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pere soto

Pere Soto, jazz guitarrist, from gypsy jazz to modern XX music

About Me

Pere Soto, jazz guitarist and contemporary composer from Barcelona, Spain, has performed all over the world, including concerts and club dates in the US, Holland, Belgium, England, Germany, Spain, France, and Mexico, where he makes his home during several months of the year. As a guest soloist he has performed in prestigious festivals such as Laguna Django fest, Los Angeles and Portland Jazz Festival, Oregon (USA) and North Sea Jazz Festival, Rotterdam (The Netherlands).

Since 1984 he leads and composes music for the Catalan International gypsy jazz band 'Django's Castle' .His approach to gypsy jazz comes from Django Reinhardt. “Gypsy jazz is not only a style, says Pere, but a completely fresh and dynamic style of improvised music.”

Django's Castle has performed at international festivals such as Festival Internacional de Guitarra in Petrer and Festival Internacional de Peñiscola (both in Spain) and several times at the Birmingham Jazz Festival in UK. The group has released seven cds - 'Tres Mamuts en Liliput' is their most recent recording .

Pere Soto lived from 1990 -1993 in Amsterdam. His first cd 'Metanoic', recorded in Holland in 1992 with the participation of pianist Bill Gerhardt, bassist Arjen Gorter and drummer John Engels, was selected by Jazz South Federation (USA) as best cd of the month and broadcasted all over the United States.

Soto's New York debut in 1994 of his cd 'Particular Vernacular' counted with the participation of musicians such as Bill Gerhardt, Dave Douglas, Dave Liebman, Ben Allison and Jeff Ballard.

In 2008 he released 'Oasis' in Portland Oregon, USA. This is a contemporary jazz cd featuring saxophonist David Valdez on several of Pere’s compositions.

His song 'Menor-K Blues' from his cd 'Prisoners of Love', appears in the last compilation cd from Hot Club Records, Norway: 'Django Festival 3: Gypsy Swing Today' (2004) along with famous gypsy names like Jimmy Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre and John Larsen.

As a composer Pere Soto has written close to 800 works for guitar, ensembles, string quartets, opera, and piano. As a classical composer, he composed music for a string quartet which was performed by El Cuarteto de la Ciudad de Mexico. His work has been published by Clivis Publications and Periferiamusic

websites: www.peresoto.com www.peresoto.com/gypsytrio Press:

“...the Spanish born, self-taught guitarist, composer and arranger Soto is recognized as a leader in his native musical sound.” -Amsterdam, World Music/Jazz

“...Quartet plays tightly riveted ensembles. Within this framework both leaders play long, clean, lyrically turned solos... replete with small virtues and a sense of craftsmanship.” David Dupont, Cadence Magazine, New York, February 1993 (about cd Metatonic)

This Catalan group is certainly the dream team among bands in the Hot Club of France tradition...”

-Warwick Festival in England

“ Pere Soto's distinctive brand of gypsy jazz commands attention with its compelling rhythms and quirkily unexpected melodies.”

- The Jazz Rag, England