Biography
Conceptual jazz quartet hologram fuses jazz and improvisation with contemporary music, soundscapes, afro-caribbean rhythms and visual imagery to create a unique palette of original sound. The music is inspired by the holographic principle in nature and the universe as they portray the unity of it all. Exciting compositions and performances makes this seasoned quartet an unforgettable musical experience.
hologramª is:
L. Raul Romero, composer, producer and guitarist b. in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Classical guitar studies at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and major in Jazz Composition at Berklee College of Music. Studies under Ken Pullig and composer Greg Hopkins. He's recorded and/or performed alongside artists including Slide Hampton, Tito Puente, Paquito D'Rivera, Will Lee, Horacio Hernandez, John Benitez, Donny McCaslin, Luis Bonilla and William Cepeda Afro Rican Jazz, a project which featured many of his arrangements as well as original music fusiing native Puerto Rican rhythms and jazz. As a performer and clinician he's performed at music festivals such as the FAOT 2009 in Mexico, the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Festival, the Latin Heritage Music Festival, the JVC Jazz Fest and toured Central and South America in several U.S. Dept. of State-sponsored cultural ambassador programs, performing live concerts, clinics and engaging in community outreach. He's also produced several jazz and improvisational music albums under his Arrakis Productions label.
Ricardo Pons, saxophonist/flutist and composer b. San Juan, Puerto Rico. B.A. City College of New York and M.A. Jazz Performance and Composition at the Aaron Copland Conservatory at Queens College, NYC. Studies with Jimmy Heath and Sir Roland Hannah. He has performed alongside numerous artists including Chick Corea, Tito Puente, Mario Bauza, Celia Cruz, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri, Teatro Pregones and Pleneros de la 21. He has participated at the Chicago Jazz Festival and the Charlie Parker Festival in New York. One of his compositions, 'Vieques Si' earned him a spot on the 'All Jazz Real Book' (SHER MUSIC) honoring him as the first Puerto Rican composer to be featured in that publication. Always commited to the fusion of jazz and folk Puerto Rican music he has produced the albums 'De Puerto Rico al Mundo' of his co- founded bomba and plena fusion group 'Viento de Agua', 'Ricardo Pons and Plena del Sol' and co-produced the album 'CausaComun'. He currently teaches at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
Aldemar Valentin. b.Mayagüez, PR. Studies at the Ponce Fine Arts School under the tutelage of Irvin Cancel. Dual major Berklee College of Music under Oscar Stagnaro, Hal Crook, Scott Free & Greg Hopkins. Master degree New England Conservatory under Rakalam Bob Moses & Danilo Perez among others. He has worked as an educator at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, jazz improvisation master clases in Ecuador, jazz and afro-caribbean music conferences in Western Africa organized under the U.S. State Department & Kennedy Center for the Arts 'Jazz Ambassadors' program and conferences at the Panama Jazz Festival representing the NEC.
He has performed and recorded alongside artists such as Nestor Torres, Danilo Perez, David Sanchez, Paoli Mejias, Victor Mendoza, Giovanni Hidalgo, Miguel Zenon and Eduardo Tancredi among many others. He's currently promoting his album 'Finding my Path' and teaching at the Interamerican University in San Juan.
Efraín Martinez b. in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been playing drums since age 13. Studies with former Mongo Santamaria and Sammy Davis Jr.'s band drummer Tony Sanchez. Early on he was influenced by drummer Al Foster. He has performed and/ or recorded with numerous Latin American artists in many different generes and with performers both in Puerto Rico and the U.S. like Steve Khan, Eddie Gomez, Jerry Gonzalez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Ron Affif, Hilton Ruiz, John Benitez, William Cepeda AfroRican Jazz among many others. Music festival participation include the Dominican Republic Jazz Fest, San Juan Heineken Jazz Fest, FAOT 2009 and Barranquilla Jazz Festival. He's also toured as a clinician with the U.S. Dept. of State-sponsored Cultural Ambassador Program.
Instrumentation
L. Raul Romero-guitar
Ricardo Pons-saxophones/percussion
Aldemar Valentin-bass
Efrain Martinez-drums/percussion
Discography
You can listen online at:
www.hologram-a.com, watch videos at www.myspace.com/hologramajazz and purchase the album online via our website or directly at:
CD Baby (http://cdbaby.com/cd/hologram), iTunes Store (search for hologramª), Amazon.com, eMusic, Napster and many more.
Check us out on Facebook!
Links
| http://www.hologram-a.com |