Biography
VICTOR DE DIEGO GROUP: the musicians
**Víctor de Diego** (Bilbao, 1964)
Studied at the Bilbao Advanced Conservatory of Music and at the Barcelona Liceo, where he gained an advanced degree in the saxophone.
He has won numerous prizes at the San Sebastián, Getxo, Majorca and Ibiza festivals, including prize for the best soloist at the 1986 San Sebastián Festival; the special critics’ prize with Quartet Creciente at the 1987 Ibiza Festival and 2nd prize in the group competition at the 1986 Getxo Festival, with Pork Pie Hat.
In 1988 he settled in Barcelona, where he led his own groups and collaborated with a large number of musical formations of all types.
In 1986 and 1987 he played with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra under the conductorship of Maestro Enrique García Asensio, and also worked with Barcelona’s lliure Theatre Chamber Orchestra under the conductorship of Maestro Josep Pons in 1992, 2003 and 2004, in Barcelona and Salamanca, with the Barcelona Contemporary Ballet in Valencia on 19/2/1994 and with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra under the conductorship of Maestro Mstislav Rostropovich at the Euskalduna Theatre in Bilbao on 6/5/2001.
He has also collaborated with theatre groups and artists such as Olga Guillot, Nina, Joan Manuel Serrat and Pedro Guerra, with whom he went on numerous tours around Spain between 1986 and 1992.
He has attended various international seminars in Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona with Bob Moses, Roy Haynes, Mulgrew Miller, Max Roach, John Abercrombie and George Garzone, among others.
He has also taught Saxophone and Instrumental Ensemble in diverse music schools, including the Taller de Músics in Barcelona (1989 –2003), and the Advanced Music School of the Basque Country – Musikene (2003-2004), as well as giving seminars and master classes in Zaragoza, Borja, Getxo, Gazteiz and Santiago, among others.
LIST OF ALBUMS as a leader:
• Victor de Diego Quartet ‘Speak low’ (1993)
• Victor de Diego ‘Amaia’ (1996) prize for the best album of the year 1996, from the Associació de Músics de Jazz de Catalunya
• Victor de Diego Group ‘Iratxo’ (2002) prize for the best album of the year 2002, from the Associació de Músics de Jazz de Catalunya
• Victor de Diego Group ‘Oraindik Ametsetan’ (2005)
And also with:
• Pork Pie Hat “Collage” (M1338686) (1985)
• Pork Pie Hat “Hum” (SPL-105) (1987)
• Peret “No se puede aguantar” (E302463 LP) (1991)
• Big Ensemble Taller de Músics “Els quatre camins” (TM 009 CDJ) (1994)
• Joan Monné “Son song” (FSNT 010 CD) (1995)
• Ramón Díaz Group “Pues sí” (SPRD 27002) (1995)
• Randy Greer “The romance of jazz” (FREE033CD) (1995)
• Los Sabandeños “Bolero” (SNICD117) (1995)
• Joan Manuel Serrat “D’un temps d’un país” (1996)
• David Mengual Monkiana “Tribute to Thelonious Monk” (FSNT 019 CD) (1997)
• Iruña Big Band “Agur Jaunak” (K 012 CD) (1997)
• Iruña Big Band “Cometa Halley” (Marccato ediciones) (1998)
• Ramón Díaz Group “¿O si no que?” (FSNT 044 CD) (1998)
• Dexterity “Tribute to Dexter Gordon” (SJR CD 00004J) (1999)
• Big Latin Band con Bebo Valdés “Afrocuban Jazz Suite nº 1” (FSWJ 004) (1999)
• Barcelona Jazz Orquestra Jesse Davis “September in the rain” (SW03 CD) (1999)
• Araceli Aiguaviva “Aiguaviva” (SJR 00011J) (2000)
• Ramón Díaz Group “Sketches” (FSNT 132 CD) (2002)
• La Big Latin Band “Suite Llatina 0.7” (AV 031) (2003)
• Jaume Vilaseca Quartet “Aquí i allà” (DM 753-02) (2003)
• Aníbal Martínez “Instrucciones para girar” (SJR CD 00052J) (2003)
• Nina “20 anys i una nit” (2003)
• Ramón Cuadrada Big Band “Paradisos Imparells” (SJR 00061J) (2003)
• Pirineos Jazz Orquesta “Pirineos Jazz Orchestra” (2003)
• Gorka Benítez "Sólo la verdad es sexy" (FSNT 188 DG) (2004)
• Pedro Guerra "Bolsillos" (BMG/ARIOLA 00242876642402) (2004)
**JOAN DíAZ** (Barcelona 1967)
After gaining his advanced diploma from INCANOP in 1994, Joan Díaz studied piano, music theory and harmony at the Bruc Municipal Conservatory in Barcelona, receiving classes from Toni Olaf Sabater, Lluis Vidal, Daniel Roth, Lluis Verges, Ze Eduardo, Bruce Barth and Hal Garper
He has worked as a piano, improvisation and combos teacher at the Barcelona Music Workshop (1987-88 al 1999-00), Aula7, the Advanced Music School of Catalonia (Esmuc) and the Advanced Music School of the Basque Country (Musikene), among others. He has also given numerous jazz seminars and master classes in Zaragoza, Albacete, Menorca, Vilanova and Zarautz, etc.
HE HAS COLLABORATED WITH
Randy Brecker, Michael Mossman, John Mosca, Robin Eubanks, Dennis Rowland, Theo Bleckman, Chris Kase, Allan Skidmore, Jorge Rossy, Marc Miralta, Peer Wyboris, Jordi Bonell, Juan Mungia, Horacio Fumero, Chris Higgins, Jules Bikoko, Adam Kolker, the Taller de Músics Big Band, the Jazz Cava de Terrassa Big Band and the Ramón Cuadrada Big Band.
