Oscar Perez Music
07.09.08 | Oscar Perez Nuevo Comienzo receives a 2008-2009 CMA Grant for New Works: Creation and Presentation Program
Jazz ensembles and presenters, as well as freelance jazz musicians and jazz advocates, are a growing presence in Chamber Music America's membership.
The New Works: Creation and Presentation Program supports the creation and performance of ensemble works in the jazz idiom. It is funded through the generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Eligible applicants are professional jazz ensembles led by (or including) a composer/performer. Ensembles consist of a core group (from two to ten musicians) with a demonstrated history of performing original music featuring jazz improvisation.
07.05.06 | Oscar Perez receives the 2006 ASCAP/IAJE Commission In Honor Of Billy Strayhorn
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and the International Association for Jazz Education commemorate the memory of Billy Strayhorn by commissioning two works in his honor. These works will be premiered at the annual IAJE Conference in New York City, January 10, 2007.
Oscar Perez received the commission for EMERGING JAZZ COMPOSER
Rufus Reid received the commission for ESTABLISHED JAZZ COMPOSER
04.09.06 | A Little Latin, A Lot of Jazz
BRJS Presents Oscar Perez Trio at Meadowbrook Inn Sunday
By Jeff Eason
The bar will be raised on the jazz scene this weekend when one of New York City’s favorite sons brings his talented band to Blowing Rock.
The Oscar Perez Trio will perform at the Meadowbrook Inn in Blowing Rock on Sunday, April 9th from 7 to 9 p.m. The show is being presented by the Blowing Rock Jazz Society and admission is $15 per person for the general public and free for all BRJS members in good standing.
Queens, New York native Perez has been expressing himself with the black and white keys of the piano since he was seven years old. Growing up his household was always filled with the sounds of his father’s Cuban folk music, pop music of the day, and church music. His musical education was further enhanced with his enrollment to the LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts—a school made famous by the movie Fame.
His other training has included studying under pianists Robert Harris and Edgar Roberts before graduating from the University of North Florida with a degree in Jazz Performance. He completed his Masters Degree at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.
From his early twenties onward, Perez has been thrust into the limelight playing with such jazz luminaries as Bunky Green, George Russell, Curtis Fuller, Ira Sullivan and George Garzone. He has also played the piano backing such non-jazz stars as Michael McDonald and Phoebe Snow. He has toured the United States, South America, Costa Rica, the Azores Islands, the Dominican Republic, Russia and Siberia.
Perez has experience leading both a large “big band” and an intimate trio, all the while maintaining high standards on both traditional jazz compositions and his own Latin-tinged originals.
His latest album, Nuevo Comienzo, featuring eleven Perez-composed jazz tunes, is one of those rare albums that successfully combine Latin rhythms with aggressive jazz tunes and skillful improvisation. Perez instinctively knows how to present each of his tunes and also allows his talented side players the chance to put their own stamp on the music.
“As a musician, I feel that our sole purpose is to communicate with the hope of entertaining, inspiring and uplifting those who grace us with their attention,” said Perez. “The truly great artists have spoken volumes through both their instruments and their pens.
“The idea of finding our voice is congruous with speaking a language we first listen to. Like a child who learns to communicate by emulating and later refining his or her skills, I also have embraced my musical guardians.”
Nuevo Comienzo features Perez on piano and Fender Rhodes, Greg Glassman on trumpet and flugelhorn, Stacy Dillard on saxophone, Anthony Perez on upright acoustic bass, and Geoff Clapp on drums, with Wycliffe Gordon on trombone and Peter Bernstein on guitar. Classic and timeless, the album is full of challenging jazz compositions and intriguing lead playing without being “messy” or discordant.
“It is true that everything an artist experiences shapes the art they create,” said Perez. “This nascent excursion into the discovery of my own compositional voice, regardless of genre, has been enlightening.”
For more information on the Oscar Perez Trio concert, call Blowing Rock Jazz Society president Fred Germann at (423) 727-0795.
04.02.06 | Nuevo Comienzo available on VCast, Emusic, Rhapsody, Napster and many others
Nuevo Comienzo is now available through 30 different internet download sites.
Verizon Wireless has picked up the CD for customer downloads. This feature allows you to put the music right into your phone!
