EDWARD PÉREZ
Bass
Bassist, composer, and Grammy-nominated bandleader Edward Perez resides in the cultural crossroads of Queens, New York, where he maintains musical collaborations in a myriad of styles. The early years of Perez’s career included stints in Boston and Lima, Peru, where he began his formation in jazz, latin-jazz, and Afro-Peruvian styles. Since arriving in New York in 2005, Pérez has toured throughout the world, performing in more than twenty countries for acclaimed bandleaders in jazz such as Paquito D’Rivera, Ralph Peterson Jr, Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra and Ignacio Berroa and even sharing the stage with jazz luminaries such as Lee Konitz, Kenny Werner, Lionel Loueke, Mark Turner, and Seamus Blake. His own project, Terraza Big Band, received a Grammy nomination in the large ensemble category for their debut recording “One Day Wonder,” featuring compositions by Perez as well as co-leader Michael Thomas. Perez’s numerous recording credits as a sideman include three Latin-Grammy nominated recordings and as well as another Grammy nod in the Latin-jazz category.
Edward Perez’s wide-ranging musical curiosity has lead him to explore a myriad of styles, performing with renowned artists from a host of styles such as Lebanese oud master Marcel Khalife, flamenco phenom Diego Amador, Colombian singer Lucia Pulido, and Galician gaita powerhouse Cristina Pato. Owing to the lasting influence of his years in Lima, he has performed with many of the greats of Afro-Peruvian music, including Oscar Avilés, Julio “Chocolate” Algendones, Juan Medrano Cotito, and Grammy winner Eva Ayllón. Perez currently maintains his own project in the Afro-Peruvian genre, Festejation, a band which tours throughout the northeastern United States. Currently a member of Silkroad, Perez regularly collaborates with other members of the collective and has even shared the stage with it’s founder, Yo-Yo Ma, performing Perez’s own compositions in David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Just as Perez’s performance career is not limited to jazz, his compositions and arrangements in a wide variety of styles have been performed in venues such as The Kennedy Center, Massey Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, El Gran Teatro Nacional de Lima, Damascus Opera House, and Boston Symphony Hall.