Leo Quintero

Leo is an extraordinary musician, a wonderful composer and his music comes from the heart. Listen to the CD "Ofrendas" and you will know what I am talking about. Mike Stern.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, he is a member of a dynasty of musicians and singers like his father “El Negro” José Quintero and his siblings Maricruz and Frank Quintero.

Graduated with honors (Cum Laude) from the Berklee College of music, Boston, where Leo was a faculty member (From 1991 to 1995).

He was also a student of Charlie Banacos.

Previously, he studied in Venezuela as a pupil of Vicente Emilio Sojo, Inocente Carreño, Aldemaro Romero and Manuel Enrique Pérez Díaz.

Leo began his career in popular music in the mid-1970s with groups such as Los Cuñaos, Frank Quintero, El Trabuco Venezolano and Vitas Brenner, both as an instrumentalist and as a composer.

He currently resides in the city of Miami, Florida and is considered one of the best guitarists. For more than 30 years, he has been noted for his work as a recording studio guitarist on more than 1,000 projects. Highlights a long career in the wave of pop, rock and popular music that includes works with Ilan Chester, Son by Four, Alejandro Montaner, Franco de Vita, Jon Secada, Thalía, Olga Tañon, Juan Gabriel, Elvis Crespo, José Luis Rodríguez, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Ricky Martin, Armando Manzanero, Jennifer López, Shakira, Andrés Cepeda, Vinx, Il Divo, Fonseca and many more artists. Some of these projects were nominated or winners of Grammy Awards.

During the years 2004 and 2005 he toured as a guitarist with the English-born singer Engelberth Humperdinck through 20 cities in the US, several countries in Europe and the Asian continent.

At the beginning of 2005, he produced his album “Ofrendas”, released under the Fono Jazz Universal label. This CD is a collection of classical guitar pieces and some originals arranged for a Jazz group with a South American ethnic touch. It includes pieces by the composer Antonio Lauro and the maestro Francisco Tarrega.

Various artists have performed his songs. The song "Nothing Serious" was recorded by trumpeter Roy Hargrove and his CD was titled with the same name as the song.

Leo is widely recognized and acclaimed as a Jazz performer and lead guitarist, in which field he has had the opportunity to participate in projects alongside Tiger's Bacu (US, Canada and Japan Tour), The Bob Moses Band (Europe Tour), Paquito de Rivera and the Ensemble de la Habana (1988), Igor Buttman Quintet (Boston), and with Arturo Sandoval at the Jam Miami concert in 2000 where he shared with Chick Corea, Ed Calle, Claudio Roditi, Horacio (El Negro Hernández), Poncho Sánchez, Pete Escovedo, Dave Samuels and others.

As an accompanist, guitarist and producer he has been involved in projects and recordings with great musicians such as Lauryn Hill, Tony Succar with his “Unity Band" and “Mixtura Band", José Negroni, and many more Jazz and Latin Jazz musicians. Leo's collaboration with José Negroni on the CD “Negroni Piano + 9" was released by Sony and nominated for Latin Jazz Album at the 2015 Latin Grammy Awards.

Leo is also the exclusive artist for the world famous guitar brands Gibson Guitars and Godin Guitars.

In 2014, 2015 and 2016 he participated as a faculty member in the "Berklee Latino" (Educational Program of the Berklee College of Music in Boston), which took place in several countries such as Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Mexico.

He continues to participate as a producer, guitarist, composer and musical director for some national and international artists such as Miriam Stone and her band "The Blue Road Record Band".

As part of his teaching activities, it is important to mention that his student Néstor Rigaud was recently awarded the Grammy Award for Sound Engineer.

Leo Quintero continues to strive for the highest quality in his musical work and new ways to challenge his limitless creativity.

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