Emusic.com, Rhapsody.com and Napster.com are very popular music download sites as well.
03.03.06 | AllAboutJazz.com Review of Nuevo Comienzo
By Matt Merewitz
Pianist Oscar Perez has not exactly gone unnoticed. Sure, you may not have heard of him before now. But esteemed trombonist Wycliffe Gordon has taken note, as have saxophonist George Garzone, trombonist Curtis Fuller, and composer George Russell, all of whom have incorporated the young New York-based pianist into their ensembles. Perez shows his ample skill on this first self-released album, incorporating the stylistic elements of Tyner, Hancock, Larry Willis, and Chucho Valdes.
A graduate of the LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, the University of North Florida, and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, Perez has studied with Danilo Perez (no relation) and the late Sir Roland Hanna.
Perez’s command of the keyboard is evident throughout Nuevo Comienzo, though most notably when he demonstrates his Fender Rhodes chops on “Early Endeavor,” a hard-driving polyrhythmic tune. His sidemen prove particularly impressive as well. Saxophonist Stacy Dillard’s soprano soulfully screams into the upper registers on “El Padrino,” while drummer Geoff Clapp’s crisp hits and guitarist Peter Bernstein's tasteful comping build around Dillard’s tenor solo on “Hilltop Arrival.” And Gordon reminds us that he is a force to be reckoned with on the trombone, delivering a spectacular, jaw-dropping performance on the through-composed Perez original “Regalo.”
If there are any areas to be improved upon, it would seem that Perez’s compositions could flow a little bit better and end less abruptly. Parts of “Baile de K” and “Regalo” just happen, without warning or any sort of logical transitions.
Nuevo Comienzo draws comparisons to the recent efforts of players such as Luis Perdomo, Arturo O’Farrill, Yosvany Terry, and Manuel Valera, all of whom are attempting a hybridization of progressive jazz composition with Afro-Cuban styles like guaguanco and son. Perez does it just as well as any of these cats. It’s just a matter of time before his name enters the jazz public’s consciousness.
02.22.06 | Hothouse Mention
Pianist Perez' website is bursting with enthusiastic reviews for his new CD, Nuevo Comienzo - and justly so. To his working quintet (which knocked 'em dead during a recent tour of Siberia!), he added Wycliffe Gordon's trombone and Peter Bernstein's guitar for guest spots. The pulse throughout is primarily Latin and the tunes are all Oscar's. Greg Glassman shines on trumpet and Stacy Dillard beautifully handles the saxophone parts. Bassist and drummer are Matthew Rybicki and Will Terrill. Ida Mae's, by the way, is a newish no-cover spot at 111 W. 38th St. between Broadway and Sixth Ave. Sets are at 7:30 and 9:00 PM. Written by Paul Blair
01.27.06 | eJazznews.com CD Review by John Gilbert
Oscar Perez..Oscar Perez Music..2005
Oscar Perez has created some sounds as hot as a Cuban night and others come like a susurration, whispering its message like a cool breeze, to the discerning ear.
Perez utilizes a quintet with occasional special guest appearances by
Wycliffe Gordon and others.
There are eleven tunes on this album and each is a gem. Perez has the
facility and ideation at the piano which should bode well for him in the
jazz world. His side men have been selected with care and they perform
admirably.
Perez can be heard at his best on track two entitled, "Baile de K" in
which (if the listener has ears) one can hear a respectful nod to the
great Bud Powell.
This is a superb Latin Jazz recording.
5 Stars
01.05.06 | CD Review on JazzReview.com
Featured Artist: Oscar Perez
CD Title: Nuevo Comienzo
Year: 2005
Style: Contemporary Jazz
Musicians:
Oscar Perez (piano), Greg Glassman (trumpet, flugelhorn), Stacy Dillard (saxophones), Anthony Perez (acoustic bass), Geoff Clapp (drums), Angel Desai (vocals), Emiliano Valerio (percussion), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Peter Bernstein ( guitar)
Review:
Prolific pianist and composer Oscar Perez delivers with his new release Nuevo Comienzo an amazing bouquet of Latin jazz compositions. Performed with Greg Glassman, Stacy Dillard, Anthony Perez, Angel Desai, Emiliano Valerio and special guests Wycliffe Gordon and Peter Bernstein, this album is a wonderful collective work.
