Manuel Valera (born October 17, 1980) is a Cuban pianist and composer. Graduated from South Broward High School, Hollywood, FL

Biography

Valera was born in

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

, Cuba. Since 2000 he has lived in New York City, where he attended

New School University The New School is a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive thinkers. ...

. His playing is influenced by

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...

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 ...

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 ...

, and he has worked extensively in the groups of Dafnis Prieto,

Arturo Sandoval Arturo Sandoval is a Cuban-American jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer. While living in his native Cuba, Sandoval was influenced by jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1977 he met Gillespie, who became his ...

, Paquito D'Rivera, Brian Lynch, Yosvany Terry,

Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...

and

Lenny White Leonard "Lenny" White III (born December 19, 1949) is an American jazz fusion drummer who was a member of the band Return to Forever led by Chick Corea in the 1970s. White has been called "one of the founding fathers of jazz fusion". He has won ...

Recordings

Valera's first CD as a leader ''Forma Nueva'' was released in 2004. It features bassist

John Patitucci John Patitucci (born December 22, 1959) is an American jazz bassist and composer. Biography John James Patitucci was born in Brooklyn, New York. When he was 12, he bought his first bass and decided on his career. He listened to bass parts in R ...

, drummers Bill Stewart and Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez and saxophonist

Seamus Blake Seamus Blake (born December 8, 1970) is a British-born Canadian tenor saxophonist. Early life and education Blake was born in London, England and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His mother introduced him to jazz when he was a c ...

. ''Historia'', ''Melancolia'' and ''Vientos'' were released between 2005–2007, featuring drummers

Antonio Sanchez Anthony Sanchez, Antonio Sanchez or Tony Sanchez may refer to: Sports * Antón (footballer) (1914–2005), Spanish footballer born ''Antonio Sánchez Valdés'' * Antonio Sánchez (boxer) (1905–?), Spanish boxer * Antonio Sánchez (footballer, ...

and Ernesto Simpson, saxophonist Seamus Blake and Joel Frahm, bassists

Ben Street Ben Street is an American jazz double bassist. Street has performed and recorded with many renowned artists, including John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Ben Monder, Michael Eckroth, Sam Rivers, Billy Hart, Danilo Perez, Aaron ...

and

James Genus James Genus (January 20, 1966) is an American jazz bassist. He plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass and currently plays in the Saturday Night Live Band. Genus has performed as a session musician and sideman throughout his career, havin ...

and percussionist Luis Quintero. 2009 marked the release of ''Currents'', a trio recording with Genus and Simpson and it was also Valera's debut on the

Maxjazz Maxjazz (corporately styled MAXJAZZ) was an American jazz record label founded in 1998 by investment banker Richard McDonnell. Maxjazz recordings are generally regarded as a "straight-ahead" acoustic style of jazz. It was based in St. Louis, Miss ...

label. After a hiatus as a leader, to focus on sideman work, in 2012 Valera released ''New Cuban Express'' with Yosvany Terry on saxophone, John Benitez on bass, Tom Guarna on guitar, Eric Doob on drums, and percussionist

Mauricio Herrera Mauricio Herrera (born May 24, 1980) is an American professional boxer who held the WBA interim super lightweight title in 2014. Professional career Herrera turned pro at age 27, signing with Golden Boy Promotions. On January 7, 2011 Herre ...

.
This recording earned him a nomination for a 2013 Grammy Award in the category "Best Latin Jazz Album".

As leader

* ''Forma Nueva'' (2004, Mavo) with

, Bill Stewart, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez &

* ''Historia'' (2005,

Fresh Sound Fresh Sound, or Fresh Sound New Talent, is a jazz record label established in Barcelona, Spain, by Jordi Pujol. The label was initially founded as a reissue label. The catalog includes work by musicians both major and minor that was recorded be ...

) with

& Seamus Blake * ''Melancolia'' (2006, Mavo) with Ben Street, Antonio Sanchez, Seamus Blake, Luis Quintero * ''Vientos'' (2007,

Anzic Records Anzic Records is an independent record label, based in New York City. It was founded in 2005 and has released many albums by Israeli musicians, but does not restrict itself to performers from that country. History and scope The label was founded ...

