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Fran Vielma

Francisco “Fran” Vielma born and raised in Mérida, Venezuela, a multicultural college town where arts are part of the daily life of its citizens. Encouraged by his mother Maritza Vielma, a music lover, he started in the musical world by singing, playing Venezuelan Cuatro, and taking core music courses at The Andes University Arts Center (CUDA). 

His drumming journey began as a teenager with Caribbean and orchestral percussion, which he developed in parallel at Youth Symphonic Orchestra – “El Sistema” and playing in local Salsa bands. He later became a member of “Kimbandú” – a research music ensemble that traveled around the country to study and document musical expressions of Venezuela. 

Before moving to Caracas early 2000’s, created “Nuevas Almas” World Jazz Ensamble along with drummer/composer Diego Maldonado to play their original compositions and arrangements. The ensemble put out the album “Inesperado” in 2009 under the label Cacao Music along with renown artists such as Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Jose Quintana “Changuito,” and Negroni’s trio among others. 

In Caracas Fran kept a busy schedule performing, recording, and touring nationally and internationally with regarded jazz, salsa, pop, electronic, and traditional Venezuelan music artists. And became faculty at the renowned “Taller de Jazz Caracas,” where also performed duties as Percussion Chairperson. Additionally, was founding member of the music collective “Movida Acustica Urbana” (MAU) that released a live album in 2009 (MAU EN VIVO). 

He attended the Arts University (UNEARTE) for composition, and “Cátedra Libre de Percussion de Caracas” directed by Miguel Urbina and Jhony Rudas. 

Fran Vielma was awarded by a scholarship to finish his Bachelor’s in Performance and Jazz Theory at Berklee College of Music, and a Master’s in Jazz Studies at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA. 

Vielma recently premiered his suite “Common Grounds” at SFJAZZ commissioned by the prestigious Chamber Music America - New Jazz Works and has been a DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellow since 2019. Additionally, has been a Jazz Road Tours Grantee by South Arts. 

Fran has been featured artist for the “Hispanic Heritage Celebration Concert” of the prestigious United States Army Blues Band, having performed his compositions and arrangements. 

He has toured around the continent with his start-studded Venezuelan Jazz Collective; “Tendencias,” his latest release, includes Vielma’s original works and arrangements featuring world-renown Miguel Zenón, Michael Rodríguez, and Luis Perdomo. It was included in the Best of 2018 lists by Downbeat, Latin Jazz Network, & NYC Jazz Record. 

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1
Album Review

Fran Vielma: Fran Vielma & Venezuelan Jazz Collective: Tendencias

Read "Fran Vielma & Venezuelan Jazz Collective: Tendencias" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Il latin jazz continua a rinnovarsi, alimentato da nuove sintesi col folklore sudamericano. Venezuelano di nascita e formazione (studi ed esperienze in gruppi folk del suo Paese, perfezionamento dal 2010 al Berklee College e al New England Conservatory), il percussionista Fran Vielma debutta da leader con la formazione Venezuelan Jazz Collective. L'album è il risultato di una ricerca iniziata alcuni anni fa sui ritmi tradizionali venezuelani e sulla possibilità di coniugarli col linguaggio dell'hard bop. Vielma ha privilegiato ...

4
Album Review

Fran Vielma: Fran Vielma & Venezuelan Jazz Collective: Tendencias

Read "Fran Vielma & Venezuelan Jazz Collective: Tendencias" reviewed by Troy Dostert


Continuing the long, fruitful history of jazz's intermingling with Afro-Caribbean music, percussionist Fran Vielma brings his considerable talents to bear in offering a distinctive melding of jazz with Latin forms--but with a special focus on his native Venezuela. Joined by some outstanding instrumentalists, such as trumpeter Mike Rodriguez and alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón, Vielma sketches a rich, multifaceted and deeply enjoyable musical world. This is Vielma's first recording date as a leader, but one wouldn't know it by ...

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"One can’t help but marvel how magically effective this is especially as the horns constantly have to be mixed in with the dry and sharp, stabbing aural palette of Mr. Vielma’s Venezuelan percussion – another reason why this is not just another Latin-Jazz album of songs, but true to its title, a whole new set of Tendencias.” – Raul Da Gama, Latin Jazz Network 2018 “A Venezuelan percussionist that knows how to serve up smoking originals and find lots of the best Latin jazz cats in New York ties... A tasty work that just doesn't quit, this is just one of those dates you slap into your fave device and enjoy as it lets you let the world go by

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