Jerry Gonzalez

Jerry Gonzalez
Background information
Birth name	Gerald Gonzalez
Born	June 5, 1949(1949-06-05)
Origin	The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, Latin Jazz, Rumba
Occupations	Trumpeter, Conga player, Composer, Arranger
Instruments	Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Congas

Jerry Gonzalez (b. NY, June 5, 1949) is an American-born Latino jazz trumpeter and percussionist, most noteworthy for his contributions to Latin jazz.

Biography

Jerry Gonzalez Sr. singing in the 40's.

Early life and career

Jerry Gonzalez in the 80's.

The original members of the Fort Apache Band

Jerry Gonzalez and Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros in Harlem, 2011.

Jerry Gonzalez was born in 1949 in Manhattan, on 58 street and 3ª Avenue, and moved to the Bronx at the age of 4. He was raised in a strong musical atmosphere, with the strains of Latin, Afro-Cuban and jazz music always in his ear, establishing his musical appreciation and molding his future work as an artist. His father, Jerry Gonzalez Sr. was a master of ceremonies and lead singer for bands during the Palladium era and sang with musicians like Claudio Ferrer. In junior high school he began playing trumpet and congas and jamming with local bands. After deciding this was his calling, Gonzalez completed his formal studies at New York College of Music and New York University. He started his professional career playing with Lewellyn Mathews in New York State World's Fair in 1963. Then, in 1970, he started playing congas with Dizzy Gillespie. With Gillespie’s support and encouragement, Gonzalez was able to fuse the African based rhythms onto jazz elements without compromising the essence of either. The next year, Gonzalez joined Eddie Palmieri’s band till 1974, before moving on to work with “Conjunto Libre” the band led by great timbales artist Manny Oquendo and Jerry's brother Andy Gonzalez. He and his brother the bass player Andy Gonzalez were the fundators of the Conjunto Anabacoa and later of the charismatic Grupo Folklórico y Experimental Nuevayorkino with whom he made three records: Concepts of Unity (1974), Lo Dice Todo (1975) and Homenaje a Arsenio (2011). The band members were: Jerry and Andy Gonzalez, Frankie Rodríguez, Milton Cardona, Gene Golden, Carlos Mestre, Nelson González, Manny Oquendo, Oscar Hernandez, José Rodríguez, Gonzalo Fernández, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Willy García, Heny Álvarez, Virgilio Martí, Marcelino Guerra, Rubén Blades, Orlando "Puntilla" Ríos and Julito Collazo.

He played with Tito Puente ensemble (1984 to 1999) McCoy Tyner band (1984 to 1990) and Jaco Pastorius band (1984 to 1987)

Jerry Gonzalez in 2011

The Fort Apache Band

Inevitably, Gonzalez talent led him to form his own band. In 1979, Gonzalez published his first album as a leader: Ya yo me curé. Soon he formed his best-known band: Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band which included his brother Andy and other members as Kenny Kirkland, Sonny Fortune, Nicky Marrero, Milton Cardona, Papo Vazquez and the late Jorge Dalto. The ensembles first two albums were recorded live at European jazz festivals, The River is Deep in 1982 in Berlin and Obatalá in 1988 in Zurich. These were followed by their hit album, Rumba Para Monk, in 1988, earning them recognition from the French Academie du Jazz with the Jazz Record of the Year award. This was the record that caught the ears of the jazz community, and is still considered a stellar project. After that, the 15 members band was compressed into a sextet: Larry Willis (piano), Andy Gonzalez (bass), Steve Berrios (Drums) and Carter Jefferson (sax) and Joe Ford (sax).

Gonzalez and the band subsequently released Earthdance (Sunnyside,1990) and Moliendo Café (Sunnyside, 1991). These albums again demonstrated the band’s ability to play Latin inspired jazz with genuine sensitivity and virtuosity. After Moliendo Café, Carter Jefferson passed away and was replaced by John Stubblefield. They then released Crossroads in 1994 and Pensativo in 1995, each of which earned them Grammy nominations. The ensemble was awarded The Beyond Group of the Year by both Down Beat Magazine reader's and critic's polls in 1995 and 1996.

Gonzalez and group continued their creations on the 1996 album Fire Dance, recorded live at Blues Alley, and featuring interpretations of Thelonious Monk as Let’s Call This and Ugly Beauty, as well as original compositions. Their efforts were are compensated by winning a score of awards as; Best Jazz Group in Playboy Magazines Readers Poll for 1997. In 1998 they swept the Latin Jazz category at the New York Jazz Awards winning both the Industry and Journalist Polls. In 1999 the group scored big with the critics and readers polls for Beyond Group of The Year in Down Beat Magazine.

Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache Band offered a tribute to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on their 2005 release Rumba Buhaina. That was their first record as a quintet, without John Stubblefield, who passed away in 2005. The band is still alive and functioning.

In 2008, the Heineken Festival paid tribute to Jerry Gonzalez and his brother Andy, the first Puertoricans to be honored by the Heineken Festival. In October 2011, the Grammy awarded Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra payed tribute to Jerry and Andy at the Symphony Space Theater.