Perez blends his Latin rhythmic Cuban roots and American jazz with high skill. This young man is always searching for musical explorations and new ways to combine compositional forms.
The release of these tracks show a great interplay inside the group. Notable is trumpeter Greg Glassman, who sets a wonderful groove. Wycliffe Gordon and Stacy Dillard hold down the fort while Oscar Perez explores the piece, Baile de K.
Anthony Perez and Stacy Dillard create a great exchange of swing while the piano explores the tune Hilltop Arrival with an upbeat mood. Brilliant are the voices of Gordon on trombone and Dillard playing the saxophones on Borrowed n Blue On this, Oscar Perez adds a degree of tension which allows a great solo from Glassman's trumpet.
Already popular in South America where his compositions, groups and styles are admired, Oscar Perez travels with his Latin rhythms even as far as Siberia He knows where and when to spark the salsa's heat when cooking with Latin jazz!
Not only is Oscar Perez a musician very active on the New York scene, closely associated with The Colden Center, The Juilliard School and Jazz at Lincoln Center, but he is also the music director of the St Edward's Church in Harlem. His voice fits very well in many contexts, which proves his dexterity and passion for his art.
Nuevo Comienzo offers a broad range of styles coming close to near-perfection and intensity.
Reviewed by: Dr. Ana Isabel Ordonez
01.03.06 | CD Review on Roberta on the Arts Web Magazine
Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
January 3, 2006
This CD has a nice fusion of Latin, jazz, and soft listening. Special guests, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone and Peter Bernstein on guitar, bring an extra dimension to this emerging jazz ensemble. Oscar Perez has composed an eclectic mix of abstract, surreal sound, fused with almost danceable mambo rhythms. There are inclusions of voice, percussion, and brass heard above the standard trio of piano, drums, and bass.
(All music composed by Oscar Perez).
Notable tracks:
#4–Borrowed ‘n Blue – With a percussive introduction, followed with a brass combo, the piano adds soft swing that mellows the track. Glassman on trumpet leads Dillard on sax, as Perez creates a soft background blending. Clapp on drums is prominently featured, in and around the horns. Perez’ solo passage is accompanied by soft brushes and muted brass.
#7 –Regalo – With a fused trombone leading the brass contingent, this track quickly goes Latin clave rhythm. The danceable motif is brief, as Gordon on trombone adds depth to atonal horns. Anthony Perez on bass takes a short riff, prior to Oscar’s contemplative one. The band teams up for a flourish and finale.
#8 –Solamente Todo – Bernstein, on guitar, develops an immediate, mellow, meandering mood. Bass and guitar blend with soft keyboard and drums, while the brass contingent is silent.
#10 –Early Endeavor – An eerie opening, with contemporary keyboard effects leads to horns and back to the keyboard, in an almost Asian motif. This is an abstract, fragmented, but often melodic track worth waiting for.
01.01.06 | Nuevo Comienzo available on MusicIsHere.com
12.30.05 | Part of Jazz Improv.com Artist Roster
10.30.05 | New CD Nuevo Comienzo is NOW available on CDBaby.com
There are sample clips in the Listen Menu as well as on the CDBaby Site. Thanks to everyone involved. Keep a look out for CD Release Party and other performances In and OUT of town.
10.29.05 | New CD Nuevo Comienzo available on ITunes...
and also on Bestbuy.com and Tower.com as well as yahoomusic.com...check it out
10.02.05 | A Press Release on Contemporaryjazz.com
check out the mention of the new CD on October 2 entries...
08.22.05 | Review of Sidney Bechet Concert with Wycliffe Gordon Group
The Sidney Bechet Society, Ltd
At The Lighthouse
111 East 59th Street
NY, NY
Featuring:
Wycliffe Gordon, Trombone, Vocals, Leader
Randy Sandke, Trumpet
Matthew Rybicki, Bass
Kurt Stockdale, Sax
Doug Wamble, Guitar, Vocals
Oscar Perez, Piano
Alvin Atkinson, Drums
Yvette Spears, Vocals
Jared Grimes, Tap Dancer
Frankie Clemente, Tap Dancer
Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
August 22, 2005
With authentic New Orleans Blues and Swing, Wycliffe Gordon, on vocals and trombone, led a jam session for the Sidney Bechet Society tonight, and he brought exceptional talent with him. As it happened, I had just watched a documentary tribute to Sidney Bechet on television, and, although Bechet played saxophone (Tonight Kurt Stockdale was on sax) Wycliffe Gordon was clearly the leader of his eclectic ensemble of musicians and performers, including two young men, both talented tap dancers in a group called, The Young Hoofers.
