Edsel Gomez

Edsel Gomez is today one of the premier Latin Jazz pianists in the world.

Born in Puerto Rico in 1962, he began piano studies at age five. He grew up in a musical environment that allowed him to master afro-caribbean rhythms in depth, working since childhood with an incredible array of Latin music idols such as Marvin Santiago, Celia Cruz, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, Santitos Colon, Cheo Feliciano, Roberto Roena, Willie Colon, Ismael Rivera Jr., Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Olga Guillot, Lola Flores, Marco Antonio Muñiz, among many others.

He gained a Bachelor of Music Degree at Berklee College of Music with a Count Basie Award for outstanding musicianship in 1985 while expanding his performance credits working with such renowned jazz artists as Gary Burton, Claudio Roditi, Bill Pierce, Don Byron, Chick Corea and Jerry Gonzalez among many others.

Relocated to Brazil from 1986 to 1996 he studied extensively Brazilian Music and worked accompanying such renown artists as Cauby Peixoto, Wilson Simonal, Paulinho da Viola, Amelinha, Caetano Veloso, Joao Bosco, Lucinha Lins, Angela Maria and Trombonist Raul de Souza, recording de Souza’s “The Other Side of the Moon.”

Within the Brazilian landscape he worked as a Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Conductor/Musical Director of Broadway-like shows, educator, and producer and managed his own recording studio/production company. Within a short time, most Brazilian musicians considered him “one of ours.” Gomez’s personal approach to fusing jazz, Latin and Brazilian music gives him a unique personality and musical voice.

Since relocating to New York in 1997, he has been featured in saxophonist David Sanchez’s albums, “Obsesion,” ”Melaza,” “Travesia,” and a fourth, “Coral” which won the Latin Grammy; (with the Prague Radio Symphony Orch) Clarinetist Don Byron’s “Tuskeegee Experiments,” (‘94) “Music for Six Musicians” and “You are Number Six;”Richard Bona’s “Scenes from my life,” and “Reverence” (Sony/Columbia) and has toured extensively around the world.

Edsel works around the world as Dee Dee Bridgewater’s pianist/arranger, along with new proyects that include Jack DeJohnette’s “Latin Project,” featuring Giovanni Hidalgo, Don Byron, Luisito Quintero and Jerome Harris; Conrad Herwig’s "Latin side of Miles," “Another Kind of Blue-Live at the Blue Note,” and “The Latin Side of Coltrane,” featuring Paquito D’Rivera, Dave Valentin, Brian Lynch, Richie Flores, Mario Rivera, Robbie Ammeen and John Benitez, and a collaboration with Vocalist Janis Siegel.

Edsel has released an album dedicated to the music of Chico Buarque “Celebrating Chico Buarque de Hollanda,” (‘99) and recorded a new album, “Cubist Music,” (Zoho Music, 2006) produced by Don Byron, featuring Edsel’s original compositions reflecting his own improvisational concept based on Cubist Art, performed by a stellar group comprised of clarinetist Don Byron, saxophonists David Sanchez, Steve Wilson, Greg Tardy, and Miguel Zenon, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Bruce Cox.

Robby Ameen: Live at the Poster Museum

Read "Live at the Poster Museum" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
March 8, 2025

Unlike some drummer-led albums, wherein it is hard to determine who is actually piloting the ship, there are no doubts about who is in charge on Live at the Poster Museum--and that would be none other than Robby Ameen whose sharp and forceful timekeeping enlivens the heart and soul of every number, lending them a sizable measure of their exuberance and swagger. That is especially meaningful considering that Ameen is traveling in fast company, overseeing a burnished ...

Album Review

Robby Ameen: Live at the Poster Museum

Read "Live at the Poster Museum" reviewed by Paul Rauch

by Paul Rauch
July 20, 2024

There are pluses and minuses to all recordings, the attributes stacking up like cordwood due to the virtuosity of the musicians, the compositional value of the tunes and the basic, primary aim of the leader. In this case, the leader, virtuoso drummer Robby Ameen, blurs the line between Afro-Caribbean rhythms and swinging post bop jazz. His music mentions in a way, that the divisions we may see between the different elements of the music that became modern jazz in New ...

Album Review

Robby Ameen: Diluvio

by Jack Bowers
May 21, 2020

It's a given that wherever Grammy-winning drummer Robby Ameen goes, irrepressible rhythm is sure to follow. Diluvio, Ameen's third album as leader of his own ensemble, is clearly no exception to the rule. Ameen's half-dozen compositions are intrepid and lively, and even Gerry Mulligan's “Line for Lyons" and John Coltrane's “Impressions," which seal the album, are given bright rhythmic makeovers in keeping with the leader's metrical frame of mind. To lend color and variety, Ameen employs a ...

