Joan Torres

Bassist and composer Joan Torres has lead the Jazz Fusion ensemble All Is Fused since 2011. With 3 albums released to date, multiple award nominations, and the Vox Pop award for the Fusion Album category of the 14th Annual IMAs, the ensemble has been described as going "far beyond complex musical ideas managing to weave in a true sonic narrative" in their music (Music News 2016). Throughout several releases they have appealed to genre and non-genre fans alike.

Since childhood, Torres grew as a musician, developing a deep interest for Jazz music that has guided his compositions for over a decade. He has studied Jazz with a list of great musicians like puerto rican legend Tony Batista (William Cepeda), the four time GRAMMY­-award winning bassist and educator Oscar Stagnaro (Paquito D'Rivera), and Matthew Garrison (Joe Zawinul), considered one of the most technically gifted jazz musicians of his generation. His ability was recognized by musical institutions like Berklee College of Music who offered him several scholarships to attend their summer programs and the college as a full­-time student. He developed his musical skills by studying and performing a wide variety of music including Salsa, Rock, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Funk, Fusion, Jazz, Classical Choir music and even Brazilian Capoeira music.

After years of playing and sharing with other musicians and other projects Torres decided to revisit some of the compositions he had made over the years in order to start his own, Joan Torres's All Is Fused. Torres got the group together to record their first album, titled Before, on January 10 and 11, 2012 at Playbach Studio. The album features guitarist Sergio González, pianist David Ojeda, drummer Fernando García, alto saxophonist Jonathan Suazo and guitarist Gabriel Vicéns. It was released May 21, 2012. Before was received well by the critics which earned new opportunities for both Torres and the ensemble. Having acquired a following in the Puerto Rico area, they decided to invest some of their energy on getting their music beyond the island and into the world.

During 2013, Torres also performed with many well­-known local artists such as singer- songwriters Fana and Rique Colón. Drummer Fernando Garcia and Torres offered drum and bass clinics at Stevan Micheo Music. In February, All Is Fused performed some of the music from the album Before at a Jazz forum for the community of the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory. In March 2013 Joan Torres's All Is Fused was nominated in two categories for the 12th Annual Independent Music for their critically-acclaimed debut album Before. They went on tour through New Orleans, Louisiana around November 2013.

In 2014, they recorded and released their second album, The Beginning, launched a successful crowdfunding campaign, and performed in one of Puerto Rico's “Ventana al Jazz” Festivals on April 27th.

In 2015, their music was featured in major publications such as The Huffington Post. Furthermore, The Beginning earned a nomination in the 14th Annual Independent Music Awards (the group's third IMA nomination), ultimately winning the Vox Pop award in the Fusion Album category in 2016.

On June 24, 2016 they debuted music from their third album, Of the Musical, at The Center in San Francisco, California. They recorded this new album at the historic and influential Different Fur Studios in San Francisco between June 27 and 29. Grammy winner Dave Darlington mixed and mastered the album. Of the Musical was released November 21, 2016.

Awards

- 12th Annual Independent Music Awards Nominee (Funk/Fusion/Jam Album for "Before", Funk/Fusion/Jam Song for the track "The Chase") - 14th Annual Independent Music Awards Nominee (Funk/Fusion/Jam Album for "The Beginning") - 14th Annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop Winner (Funk/Fusion/Jam Album for "The Beginning")