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Justo Almario

Justo Almario, a multitalented master saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, arranger and clinician, has a long list of distinguished accomplishments. His style is a fusion of Jazz, South American, and other world rhythms which are a reflection of his own elegant yet humble style. Mr. Almario’s mesmerizing sounds have been heard in Grammy-Award winning works such as Linda Ronstadt’s “Frenesi,” Placido Domingo’s “A Mi Alma Latina,” Luis Miguel’s “Romance,” Andrae Crouch’s “Mercy,” and Isreal Lopez Cachao’s “Master Sessions” & “Ahora Si;” as well as the Oscar-winning soundtracks from Happy Feet and Sideways. Mr. Almario’s playing has been featured on diverse projects, such as Queen Latifah’s “Living Outloud,” Jennifer Lopez’s hit HBO Special “Let’s Get Loud,” Andy Garcia’s “The Lost City,” and John Turturo’s “Romance and Cigarette” staring Susan Sarandon and James Gadolfini. Mr. Almario has also been featured on various Platinum and Gold records and soundtracks, including “More Dirty Dancing”, “Wow Worship,” and Ron Kenoly’s “Lift Him Up.”

In 2002, while joining the ranks of Cedar Walton, Terrence Blanchard and Joe Lovano, Mr. Almario became an integral part of the Newport Jazz Festival Tour, produced by George Wein. Additional performance credits include Patrice Rushen’s Grammy Award orchestra, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Ayers, Diane Reeves, George Duke, Sergio Mendes, Billy Higgins, Tito Puente, Machito, Dave Grusin, Ndugu Chancler, Kenny Burrell, Master P, Bebe Winans, Queen Latifah, Charles Mingus, Chaka Kahn, Herb Alpert, Bobby Shew, and many others.

He has also produced, co-lead and played on TOLU’s “Rumbero’s Poetry” as well as Grammy-nominated album, “El Bongo de Van Gogh”. Mr. Almario’s latest album, “Love Thy Neighbor”, features his quartet playing original compositions as well as rare standards.

A man for all seasons, Mr. Almario was the featured soloist with the Los Angeles Master Chorale at the Walt Disney Hall’s Season Opener, where he later performed at a Christmas concert “Celebrar.” Mr. Almario’s stellar career was recently celebrated during a segment of “Stories,” a comprehensive oral history series that chronicles the evolution of jazz, at the legendary drummer Billy Higgins’ World Stage. Currently, Mr. Almario is working on an album that is meant to celebrate his tenured career spanning 45 years in the industry.

A native of Colombia, Mr. Almario went from child protégé to virtuoso. Mr. Almario was primarily influenced by John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Bartok, Debussy and Bach. He studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music before doing a stint with Mongo Santamaria as the band’s musical director. He has also taught at the Henry Mancini Institute and has mentored inner city youth during workshops at the World Stage. These days, he teaches saxophone in the Jazz Department at UCLA’s Music School.

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16
Album Review

Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre: Vision

Read "Vision" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Multiple Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz pianist/composer and band leader Oscar Hernandez and his group, Alma Libre (Free Spirit) issue another shoulder-moving album presenting more of the rhythms he and his bands are so well known for. A true Latin music legend, Hernandez is best regarded for his direction of the 13-piece Spanish Harlem Orchestra that has gathered three Grammy Awards. This album was, in essence, a product of the pandemic situation. Hernandez says: “Recording this album was a way to ...

5
Album Review

Carol Welsman: Dance With Me

Read "Dance With Me" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Vocalist and pianist Carol Welsman always had an affinity for Latin rhythms and often included the element in her music. In fact, producing an album where the Latin side of jazz is the main focus has been a longtime dream that she finally fulfills on Dance with Me. The music is a delightful excursion into the Latin jazz genre with arrangements that touch on boleros, salsa, cha cha cha and even calypso. One of the main highlights of the recording ...

220
Live Review

Justo Almario Quartet: L. A. County Museum of Art Jazz Series, May 2, 2008

Read "Justo Almario Quartet: L. A. County Museum of Art Jazz Series, May 2, 2008" reviewed by Kim Vinson


Justo Almario Quartet Friday Night Jazz Series, Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles, California May 2, 2008

The weather was just right as a crowd of jazz enthusiasts gathered to experience the glorious and tireless musicianship of woodwind virtuoso Justo Almario and his ensemble May 2 at the Friday Night Jazz Series hosted by Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It was jazz served up with sizzling sound-check appetizers, marvelous main ...

