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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.

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

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


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


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Primary Instrument

Saxophone, alto

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Vibrations

Self Produced
2024

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Heartland Radio

SoundSpore Records
2024

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The Pan American...

Angel Face Records
2022

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Virtual Birdland

Zoho Music
2021

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Dreaming In Lions

Blue Note Records
2021

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