

Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) is an American jazz and classical music pianist and composer. Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey and later moved on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s, he has also been a ...

. Bejerano is an assistant professor of jazz piano at the

Frost School of Music Frost School of Music is the music school at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. From 1926 to 2003, it was known as University of Miami School of Music. Academics and programs The University of Miami's Frost School of Music was on ...

at the University of Miami."Frost School of Music Profiles"
University of Miami. Retrieved February 12, 2015.

Discography

An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.

As leader/co-leader

As sideman

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bejerano, Martin Living people American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists 21st-century American pianists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Year of birth missing (living people)