On the Sunny Side of the Street opened the two-set program, and Wycliffe sang and played trombone. He offered generous solos to his band, and Wycliffe turned out to have a “Jazz Tenor” exuberant vocal range, one with warmth and persona. Wycliffe has a commanding onstage presence, whether on tantalizing trombone or vivacious vocals. Another song about New Orleans was next, and the versatile pianist, Oscar Perez joined Matthew Rybicki on bass, which doubled as enhanced percussion, with Rybicki sassily slapping the wooden bass. A blended, bluesy work followed, Bechet’s Fantasy, with the drum rolls of a New Orleans marching band.
After intermission, Sweet Georgia Brown played through this functional hall, with its anti-club ambiance, so jubilantly that one could have imagined we were seated in Blue Note or Iridium. Jared Grimes, like Frankie Clemente a member of The Young Hoofers, but older and more professionally ready for the stage, created the illusion that he was a one-man percussive band, with that rhythm coming from his two tapping feet, not from a set of sticks and drums. Oscar Perez, Doug Wamble, and Kurt Stockdale all took generous solos, before this piece concluded, and even Frankie Clemente was invited back to make it a tap duo extravaganza.
Caravan, the finale, found Wycliffe on didgeridoo, an extra-long wooden horn, shaped like a hollow pole, and he used exotic, vocal-horn effects, before the guest drummer went wild. Randy Sandke, the seasoned and sensational trumpet player, joined Kurt Stockdale and a young, guest sax player, as well as Doug Wamble on guitar, for an atonal riff, before piano, bass, and percussion, joined by tap dancers, filled the expansive hall with wanton jazz, with Wycliffe seizing the theme, a one-man caravan of music.
05.23.05 | Review of MOVE by Don Williamson
Seven of the ten pieces on Move are his original compositions, and they vary from the vibes-driven tango allusions of “Chief,” reminiscent of some of Gary Burton’s work, to the contrasting moods of “The Waltz” as Tamburr on piano alternates from tender evocation to blues-driven resolution of the theme.
“Dae La,” for example, involves a series of suites that come together to form the entire piece propelled by a rumba feel, which pianist Oscar Perez particularly brings to life. “Esqué,” similarly, comprises a complex arrangement that includes Elisa Pruett’s bass lines, some like “Day Tripper’s,” but moving into unexpected modulations embellished by glissandos, swelling dynamics and stop-on-a-dime pauses.
And when Tamburr plays standards, he reinterprets them. “That’s All” started with a pedal point stated on piano before gliding into the medium swing of the song itself over Pruett’s walking bass. More unconventional, though, is Tamburr’s approach to “Softly (As In A Morning Sunrise),” which assumes a minor-keyed, African-percussion-based circular vamp under the the relaxed presentation of the melody. Jazz vibraphonists are almost like a fraternity, so few are their number, and it’s gratifying to see that the instrument is carrying on in the capable hands of a versatile musician who creates intriguing compositions as well as engaging music.
05.22.05 | Review of Move by John Gilbert
"Blues For Jo" A blistering piano solo by Oscar Perez sets the table for
Christian Tamburr's dynamic vibe message. This tune gets off the ground
in a hurry. The timing by all is exact and the ideas run rampart in this
penning by Tamburr. This piece is the hallmark of this album.
The ballad side of Tamburr is beautifully demonstrated on "Taking A
Chance On Love" A whisper of Milt Jackson is evident in Christian Tamburr's solo with an occasional mention of Dave Pike but the delivery is all Christian Tamburr.
"That's All" sashays along most gracefully and swings like the
proverbial porch glider. This solid rendition is a fitting finale to a
super album.
Christian Tamburr is a vibist to be reckoned with on the jazz scene.
4 Stars
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