Home » Jazz Musicians » Alejandro Aviles

Alejandro Aviles

Alejandro Avilés is a first generation Cuban-American who comes from a long lineage of musicians. In fact, Mr. Avilés' family is being considered by the Guiness Book of World Records for having the longest, most continuous family run musical group in the world. The Orquesta Hermanos Avilés was started by his great-grandfather, Manuel Avilés, in 1882 in Holguin, Cuba, and is remarkably still in existence today.

Based in NYC, Alejandro Avilés works as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University and Hunter College teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation while performing as a versatile musician in genres ranging from straight ahead jazz, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban music, to Broadway. When not on tour, you can catch Alejandro perform in many of New York's most renowned jazz clubs including: Smoke, Jazz Standard, Zinc Bar, Smalls, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Jazz Gallery, Iridium, Fat Cat, Birdland, and Blue Note.

Alejandro Avilés graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a Master's Degree in Jazz and Commercial Performance. While in Manhattan, Alejandro had the opportunity to study with some of the city's finest jazz musicians including saxophonists Dick Oatts, Rich Perry, and arrangers Mike Abene and the late Manny Albam.

After graduating from Manhattan School of Music, Alejandro relocated to Puerto Rico where he had the opportunity to share the stage with some of the giants of Latin jazz today. These include performances with Giovanni Hidalgo, Charlie Sepulveda, Hilton Ruiz, Jerry Gonzalez, Miguel Zenon, Dave Valentine, and a couple of memorable performances with jazz masters Danilo Perez and David Sanchez.

At the annual Heineken Jazz Festival held in Puerto Rico, Alejandro performed with the Tribute to Chick Corea Big Band featuring Chick Corea, Paquito D' Rivera, Airto Morales, and Gary Burton. For the 20th Anniversary of the Heineken Jazzfest, Alejandro returned to perform with trombonist William Cepeda and his "Ethno Music Project".

In 2006, the Alejandro Avilés Latin Jazz Quartet was selected by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Jazz at Lincoln Center to represent the United States as "Jazz Ambassadors." The group conducted master classes and performed at concert halls throughout Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Peru, and Argentina.

Along with a select few musicians from all over the nation, Alejandro was hand picked for the exclusive BMI composers workshop to write and arrange contemporary music for large ensembles under the tutelage of master arrangers Mike Holober and Jim McNeely.

Read more

Tags

28
Album Review

Joe McCarthy's New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band: The Pan American Nutcracker Suite

Read "The Pan American Nutcracker Suite" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Yes, Peter Tchaikovsky's timeless Nutcracker Suite is basically holiday music; and, yes, the 2022 holiday season is squarely in everyone's rear-view mirror. Even so, there is always room for a fresh approach to the annual festive staple, which is what drummer Joe McCarthy's New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band brings to The Pan American Nutcracker Suite. The Nutcracker has been rhythmically amended before, but never quite like this, as McCarthy and the band use the strong ...

9
Album Review

Joe McCarthy's Afro Bop Alliance Big Band: The Pan American Nutcracker Suite

Read "The Pan American Nutcracker Suite" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


"The Nutcracker" is a holiday staple and, as many musical and dance companies around the United States and Europe will tell you, thank Heaven for it. The musicians and performers may eventually lose their sanity from repeat performances, but the ballet is a money-maker as sure as holiday sales generate commercial profits for retailers. Besides, someone is inevitably hearing it for the first time, and children—even some adults—seem to enjoy it. This year, the season starts early with ...

7
Album Review

Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble: Dreaming In Lions

Read "Dreaming In Lions" reviewed by Chris May


Music for dance comes in a variety of forms. At one end of the spectrum are abstract soundscapes composed without reference to the choreography with which they share the stage; an example being John Cage's work with the choreographer Merce Cunningham. At the other end of the spectrum is music written in close collaboration with the choreographer; an example being Igor Stravinsky's work for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, which reached its peak in 1910 with The Firebird, jointly realized by ...

13
Album Review

Arturo O'Farrill: Virtual Birdland

Read "Virtual Birdland" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Whenever an obstacle presents itself--even one as devastating and disruptive as a global pandemic--it's a sure bet that musicians will find a way around it, a way to keep making music even in the most grievous circumstances. Jazz musicians have been especially creative during the Covid-19 scourge, using social media, the internet and any other means at their disposal to share their music with the world. True, the paychecks aren't as large or as regular as once they were, but ...

5
Album Review

Noah Bless: New York Strong—Latin Jazz!

Read "New York Strong—Latin Jazz!" reviewed by Jack Bowers


When it comes to Latin jazz, trombonist Noah Bless is no novice, having gigged in and around New York City for the better part of three decades with such Latin stars as Paquito D'Rivera, Mario Bauza, Oscar D'Leon, Celia Cruz, Willie Colon and Eddie Palmieri, and sat in with the Lincoln Center Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra and Spanish Harlem Orchestra, among others. After so many years toiling in the trenches, Bless has at long last decided to unfurl his Latin chops ...

Read more articles
Primary Instrument

Saxophone, alto

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Vibrations

Self Produced
2024

buy

The Pan American...

Angel Face Records
2022

buy

Virtual Birdland

Zoho Music
2021

buy

Dreaming In Lions

Blue Note Records
2021

buy

New York...

Zoho Music
2020

buy

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.