He has participated in numerous prestigious festivals, including the Girona, Terrassa, Barcelona, Getxo, Leverkusen, Zaragoza and San Sebastián Festivals and the Injuve Jazz Festival in Ibiza.
PRIZES
• He was named best pianist and keyboard player of the year by the Associació de Músics de Jazz de Catalunya in 2002.
• He was named best keyboard player of the year by the Associació de Músics de Jazz de Catalunya in 2003.
LIST OF ALBUMS as a leader
• Joan Diaz: Mostrebú (Satchmo)
• Joan Diaz Group: Dalirògena (Satchmo)
And also with:
• David Mengual: Full Circle (Satchmo)
• Mikel Andueza: BCN (Fresh sound)
• Joan Abril: Insomnio (Fresh sound)
• Alfons Carrascosa: Sinopsis (Satchmo)
• Ramón Cuadrada Big Band: Paradisos imparells (Satchmo)
• David Mengual: Deriva (Satchmo)
• Dani Perez: The Komeda Project Live (Jazzle)
SOUNDTRACKS
He has composed original tracks for numerous documentaries, short films and television and film productions, often working in close collaboration with the Catalonian film-maker Cesc Gay (En la Ciudad, Krampack, etc.).
**CURRO GÁLVEZ**
Curro Gálvez studied with Lluís Vergés and Mario Rossy from 1992-94. He has participated in diverse seminars organised by the Music Workshop and given by: Hal Galper, Billy Hart, David Liebman, Ron McClure and Benny Wallace, among others.
He currently collaborates with the Aiguaviva Quartet, the Ramón Díaz Group and the David Garcia Quintet, among others.
He has worked with Mikel Andueza, the Javier Garayalde Quintet, the Tom Guillion Quartet, the BCN Big Latin Band, the Taller de Músics & Tete Montoliu Big Band, David Xirgu, Dani Pérez, the Iruña Big Band, Jeff Ballard, Jorge Rossy, Jordi Bonell, José Luis Gámez, José Reinoso, La Selva Big Band, Loquillo, Peer Wyboris, Perico Sambeat and Pedro Iturralde.
He has also appeared on various programmes broadcast by Televisión Española: El Pèndol, La Noche Abierta, etc.
He has performed at many jazz festivals both on the peninsular and abroad, including ‘Jazz Faro no inverno’ in Portugal, Teruel, Vic. Barcelona, Borja (Zaragoza), Figueres (Girona), ‘Universidad de Sevilla’ Jazz Festival, INJUVE Jazz Festival, Lugo, Tenerife, Terrassa, San Sebastián, Leverkusen, Getxo, Cartagena and Barcelona.
LIST OF ALBUMS
• David Garcia. Tacte. New Mood Jazz, 2004.
• Guillermina Mota. Fent equilibris. Culumna Música, 2002
• Ramón Díaz Group. Sketches. Fresh Sound, 2002.
• Joan Abril Quintet. Eric. Fresh Sound, 2000.
• Aiguaviva Quartet. Aiguaviva. Satchmo Jazz Records, 2000.
• Javier Feierstein. Wysiwyg. Fresh Sound, 1998.
• Ramón Díaz Group. ¿O Si No Qué?. Fresh Sound, 1998.
• Joan Abril Quartet. Insomnio. Fresh Sound, 1997.
• Iruña Big Band. Agur Jaunak. K Industria Cultural, 1997.
MARC AYZA (Barcelona 1976)
Marc Ayza began his studies at the Luthier school, where he studied music theory, taking his exam at the Barcelona Advanced Conservatory of Music. At the same time, he also studied drums and combo at the Barcelona Music Workshop. His teachers include: Quim Solé, Jorge Rossy, Peer Wyboris and José Luis Gámez. He also took classes with Miriam López and Lluís Vergés.
He has attended various seminars (Taller de Músics, Sedaví, etc.) with teachers such as Chris Cheek, Seamus Blake, Perico Sambeat and Chano Domínguez, etc. and has also participated in master classes with Jimmy Cobb, Jim Leff, Bob Moses, Leon Parker and Jesse Davis, among others. In January 2000, he moved to New York to complete his studies. Once there, he studied with drummers Eric McPherson and Nasheet Waits and participated in a master class with Brian Blade.
He debuted in the world of jazz in 1994 in La Cova del Drac. He has been a member of the Bloomdido Quintet, the Raynald Colom Quartet, the Raül Reverter Quartet, the Casual Jazz Trio, Monda & the Rhythm Makers, the Marcelino Galán Trio and Stoc de Bop, and has also collaborated as a freelance musician with various other formations.
He has played in various jazz festivals in Barcelona, Ibiza, Getxo, Montevideo and Buenos Aires, among others.
He has played with Albert Bover, Chris Higgins, Mario Rossy, Bill McHenry, Ben Waltzer, Sheila Jordan, Steve Kuhn, Antoine Roney, Javier Colina, Jason Lindner, Avram Fefer, Jessie Davis, Antonio Hart, Carlos Mkinney and many other musicians from both Spain and abroad.
He currently has his own quartet and is a member of the Perico Sambeat Sextet and Mas i Mas All Stars.
LIST OF ALBUMS
• Jason Lindner Trio: 1,2,3, etc. (Fresh Sound New Talent)
• Marcelino Galan: Roho (Singra).
• Marc Ayza Group: Deejah (Satchmo).