) with James Genus, Ernesto Simpson,

Joel Frahm Joel Frahm (born 1970) is an American jazz saxophonist. Early life Frahm was born in Racine, Wisconsin, in 1970.

* ''Currents'' (2009,

) with James Genus & Ernesto Simpson * ''New Cuban Express'' (2012, Mavo) with Yosvany Terry, Tom Guarna, John Benitez, Eric Doob & Mauricio Herrera * ''Expectativas'' (2013,

CD Baby CD Baby, Inc. is an online distributor of independent music. The company was described as an "anti-label" by its parent company's Chief Operating Officer Tracy Maddux. The CD Baby music store was shut down in March 2020 with a statement that "C ...

) with Yosvany Terry, Tom Guarna, John Benitez, Paulo Stagnaro & Ludwig Afonso * ''Self Portrait'' (2014, CD Baby) * ''In Motion'' (2014,

Criss Cross Jazz Criss Cross Jazz is a Dutch record company and label specializing in jazz. Criss Cross was established in 1980 by Gerry Teekens, a drummer and German language, German professor.

) with Yosvany Terry, Tom Guarna,

Alex Sipiagin Alex Sipiagin (born June 11, 1967) is a Russian jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. Biography Sipiagin was born on June 11, 1967. He moved from Russia to the U.S. in 1990. His first major job in the U.S. was with the Gil Evans Band. He has pl ...

Hans Glawischnig, Mauricio Herrera and Ludwig Afonso * ''Live at Firehouse 12'' (2015, CD Baby) with E.J. Strickland and Hans Glawischnig * ''Urban Landscapes'' (2015, Destiny Records) with Groove Square * ''The Seasons'' (2017, Mavo Records) with E.J. Strickland and Hans Glawischnig * ''The Planets'' (2018, Mavo Records) with E.J. Strickland and Hans Glawischnig

Selected discography as a sideman

*with Dafnis Prieto – ''The Sooner The Better'' *with Dafnis Prieto – ''Si o Si Quartet Live at the Jazz Standard'' *with Brain Lynch – ''Conclave, Vol. 2'' *with

John Benitez John Benitez (born November 7, 1957), also known as Jellybean, is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, remixer, and music producer. He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters ...

– ''Purpose'' *with Oscar Feldman – ''Oscar E Familia'' *with

Samuel Torres Samuel Torres (born September 4, 1976) is a Colombian percussionist composer and arranger. He was born in Bogotá, and started playing at age twelve and became involved with different bands in his hometown. Torres' musician credits includes co ...

– ''Yaounde'' *with Dana Lauren – ''It's You or No One''

Awards

* Finalist in the 2004 and 2006 Great American Jazz Competition * Recipient of the 2005 and 2006 ASCAP Young Composers Award * Final nominee in the Up & Coming Musician of the Year category of the Jazz Journalists Association Awards. * Received a commission for the 2007, 2013 and 2017 Chamber Music America New Works Award. * New Cuban Express nominated for 2013 Grammy, Best Latin Jazz Album of the Year * 2019 Guggenheim Fellowship in musical composition

References

External links

* http://www.allmusic.com/artist/manuel-valera-mn0000128062 http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/historia-cd-4048.html http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=42465#.UFDHsUI1alI http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=26029#.UFDHyUI1alI * https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/25/arts/music/25manu.html http://www.sunnysiderecords.com/artist.php?id=411 * https://web.archive.org/web/20120922115633/http://jazztimes.com/guides/artists/9699-manuel-valera * https://www.npr.org/event/music/149577869/manuel-valeras-new-cuban-express-live-at-92y-tribeca * http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/19/3010465/dazzling-cuban-pianist-manuel.html http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/jazzwall/2004/bios/yj_recipients/valera.aspx https://archive.today/20130118043158/http://afrocubanlatinjazz4.blogspot.com/2010/03/manuel-valera-cuba-2005-192k.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Valera, Manuel Cuban composers Male composers Cuban jazz pianists People from Havana 1980 births Living people 21st-century pianists Cuban male musicians