The first Friday of every month our Venezuelan Jam will be dedicated to the dialogue among Jazz players and the acoustic memories of Venezuelan immigrants. This is a Monthly Jam Session in Queens, NY, where local musicians are able to play and create music in a collective and harmonious way.
Musicians welcome and everyone else who wants to enjoy some quality music on Sunday nights. Come support live music and our community!
Our Jam will be Open by:
Jorge Glem / Cuatro
Jeremy Smith / Capachos
John Benitez / Bass
Benito Gonzalez / Piano
Terraza Venezuelan Jam at Terraza 7 on Friday, March 3rd, 2017 at 9:30pm.
$10 cover charge for mezzanine. FREE admission for CHILDREN 12 and under.
Benito Gonzalez:
Born into a family of Venezuelan folk musicians, jazz pianist Benito Gonzalez has always had a deep-rooted appreciation for pastimes and traditions. Today, as a rising star of one of America’s finest musical traditions, Gonzalez has come to his current status by following in the footsteps of jazz’s ancestral forebears. The fusion of world rhythms and straight-ahead jazz makes this passionate performer an audience favorite all over the world.
Gonzalez has a golden touch on the piano, whether he’s playing a ballad or swinging for the fences.
– the JazzPage
Benito Gonzalez is being recognized as an exciting pianist and composer for his well-received debut album ‘Starting Point’ (Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez, Rene McLean, Ron Blake) in addition to taking home first prize at the Great American Jazz Piano Competition.
Benito’s acclaimed sophomore album, ‘Circles’ (Ron Blake, Myron Walden, Azar Lawrence, Christian McBride, Jeff “Tain” Watts), reveals a very personal body of work as he emerges as a leader and an accomplished improviser. Recently, Benito received more critical attention for his work on Garrett’s Grammy-Nominated album ‘Seeds from the Underground’.
Gonzalez proves he can handle just about
anything thrown his musical way.
– KeyboardMag
Jorge Glem:
Started his music education when he was 6 years old under renowned Venezuelan professors Eberto Zapata y Alexander Mariña. He studied mandolin under the instruction of professor Ángel Luis Piñero.
Since 2009 he started his own personal quartet project which didn’t stop him from being a part of other bands such as: C4 Trío, César Orozco: kamarata Jazz, Movida Acústica Urbana, Rock&MAU, Marco Granados, EnCayapa, Alexis Cárdenas Cuarteto, Germán Marcano, Pacho Flores, and Cuatrero.
He has played alongside prestigious musicians and he has also accompanied many Venezuelan and international musical groups like the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, Paquito D’Rivera, Rubén Blades, Jordan Rudess, Edmar Castañeda, Etienne Charles, Caramels de cianuro, Guaco, Ensamble Gurrufío, Serenata Guayanesa y El Cuatrero. . Jorge Glem also participated in the Original Soundtrack for the feature film The Liberator, directed by Alberto Arvelo.
Jeremy Smith:
A percussive artist whose unique versatility allows him to move seamlessly among numerous musical styles. While the foundation of his playing comes from his classical training at The Juilliard School, his passion lies in the vast array of percussion traditions from around the world such as those found in South America, Africa, India, the Middle East, and jazz. He was recently invited to the 2016 International Percussion Festival in Seoul, South Korea as asolo concert artist. As a specialist of Venezuelan maracas, he has performed with Latin Grammy nominee Luisito Quintero, Ali Bello and the Sweet Wire Band, Los Crema Paraiso, and Juancho Herrera.
John Benitez:
A recent review in DownBet hails John Benitez as “one of today’s top ranking bassists.” Since moving to New York almost two decades ago, the bassist has performed with a staggering roster of iconic artists, including Chick Corea, John Scofield, Tito Puente, Roy Hargrove, Danilo Perez, and Eddie Palmieri, who once declared John to be “the best bass player in the world.”
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, John got his start early, enrolling in the Escuela Libre de Musica at the age of thirteen. He later completed additional studies at the University of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Conservatory, where he apprenticed under Federico Silva. Yet his thirst for knowledge soon brought him to New York, where he continued his education under the tutelage of Ron Carter at the City University of New York.
John is a three-time Grammy winner, recognized for his contributions to Roy Hargrove´s Habana, Bebo Valdez´s Bebo de Cuba, and Eddie Palmieri´s Listen Here! The bassist also appears on Grammy nominated recordings by David Sánchez and Conrad Herwing.
In 2011, John released his album Purpose, which features a core ensemble including the pianist Manuel Valera, the guitarist Tom Guarna, the alto saxophonist Will Vinson, and John’s son, the drummer Francis Benitez, as well as special guests. DownBeat calls it “enthralling.”
Terraza 7 Venezuelan Jam at Terraza 7 on Friday, March 3rd, 2017 at 9:30pm.
$10 cover charge for mezzanine. FREE admission for CHILDREN 12 and under.