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May Peters

A Dutchborn salsa/ jazzmusician, writer and educator living in Puerto Rico, Curaçao and Holland

About Me

May is a multitalented, passionated and creative entertainer who played in twenty eight countries. A Dutch born cocola/salsera who lives since 1994 over 15 years in her second “home country' Puerto Rico. Trombone player, organist, arranger, musical director, teacher/clinician, journalist/writer and tourist guide! Her love and passion for all the good things the Island of Enchantement has to offer is reflected, besides in the many interviews she gave on international radio and tv, in two books : ¡Música,maestra! (Totemboek, the Netherlands, July 2009) and her recent bundle of short stories “Poco a poco” (Totemboek, the Netherlands, July 2016). But also in her CD, “ Tributo de Tambor y Trombón en Clave de Mujer Boricua” ( Coquí Promotions, June 2013) a tribute to the grandes dames of Puerto Rican music, arranged and produced by Eric Figueroa, which is on #9 on the Top 20 Best Albums of the year 2013 of Puerto Rico”. She played with The Cubop City Big Band (the Netherlands); Ronald Snijders Extended Band (Surinam); Elías Lopés, Plena Libre, Eddie Santiago (Puerto Rico); the Festival di Tumba, Jazz Festival, (Curaçao), the Glenn Miller Memorial Orchestra (France/ United Kingdom/ the Netherlands) and the Flenn Miller Orchestra ( the Netherlands/Germany) and many more. May performed with her own band at the Teatro Francisco Arriví, Ventana al Jazz Fest- Condado, Long Weekend Jazz Fest- Humacao and Paseo de Letras- Old San Juan,Puero Rico, and national Radio 4 “Opium” the Netherlands. She gave workshops and lectures in the Caribbean, the United States, Europe and South Africa. She is a dedicated teacher and big band director. As a writer May was a correspondent for www.caribemagazine.nl representing Puerto Rico and Curaçao, as well as a reviewer for the Antillean Newspaper. Her most recent certificate is that of the Puerto Rico Tourist Company : a certified Tourist Guide, as she show tourists on her unique, vivid way around in 5 languages through San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico. Please visit her website : htpp://www.maypeters.com .

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because Jazz is what you are ,as Louis Armstrong said. I was first exposed to jazz at age 16 in a big band. I met [musician name]... The best show I ever attended was... The first jazz record I bought was Ellaz Fitzgerald. I am a huuuge fan of hers. My advice to new listeners to always listen with your heart. Or whatever else you have in mind.