Our current Spotlight Artist Yuri Juarez brings his brand of Afro-Peruvian Jazz into the world for the first time on his album Afroperuano, but he is hardly a stranger to the growing style. He played a major role in the stellar recording by trumpet player Gabriel Alegria, Nuevo Mundo, serving as the primary harmonic instrument and a featured soloist. In 2009, Juarez continues to perform with Alegria, touring the United States and participating in the group’s latest recording project. Juarez also acted as a second guitar voice on the LJC 2008 Album of the Year, Eric Kurimski’s Réplica. Throughout the album, Juarez traded solos with Kurimski and contributed to the overall momentum that sent the recording into a furious musicality. Afroperuano represents another stop on Juarez’s journey through Afro-Peruvian Jazz, with the guitarist stepping into the forefront of the musical mixture. Modern compositions and interesting rhythmic combinations stem directly from his broad knowledge of Afro-Peruvian traditional music and jazz. It may be his first recording as a leader, but Juarez shines like an experienced veteran, bringing all his experiences into a great collection of music.

Juarez holds a small web presence at this point, with a steadily growing list of sites incorporating his music. His Facebook page includes some info, photos, and an opportunity to interact with Juarez by writing on his wall. You can hear some of Juarez’s music, check out more photos, and become friends on his MySpace Page. Juarez can also be found quite a bit on Alegria’s various pages – check out the MySpace HERE, the Facebook page HERE, and the group’s main site HERE. As word about the album grows, I’m sure that Juarez’s web presence will expand; look for updates here!

Juarez is also playing a major role in the early stages of Tutuma Social Club, a new restaurant and live music venue opening in New York City on April 28th that will be featuring daily Afro-Peruvian Jazz performances. Tutuma represents an important step forward in the evolution of Afro-Peruvian Jazz, giving the music a regular home where artists can hone their craft and reach a wide audience. Juarez will be a regular performer at the club, accompanying a diverse crowd of artists, and serving as a member of the house band. In the club’s first couple of months, Juarez will be playing with Alegria, trumpet player Ingrid Jensen, vocalist Angela Vicente, pianist Andy Milne, and percussionist Freddy “Huevito” Lobaton. At some points, Juarez will play 2 – 3 gigs during a single day at the club! The club will be located at 164 East 56th Street in New York – in you’re in NYC, head out to the Tutuma Social Club, support Afro-Peruvian Jazz, and hear Juarez performing!

I’ve collected a few videos of Juarez playing with a variety of different people. From a duo to Alegria’s sextet, you can see Juarez spinning his expert blend of Afro-Peruvian music and jazz. Enjoy!

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Yuri Juarez, Lucho Gonzalez, and Marco Mosquera

Yuri Juarez Performing With Gabriel Alegria’s Afro-Peruvian Jazz Sextet

Yuri Juarez Accompanying Vocalist Victoria Villalobos

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Album of the Week: Aureá, Geoffrey Keezer
Spotlight: Para Los Engreidos, Manante
Exploring Latin Jazz: 2 Modern Latin Jazz Artists In Peru
Album of the Week: Nuevo Mundo, Gabriel Alegria

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