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Danilo Pérez
Danilo Pérez (born December 29, 1965) is a Panamanian pianist, composer, educator, and a social activist.
His music is a blend of Panamanian roots with elements of Latin American folk music, jazz, European impressionism, African, and other musical heritages that promote music as a multi-dimensional bridge between people. He has released eleven albums as a leader, and appeared on many recordings as a side man, which have earned him critical acclaim, numerous accolades, Grammy Award wins and nominations. He is a recipient of the United States Artists Fellowship, and the 2009 Smithsonian Legacy Award.
Born in Panama in 1965, Danilo Pérez started his musical studies at the age of three with his father, Danilo Enrico Pérez Urriola, an elementary and middle school educator and well known Panamanian singer. In 1967 his father wrote a university thesis which stated that the entire curriculum should be taught through music. He used these techniques to teach his son mathematics, science and other subjects through music, therefore rhythm and interconnective learning became the foundation of Pérez's youth. Pérez started on piano when he was age 3. By age 10, Pérez was studying the European classical piano repertoire at the National Conservatory in Panama. By age 12, he was working professionally as a musician.
In 1985 Pérez was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in the United States. After initially enrolling at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Pérez quickly transferred to the Berklee College of Music in Boston after being awarded the Quincy Jones Scholarship. While still a student, he performed with Jon Hendricks, Terence Blanchard, Slide Hampton, Claudio Roditi and Paquito D'Rivera. Pérez received a degree in jazz composition and upon graduation he began touring and recording with artists such as Jack DeJohnette, Steve Lacy, Lee Konitz, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Gary Burton, and Roy Haynes.
In 1989, two events occurred that have proven of lasting influence on both Pérez's creative practice as well as his thinking regarding music as a tool for social change. That year Pérez became the youngest member appointed to Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra. Pérez learned from his experience that "One of the things Dizzy taught me was to learn about my own heritage even more than I knew already. He said it was more important for jazz for you to get to what your own roots are, than to learn about other things." Pérez later recalled Gillespie saying, "I want to make music that can create a culture of passport, so that through it, all of humanity can come together". Pérez reflected,
He really showed me the power of music as a diplomatic tool, the power of music in intercultural dialogue,
He really showed me that jazz really questions and allows that it is a duty for us to bring our own culture — where we come from.
I remember one time playing a solo, and I'm very proud of playing a bebop solo in the right language, and everybody is complimenting me. And Dizzy said: "That's good, but you can bring some Panama folklore into it also!"
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Danilo Pérez
Danilo Pérez (born December 29, 1965) is a Panamanian pianist, composer, educator, and a social activist.
His music is a blend of Panamanian roots with elements of Latin American folk music, jazz, European impressionism, African, and other musical heritages that promote music as a multi-dimensional bridge between people. He has released eleven albums as a leader, and appeared on many recordings as a side man, which have earned him critical acclaim, numerous accolades, Grammy Award wins and nominations. He is a recipient of the United States Artists Fellowship, and the 2009 Smithsonian Legacy Award.
Born in Panama in 1965, Danilo Pérez started his musical studies at the age of three with his father, Danilo Enrico Pérez Urriola, an elementary and middle school educator and well known Panamanian singer. In 1967 his father wrote a university thesis which stated that the entire curriculum should be taught through music. He used these techniques to teach his son mathematics, science and other subjects through music, therefore rhythm and interconnective learning became the foundation of Pérez's youth. Pérez started on piano when he was age 3. By age 10, Pérez was studying the European classical piano repertoire at the National Conservatory in Panama. By age 12, he was working professionally as a musician.
In 1985 Pérez was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in the United States. After initially enrolling at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Pérez quickly transferred to the Berklee College of Music in Boston after being awarded the Quincy Jones Scholarship. While still a student, he performed with Jon Hendricks, Terence Blanchard, Slide Hampton, Claudio Roditi and Paquito D'Rivera. Pérez received a degree in jazz composition and upon graduation he began touring and recording with artists such as Jack DeJohnette, Steve Lacy, Lee Konitz, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Gary Burton, and Roy Haynes.
In 1989, two events occurred that have proven of lasting influence on both Pérez's creative practice as well as his thinking regarding music as a tool for social change. That year Pérez became the youngest member appointed to Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra. Pérez learned from his experience that "One of the things Dizzy taught me was to learn about my own heritage even more than I knew already. He said it was more important for jazz for you to get to what your own roots are, than to learn about other things." Pérez later recalled Gillespie saying, "I want to make music that can create a culture of passport, so that through it, all of humanity can come together". Pérez reflected,
He really showed me the power of music as a diplomatic tool, the power of music in intercultural dialogue,
He really showed me that jazz really questions and allows that it is a duty for us to bring our own culture — where we come from.
I remember one time playing a solo, and I'm very proud of playing a bebop solo in the right language, and everybody is complimenting me. And Dizzy said: "That's good, but you can bring some Panama folklore into it also!"