Schedule of events - Donostia Kultura

Julius Rodriguez

Julius Rodriguez (piano)

Born in White Plains, New York, in 1998 and currently based in LA, Julius Rodriguez, pianist, drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer, has become one of the most vibrant figures of the new generation of American Jazz. Trained at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege and later at the Juilliard School, such was his precocious talent that he soon began to play in New York clubs and joined professional bands, showing, immediately, remarkable versatility.

An artist that easily navigates different fields of music, his language combines contemporary Jazz, gospel, rhythm & blues, hip hop and electronic with remarkable naturalness, always projecting his own identity. With such a stylistic range, he has been able, over the years, to work with figures as diverse as Wynton Marsalis, A$AP Rocky, Kassa Overall, Meshell Ndegeocello, Roy Hargrove or Carmen Lundy, with whom he will perform at this 61st edition of Jazzaldia, (Victoria Eugenia Theatre, 22 July, 6 pm).

His discography reflects an open and dynamic approach that defies easy labelling. For Julius, Jazz is a space in which the most daring improvisation, urban pulse, pop sensibility and gospel spirituality can live with each other.  

On stage, the young American pianist is all intense, contagious energy, exuding the kind of spontaneity that allows for easy connection with the audience, as well as seemingly endless creativity. Definitely one to watch here.

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Bruce Barth & Vicente Archer

Bruce Barth (piano), Vicente Archer (double bass)

Pianist Bruce Barth and double bassist Vicente Archer are two of the most sought-after musicians on the international Jazz scene. Together, as a duo, they bring their vision to some Jazz classics as well as some of their own compositions.

Born in California and trained in the vibrancy of the world of New York, Bruce Barth has been considered one of the leading pianists in contemporary Jazz for decades. After a solid musical education, he began his professional career at a very young age, sharing the stage with figures such as Stanley Turrentine, Terence Blanchard, Stan Getz Freddie Hubbard, Phil Woods or Tony Benne. Barth, who has also distinguished himself as a composer, producer and teacher, has been acclaimed by international critics. The New York Times spoke glowingly of him as one of the most interesting pianists of his generation. His discography is vast, he is a regular presence at festivals around the world, and he has earned the respect of colleagues, audiences and the specialised press alike.

Vicente Archer is a unique and enormously creative double bassist, and stands out as such. He has worked with Donald Harrison, John Scofield, Norah Jones, Pat Metheny, Brad Mehldau, Wynton Marsalis, John Scofield, Kenny Garrett and many other big names in Jazz. He has led his own projects and currently brings his double bass to the table in projects by Peter Bernstein, Nicholas Payton and Robert Glasper, among others.

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Benito Gonzalez

Benito Gonzalez (piano)

Benito Gonzalez is one of those pianists who is transforming the legacy of Jazz, a force behind the powerful thrust that is driving the music towards new horizons. His creativity and devotion to the instrument have made him an unmistakable voice on the current scene, where, as a tireless explorer of contemporary piano, he is now a consolidated figure.

Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition in 2005 and honoured in 2020 as a Steinway & Sons artist for the rhythmic force and the Afro-Latin patterns that permeate his music, the Venezuelan-born, New York-based pianist began heavily steeped in the sounds of his country's folklore, before allowing himself to be guided by figures such as Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett.

His career in the USA began in Washington D.C., where he played with Ghanaian maestro, Okyerema Asante. He decided to stay there to live. In the course of his career, he has shared the stage with Jackie McLean. That was in 2003, and shortly after that he joined Kenny Garrett's quartet and was with them for seven years, during which he was twice nominated for a Grammy. He later collaborated with Azar Lawrence and in 2019 joined the legendary Pharoah Sanders as pianist and musical director.

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Benjamin Moussay

Benjamin Moussay (piano)

Moussay, born in Strasbourg, is often described as a keyboard wizard, a space shaper, an imaginative pianist with a sensual touch and a unique approach that is easily identifiable.

After graduating initially in classical piano from the Strasbourg Conservatory, Benjamin Moussay then studied Jazz at the Paris Conservatoire National Supérieur. Winner of the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition and the Best Soloist Award at the Défense National Jazz Competition, he is one of the most sought-after pianists in French Jazz today. Look no further than his collaborations with great musicians for proof of that: Louis Sclavis, Marc Ducret, Daniel Humair, Tony Malaby, Steve Swallow, Michel Portal, Vincent Peirani, Martial Solal, Youn Sun Nah, Airelle Besson...

In addition to playing with and for other artists, Moussay leads a trio featuring Eric Echampard and Arnault Cuisinier, and a duo with Claudia Solal. As a solo musician, he was the second French pianist in history to record a solo piano album for the ECM label: Promontoire (2020). He also teaches and composes for theatre and the cinema, particularly silent films.

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Emile Parisien & Vincent Peirani - Abrazo

Émile Parisien (soprano saxophone), Vincent Peirani (accordion)

The duo formed by saxophonist Emile Parisien and accordionist Vincent Peirani is one of the most outstanding collaborations in contemporary European Jazz. Since they first met in 2010, their musical connection has evolved into one of the most fruitful and admired partnerships on the Jazz scene today. They have done over 1,000 concerts together, 600 of which have been in duo format, offering a robust musical chemistry that is truly unique on stage. 

Their first joint album, Belle Époque (2014) was a tribute to saxophonist Sidney Bechet that led them to later perform on the most prestigious stages all over the world. This work later received many awards, including the Echo Jazz and Les Victoires du Jazz.

Six years of preparation went into their second record together, Abrazo (2020), inspired by the elegance, melancholy and power of tango. In Abrazo, the duo refashions compositions of maestros such as Astor Piazzolla, includes dazzling arrangements by artists such as Kate Bush, and also incorporates compositions of their own. The opening track, Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Cave”, establishes a subtle bridge with Belle Époque (2014), turning both albums into a suite that can be listened to consecutively and savoured as a complete musical experience.

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