|
contents | jazz | |||||||||||||
| The Andres Prado Quintet in St. Paul by Andrea Canter,Jazz Police Lima, Peru native guitarist/composer Andrés Prado has made quite an impression on local jazz audiences since moving to the suburban Twin Cities last fall. His performance at the Artists Quarter in December featured two diverse sets, ranging from Coltrane to Peruvian folk themes. Now Prado returns to the AQ with his wide-ranging repertoire rooted in the Andes and Amazon, from Creole waltzes to Afro-Peruvian grooves. As before, he will be joined by Twin Cities’ all-stars Pete Whitman (sax), Kevin Washington (drums), and Brian Ziemniak (piano), along with special guest, fellow Peruvian Enrique Luna. Only 34, Andres Prado brings to his music the influences of jazz and classical studies at conservatories in Lima (National Conservatoire of Music), Buenos Aires (Avellaneda School of Popular Music), and London (Trinity College of Music). During his post-graduate studies at Trinity in 2002, he garnered three prestigious awards—the Isabel Bond Gold Medal Award for best performer of the year, the Montagu Cleeve Guitar Prize for best guitarist, and the founders Prize for Excellence. Prado has taught Latin and jazz guitar at conservatories in both London and Peru over the past few years, as well as lecturing in Jazz Performance at McNally Smith in St. Paul. As a bandleader, his trio and other ensembles have appeared at jazz and music festivals in Peru, Argentina, and England; and on radio and television. Prado has also worked with such legends as Spyro Gyra, Jimmy Hamilton, and John Butler. Currently he is working on an American film examining religious music in South America. His newest venture is “Sueños Festejos” (Celebration of Dreams), a fusion of indigenous and black Peruvian shamanist music with jazz. Notes Prado, “I am grateful to my culture. It has given me a lot of inspirations for my compositions.” Andres Prado recently released two recordings on the Minnesota-based RPM Records label—Chinchano (classical Peruvian folk music) and Jazz Imagery (contemporary jazz). He’s currently working on recordings of solo classical guitar, jazz quintet, and a follow-up of Jazz Imagery with Enrique Luna. Bassist/composer Enrique Luna is co-founder of the jazz-fusion band Peru Jazz, and appeared with Prado on Jazz Imagery. Considered one of South America’s premiere bassists and composers, Luna’s “funky and intellectual approach exhibits his exposure to musical culture during his New York City youth days” (Artists Quarter press release). Sax master Peter Whitman is well known locally as the leader of Departure Point and the X-Tet, and member of the JazzMN Big Band. Drummer Kevin Washington drew up surrounded by music in Detroit before moving to the Twin Cities, where he keeps busy with the Doug Little Quartet, Moveable Feast, Jazz Is Now Orchestra, and his own ensembles. Young Brian Ziemniak is building his reputation as a first-call keyboard player, appearing with the band Blow Zone as well as on his own gigs at venues such as Sophia’s. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |