Manuel Valera New Cuban Express at The Side Door Jazz Club

Friday Nov 15th – Doors open 7:30pm for cocktails Show 8:30pm

After flirting with Latin rhythms within a modern post-bop context on his five previous releases, the brilliant Cuban-born pianist and composer Manuel Valera has put together the album of a lifetime. That recording, New Cuban Express, was nominated for the 2013 Grammy Awards.

As a followup to 2009’s trio recording, Currents, a savvy collection of jazz standards and originals, Valera has dipped into his own Afro-Cuban roots on his superb new release, New Cuban Express. Accompanied by fellow Cuban musician Yosvany Terry on alto sax, Tom Guarna on guitar, John Benitez on electric bass, Eric Doob on drums and Mauricio Herrera on percussion, Valera and his empathetic crew summon up percolating polyrhythmic grooves on this outstanding clave-fueled outing....

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Friday Nov 15th – Doors open 7:30pm for cocktails Show 8:30pm

After flirting with Latin rhythms within a modern post-bop context on his five previous releases, the brilliant Cuban-born pianist and composer Manuel Valera has put together the album of a lifetime. That recording, New Cuban Express, was nominated for the 2013 Grammy Awards.

As a followup to 2009’s trio recording, Currents, a savvy collection of jazz standards and originals, Valera has dipped into his own Afro-Cuban roots on his superb new release, New Cuban Express. Accompanied by fellow Cuban musician Yosvany Terry on alto sax, Tom Guarna on guitar, John Benitez on electric bass, Eric Doob on drums and Mauricio Herrera on percussion, Valera and his empathetic crew summon up percolating polyrhythmic grooves on this outstanding clave-fueled outing.

Currently based in New York, where he has resided since enrolling at the New School in 2000 and subsequently studied with pianist Richie Bierach, saxophonist George Garzone and bassist Reggie Workman, Valera is establishing his rep within jazz circles as a talent deserving of wider recognition as both a prolific composer and accomplished pianist who is directly tied to the Chick Corea-Herbie Hancock-Keith Jarrett lineage. With a killer crew on board for his latest release as a leader, the Cuban-born artist takes a major leap forward in his promising career with his sixth outstanding release as a leader, New Cuban Express. (http://www.manuelvalera.com )

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