Alain Pérez

Alain Pérez Rodríguez (born April 20, 1977 in Trinidad ) is a Cuban musician ( electric bass , vocals, composition, also keyboards ) and music producer. He is active in both Latin jazz and world music , especially flamenco .

Live and act

Pérez grew up in Manaca Iznaga, a small town in the province of Sancti Spíritus , where he was initially trained musically by his father. At the age of eight he began performing as a singer in the children's group Cielito Lindo . From the age of eleven he was taught music theory, classical guitar and piano at the local conservatory, in order to continue his studies with the subjects of classical and electric guitar and conducting in Havana at the Escuela Nacional de Música , where he graduated with top marks in 1996. Chucho Valdés discovered him while he was still a student; He played with him, first as a keyboard player, at the Jazz Plaza Festival , and in 1998 also on recordings for Blue Note Records . In 1994 he worked as a pianist and singer for Irakere and then as bassist for Issac Delgado , with whom he recorded five albums and for whom he wrote the hit La sandunguita (2014).

Since 1997 Pérez has also been the arranger and bassist for Celia Cruz , with whom he recorded the Grammy- nominated albums Siempre viviré and Regalo del Alma . After several tours, he settled in Madrid. Because of his interest in flamenco, he began to play with Niño Josele (the collaboration is documented on two albums), then with Enrique Morente . He also recorded with Diego El Cigala , Josemi Carmona , Estrella Morente , Jorge Pardo , Javier Colina and Concha Buika . For ten years he was part of the Paco de Lucia ensemble , with whom he recorded the album Cositas Buenas and performed internationally. He is also a member of Jerry Gonzalez's quartet touring Europe . As a music producer he is responsible for the album CuCu Diamantes by Andrés Levin , which was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2015 .

Discographic notes

• En el Aire (Ayya 2005, with Pepe Rivero, Iván Melón Lewis, Javier Caramelo Massó, Georvis Pico, Kiki Ferrer, Pepe Espinosa, Carlos Sarduy, Román Filiú , Inoidel Gonzalés)
• Hablando con Juana (Black Lion 2014)
• Alain Pérez Septeto Tradicional El alma del Son: Tributo a Matamoros (Warner 2015, nominated for a Latin Grammy)

Web links

• Web presence (spanish)
• Alain Pérez at EcuRed (Spanish)
• Interview (2002) (Spanish)
• Cubano Alain Pérez, nominado a los Grammy Latinos (Spanish)
• Alain Pérez at Discogs (English)