His years in Spain

Gonzalez popularity rose after his contribution to the movie Calle 54, directed by the Oscar awarded Fernando Trueba, where the main names of Latin jazz participated: Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Gato Barbieri, Chucho Valdes, Dave Valentin, Israel López "Cachao"... This has not been the only collaboration of Gonzalez in movies, he participated in Crossover Dreams (León Ichaso, 1985) with Rubén Blades and Virgilio Martí, Piñero (León Ichaso, 2001) and chapters of Sesame Street. After the premiere of Calle 54, in 2000, Gonzalez relocated to Madrid. The trumpeter went there for just one day during the tour with Calle 54 and ended up living there. He immersed himself in the flamenco scene and started to develop a new concept with the genre that would blossom in the future.

His hiatus in Madrid resulted in the production of Los Piratas Del Flamenco (2004) a band and album that included the flamenco guitarist Niño Josele, the percussionist Israel Suárez "Piraña" and the singer Diego El Cigala. A novel approach is evident, as it was done without bass, without drums or piano, a radically new sound, a fusion of jazz and flamenco but with a twist. The album was nominated to the Grammy Awards as best Latin jazz album and won the Critics Award in New York as best Latin-jazz album of the year. He has also played with other flamenco musicians such as Enrique Morente, Paco de Lucía, Javier Limón and Jorge Pardo, copla musicians like Martirio and pop musicians living in Spain like the Argentinean Andrés Calamaro. Gonzalez latest albums have been A primera vista (duet with Federico Lechner, 2002), Music for Big Band (Youkali/Universal, 2006) and Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo (Cigala Music, 2010), recorded with El comando de la clave, Jerry's quartet in Spain, which includes the Cubans Alain Pérez (bass), Javier Massó "Caramelo" (piano) and Kiki Ferrer (drums). It was nominated as best Jazz album to the Spanish Music Awards. The American edition of this album was called Jerry Gonzalez y el Comando de la Clave (Sunnyside, 2011).

In 2010, he is given the "Latino of the Year Award" in the 100 Latinos Awards-Madrid.

His next projects are an album with the Spanish contrabass player Javier Colina, a duet live album with the flamenco guitarist Niño Josele, a live album with his Fort Apache Band and a tribute album to Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.

Collaborations

In the long run of his career, Gonzalez has been playing with musicians such as Jaco Pastorius, Tito Puente, McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, Eddie Palmieri, Cachao López, Wood Shaw, Tony Williams, Larry Young, Freddie Hubbard, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Archie Shepp, Paco de Lucía, George Benson, Chico O'Farill, The Beach Boys, Papo Vázquez, Ray Barretto, Bobby Paunetto, Chocolate Armenteros, Hilton Ruíz, Chico Freeman, Don Moye, José "Chombo" Silva, Rashied Ali, Paquito D'Rivera, Kenny Vance, Diego El Cigala, Enrique Morente and Steve Turre.

Discography

As a leader:

• Ya Yo Me Cure (American Clave/Sunnyside, 1979)
• The River Is Deep (Enja, 1982)
• Rumba para Monk (Sunnyside, 1988)
• Obatalá (Enja, 1988)
• Earthdance (Sunnyside, 1990)
• Moliendo Café (Sunnyside, 1991)
• Crossroads (Fantasy, 1994)
• Pensativo (Fantasy, 1995)
• Impressions with Afro Blue Band, (Fantasy, 1995)
• Fire Dance (Fantasy,1996)
• Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache Band Live (1996)
• Calle 54 (Calle54, 2000)
• Jerry González & Federico Lechner: A primera vista (2002)
• Jerry Gonzalez & Los Piratas del Flamenco (Lola Records/Sunnyside, 2004)
• Rumba Buhaina (Sunnyside, 2005)
• Music for a Big Band (Youkali/Universal, 2006)
• Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo (Cigala Music/Warner, 2010)
• Jerry González y el Comando de la Clave (Sunnyside/2011)

As sideman:

• George Benson: The other side of Abbey Road (A&M, 1969)
• Bobby Paunetto: Commit to Memory (Pathfinder/Tonga, 1970)
• Dizzy Gillespie: Portrait of Jenny (Perception, 1970)
• Clifford Thornton: Communications Network (Third World, 1972)
• Huston Person: Island Episode (Prestige, 1973)
• Eddie Palmieri: Sentido (1973)
• Clifford Thornton: Gardens of Harlem (JCOA, 1974)
• Eddie Palmieri: Unfinished Masterpiece (Coco/MPL, 1974)
• Bobby Paunetto: Paunetto's Point (Pathfinder/Toga, 1974)
• Charlie Palmieri: Impulsos (Coco/MPL, 1975)
• Grupo Folklórico Experimental Nuevayorkino: Concepts of Unity (Salsoul, 1975)
• Bobby Paunetto: Commit to Memory (Pathfinder/Toga, 1976)
• Grupo Folklórico Experimental Nuevayorkino: Lo dice todo (Salsoul, 1976)
• Paquito D'Rivera: Blowin' (Columbia, 1981)
• Totico: Totico y sus rumberos (Montuno, 1981)
• Kip Hanrahan: Coup de tête (American Clavé, 1981)
• McCoy Tyner: Looking out (Columbia, 1982)
• Kip Hanrahan: Desire Develops an Edge (American Clavé, 1981)
• Tito Puente: On Broadway (Concord Picante, 1982)
• Abbey Lincoln: Talking to the sun (Enja, 1983)
• Kirk Lightsey: Isotope (Criss Cross, 1983)
• Jaco Pastorius: Jaco Pastorius live in New York Vol. I & III (Big World, 1985)
• Carlos "Patato" Valdés: Masterpiece (Messidor, 1984)
• Virgilio Martí: Saludos a los rumberos (Caimán,1984)
• Jaco Pastorius: Punk Jazz (Big World, 1986)
• Franco Ambrosetti: Movies (Enja, 1986)
• Soundtrack of the movie Crossover Dreams (Electra/Asylum1986)
• Hilton Ruiz: El camino (RCA/BMG/Novus, 1987)
• Steve Turré: Viewpoints on Vibrations (Stash, 1987)
• Santi Debriano: Obeah (Free Lance, 1987)
• Kip Hanrahan: Days and nights of blue luck inverted (American Clavé, 1987)
• Steve Turré: Fire and Ice (Stash, 1988)
• Kenny Vance: The Performer (Rockaway/Gold Castle, 1988) http://www.kennyvance.com/vid13performer.html
• Larry Willis: Heavy Blue (Steeplechase, 1989)
• Kirk Lightsey: Everything is changed (Sunnyside, 1989)
• McCoy Tyner: The Turning Point (Birdology, 1991)
• Charles Fambrough: The proper angle (CTI, 1991)
• Kenny Kirkland: Kenny Kirkland (GRP, 1991)
• Don Byron: Music for six musicians (1992)
• Dave Valentin: Tropic Heat (GRP, 1993)
• Bobby Hutcherson: Acoustic Masters II (Atlancic, 1993)
• McCoy Tyner: Journey (Birdology, 1993)
• Hilton Ruiz: Heroes (Telarc, 1993)
• David Sanchez: Sketches of Dreams (Columbia, 1994)
• Sonny Fortune: A Better Understanding (Blue Note, 1994)
• Afro Blue band: Impressions (1995)
• Chico O'Farrill: Pure Emotion (Milestone, 1995)
• Giovanni Hidalgo: Time Shifter (Tropijazz, 1996)
• Bobby Matos: Footprints (Cubop, 1996)
• Abbey Lincoln: You and I (Jazzfest, 1997)
• Deep Rumba: The music of Marlon Simon (K-Jazz, 1998)
• Arturo O'Farrill: Blood Lines (Milestone, 1999)
• Batacumbele: Hijos de tambó (Batá, 1999)
• Rumbajazz: Tribute to Chombo (Sunnyside, 1999)
• Abbey Lincoln: Over the years (Verve, 2000)
• Diego "El Cigala": Corren tiempos de alegría (2001)
• Andrés Calamaro: Tinta Roja (2001)
• Martirio: Mucho Corazón (2001)
• Enrique Morente: Pequeño Reloj (Virgin/Emi, 2003)
• Paco de Lucía: Cositas Buenas (2004)
• Diego "El Cigala": Picasso en mis ojos (2005)
• Niño Josele: Paz (2006)
• Diego Amador: "El aire de lo puro" (2006)
• Javier Limón: La tierra del Agua (2007)
• Javier Limón: Son de Limón (2008)
• Andrés Calamaro: Obras Incompletas (2009)
• Andrés Calamaro: On the Rock (2010)
• Alain Pérez: Apetecible (2010)

Notes

^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}

1. ^ "Jerry Gonzalez at All About Jazz". http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7106. Retrieved 4 April 2010. 
2. ^ Harris, Craig. "Jerry Gonzalez Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p29137/biography. Retrieved 4 April 2010. 
3. ^ "Jerry Gonzalez biography at Sunnyside Records site". http://www.sunnysiderecords.com/artist.php?id=131. 
4. ^ "Analysis of Jerry Gonzalez solo on "Obsession"". http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/2007/08/08/jerry-gonzalez-trumpet-solo-on-obsesion/. 
5. ^ "Article about the tribute to Jerry Gonzalez and his brother Andy held at the Symphony Space Theater". http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/17/arts/music/Afro-Latin-Jazz-Orchestra-at-Symphony-Space-Review.html?src=tp&smid=fb-share. Retrieved 17 Octobrer 2011. 
6. ^ "Article about the tribute to Jerry Gonzalez and his brother Andy held at the Symphony Space Theater". http://downbeat.com/default.asp?sect=news&subsect=news_detail&nid=1794. 
7. ^ "Jerry Gonzalez is given a Latino of the Year Award in 100 Latinos-Madrid". http://www.100latinos.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=233&Itemid=37. 

Persondata
Name	Gonzalez, Jerry
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1949
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death