Album Review

Robby Ameen: Diluvio

by Dan Bilawsky
May 16, 2020

Perhaps it's a flood of rhythm that the title and cover art refer to on this third leader outing from drumming dynamo Robby Ameen. A heavy hitter in Afro-Cuban circles for decades, Ameen's frangible linear Latin funk workouts, intricate rhythmic roadmapping, song-serving chops and good taste have earned him an overwhelmingly positive reputation. Everybody from musical polymath Ruben Blades to flutist Dave Valentin and pianist Eddie Palmieri to trombonist Conrad Herwig has called on Ameen multiple times over the years, ...

Album Review

John Bailey: Can You Imagine?

Read "Can You Imagine?" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
February 28, 2020

Letting his imagination roam free, trumpeter John Bailey envisions a world in which one of his musical touchstones, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, is president of the United States--one in which Gillespie's cabinet includes Duke Ellington (secretary of state), Louis Armstrong (secretary of agriculture) and Miles Davis (CIA director). The fact is, Gillespie did “run" for president in 1964, a crusade that was far more satirical than serious. Nevertheless, as was his fashion, Gillespie milked his “candidacy" for all it was worth, ...

Album Review

John Bailey: Can You Imagine?

Read "Can You Imagine?" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
February 25, 2020

The world loves a good “what if..." story, so why not explore the idea of Dizzy Gillespie as president? The famed trumpeter actually ran for the highest office in the land in 1964. And though the move was largely in jest, he didn't shy away from the issues of the day while campaigning. Sadly, many of the same problems that Gillespie explored still plague the United States, but trumpeter John Bailey doesn't get weighed down by that sobering sadness—or pure ...

Album Review

Edsel Gomez: Road to Udaipur

Read "Road to Udaipur" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
April 29, 2015

Puerto Rican-born pianist Edsel Gomez hasn't recorded any albums as leader since his Grammy-nominated debut, Cubist Music, in 2007--he has been far too busy--but that doesn't mean he hasn't harbored such plans in the back of his mind. Now in his early 50s, Gomez decided the time was right to enter a studio again, the result of which is Road to Udaipur, a resplendent cornucopia of Latin-centered jazz that pays tacit homage to a pair of his mentors, Chick Corea ...

Performance / Tour

Edsel Gomez at Catalina Bar and Grill, Hollywood, California, February 12

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
February 10, 2007

GRAMMY NOMINEE AND ZOHO MUSIC RECORDING ARTIST EDSEL GOMEZ

Monday, February 12th

With Darek Oles and Dean Rohan

At Catalina Bar & Grill 6725 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood California 90028 (323) 466-2210 http://www.catalinajazzclub.com/

Sets At 8:30 p.m. & 10.30 p.m.

Edsel Gomez, Cubist Music

Edsel Gomez: piano; Don Byron: clarinet; David Sanchez: tenor saxophone; Miguel Zenon: alto sax; Steve Wilson: alto saxophone, flute; Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute; Drew Gress: acoustic ...
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Performance / Tour

The Edsel Gomez Quartet Live at J&R Music World Live Broadcast on WBGO Tuesday, February 22nd, 2006 at 12:30 p.m.

Source: All About Jazz
February 20, 2006

Live at J&R Music World: Edsel Gomez Quintet Park Row, New York, N.Y. 10038 (across from City Hall Park) 212-238-9000 Live Broadcast on WBGO Tuesday, Feb. 21stat 12:30 p.m. Hosted by Midday Jazz host Rhonda Hamilton On Tuesday, February 22nd, you'll have a chance to hear someone with what we call a “serious ear." Pianist Edsel Gomez first fell for music while growing up in Puerto Rico. Now internationally recognized as one ...
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Performance / Tour

Edsel Gomez at the Vermont Jazz Center on 2/18/06

Source: All About Jazz
February 16, 2006

VERMONT JAZZ CENTER 72 COTTON MILL HILL, #222 BRATTLEBORO, VT, 05301

VJC TO PRESENT CUBIST-LATIN MUSIC WITH THE EDSEL GOMEZ TRIO ON FEBRUARY 18TH AT 8:00 PM.

On Saturday, February 18th, at 8:00 PM, the Vermont Jazz Center presents a concert with Puerto Rican born, pianist, Edsel Gomez and his trio including bassist Brittish bassist Howard Britz and Venezuelan drummer Tony De Vivo. Gomez will be performing music inspired by both his Latin heritage as well ...
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