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Diego Urbano

Born and raised in Santiago, Chile, Urbano was a musical child prodigy who grew up playing both rock drums and classical piano, later studying classical percussion at Chile's National Conservatory, though he’d finally find his own voice through the language of Jazz. He set his mind on expanding the technical possibilities of the Vibraphone in order to attain independence from other harmonic instruments and to have a different template for his compositional and improvisational approach. He shortly hit the highest level in the local scene, playing with the best Jazz musicians on styles ranging from Swing to Contemporary Jazz. He then relocated to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he teamed up with the country’s finest and most advanced musicians (he appears on pianist Ernesto Jodos’ award winning album ‘’El Jardín Seco''), expanding his language towards Avant- garde, Free and experimental music, which would then lead to his first project as a leader and composer, Diego Urbano GRUPO, with whom he recorded a self-titled debut album, to critical acclaim. In 2012, after being selected (by a panel composed of legends Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Kenny Burrell) to attend the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, he relocated to Los Angeles, California, to study with such luminaries as the afore mentioned Hancock, Shorter and Burrell, as well as Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Lewis Nash, Stefon Harris, Steve Nelson, Robin Eubanks, and Terri Lynn Carrington, among many others. He also recorded a new album as a leader in Chile in the summer of 2013, ’’Begs the Question’’, which got positive reviews by the local press. Before graduating, he and his bandmates from the Monk Institute (with whom he toured and played in Turkey, Israel, Sweden, Mexico and Japan) decided to stay together as a band, and named the project ‘’Holophonor’’, releasing a debut CD and going on tour after graduation. Immediately after, he relocated to New York City, where he is resuming his work as a leader, composer and teacher.

Awards

2010 ''El Intruso'' Argentinian Jazz journalists' poll, Best ''other instruments'' instrumentalist, nominee. 2009 ''El Intruso'' Argentinian Jazz journalists' poll, Best ''other instruments'' instrumentalist, winner. 2008 ''El Intruso'' Argentinian Jazz journalists' poll, Best ''other instruments'' instrumentalist, nominee.


Tags

''A brilliant musician. As a soloist it doesn't cease to amaze the way in which he seems to go away from each song's harmonies without loosing them from sight. It just simply connects.'' -Cuadernos de Jazz (Spanish specialized magazine), august 2012

''One of the most interesting approaches to Jazz that are made in South America is that of Urbano,'s trio. This artist makes music that hammocks between classicism and avant garde.'' -La Nación (Argentinian newspaper), march 2010

Primary Instrument

Vibraphone

Willing to teach

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