188
Album Review

David Ornette Cherry: Organic Groove

Read "Organic Groove" reviewed by Rex  Butters


Recorded in 2000, Organic Groove features a too brief taste of David Ornette Cherry's writing and playing with a Los Angeles dream band, including Bobby Bradford, Roberto Miranda, and Ralph Jones, to name a few. Cherry possesses a broad musical attention span, making a program of his work a musical travelogue. But no dilettante is he, holding legitimate lineage in several musical traditions. A generous leader, he usually limits his contributions to skillfully framing his ace soloists.“Mano opens ...

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177

Festival

Playboy Jazz Festival To Present Justo Almario's Afro-Colombian Ensemble And Israeli Pianist Tamir Hendelman's Trio, In Free Community Concert Sunday, May 1st, At Beverly Hills Civic Center

Playboy Jazz Festival To Present Justo Almario's Afro-Colombian Ensemble And Israeli Pianist Tamir Hendelman's Trio, In Free Community Concert Sunday, May 1st, At Beverly Hills Civic Center

Source:

Get ready for a little samba, a little sass, and a lot of jazz, when the acclaimed multi-talented master saxophonist and composer Justo Almario brings his distinctive fusion of jazz, South-American and world rhythms to Beverly Hills in a free concert on Sunday, May 1st. The show will also feature award-winning Israeli pianist Tamir Hendelman and his Trio. Presented by the Playboy Jazz Festival, the event will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Civic ...

150

Festival

Solvang Jazz Festival Announces Justo Almario as Special Guest

Solvang Jazz Festival Announces Justo Almario as Special Guest

Source: All About Jazz

Grammy award winning, multi-instrumentalist Justo Almario joins top, international talent at fall weekend Festival Solvang, California, August 27, 2009 The Universal Guild for Jazz and Progressive Music is pleased to announce that world-renowned, Grammy award winning, multi-instrumentalist Justo Almario will join this year's stellar Solvang Jazz Festival lineup. Almario will perform two shows with the Eugene Maslov Trio. Almario joins Maslov and other special guests for the Festival's “Hip Improvisational Evening of Jazz – Night Club Performance” on Friday, September ...

145

Performance / Tour

Justo Almario Featured in Kung Fu Panda Original Musical Score

Justo Almario Featured in Kung Fu Panda Original Musical Score

Source: All About Jazz

This summer keep your ears open, as International Colombian saxophonist Justo Almario can be heard in Kung Fu Panda's (Dreamworks) upbeat and epic-like original musical score. Kung Fu Panda will be opening in theaters everywhere on June 6th. Co-written by Hans Zimmer and John Paul, the musical score is an adventurous score with unique rhythms and instrumentation. No stranger to film festivities; on May 19th he performed at the Cannes Film Festival alongside Andy Garcia and the CineSon All Stars. ...

137

Recording

Justo Almario Joins Talents of Super-Star Proportions Highlighting Globalization at Its Best

Justo Almario Joins Talents of Super-Star Proportions Highlighting Globalization at Its Best

Source: All About Jazz

Legendary saxophonist Justo Almario recently joined fellow Colombian Juanes and American superstar Fergie on the new album, by Sergio Mendes, Encanto, to be released in stores June 10, 2008. (Billboard Publicity Wire) March 25, 2008 -- Mr. Almario continues to showcase Latin Jazz music to the world, fusing it with Mendes' Brazilian hip-hop flair and Juanes pop artistry. Fueled by exciting talent and vibrant energy, the album is posed to be a crossover, international hit with additional contributions from Italian ...

151

Performance / Tour

Athenaeum Jazz-at-the-Studio presents Jaime Valle, with guest, Alex Acua, Justo Almario, Russel Blake & Allan Phillips

Athenaeum Jazz-at-the-Studio presents Jaime Valle, with guest, Alex Acua, Justo Almario, Russel Blake & Allan Phillips

Source: All About Jazz

Jaime Valle, with guest, Alex Acua, Justo Almario, Russel Blake & Allan Phillips

The Athenaeum's jazz program returns to the University Heights Studio of the Athenaeum School of the Arts (located at 4441 Park Blvd.) for a special evening of jazz led by one of Southern California's leading jazz guitarists, Jaime Valle. Voted many times over as San Diego's top jazz artist by the San Diego Music Awards, Jaime Valle is a longtime favorite of local jazz lovers, known for ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Vision

Ovation Records
2022

buy

Dance With Me

Self Produced
2020

buy

Love Thy Neighbor

Unknown label
2005

buy

Organic Groove

Cherry Extract
2005

buy

Forever Friends

Moo Records
1991

buy

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