Ignasi Terraza | |
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![]() Terraza in 2006 | |
Background information | |
Born | Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain | July 14, 1962
Genres | Straight-ahead jazz |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument | Piano |
Ignasi Terraza (born 14 July 1962) is a Spanish jazz pianist. [1]
Blind from the age of 10, he studied piano as well as computer engineering and was the first blind person in Spain to obtain this degree. [2] After three years dividing his time between his profession and music, in 1991 he decided to dedicate himself entirely to jazz, accompanying vocalists such as Kalil Wilson, Charmin Michelle, Randy Greer, Michelle McCain, Lavelle, and Stacey Kent, as well as jazz musicians Frank Wess, Jesse Davis, Gene "The Mighty Flea" Conners, Teddy Edwards, Ted Curson, Spike Robinson, Ralph Lalama, and Brad Leali.
As a leader, his trios and quartets have included bassists Pierre Boussaguet, Mario Rossy, Javier Colina, Jules Bekoko, and Horacio Fumero, and drummers Jean Pierre Derouard, Gregory Hutchinson, Walter Perkins, Bobby Durham, Peer Wyboris, Jo Krause, Esteve Pi, and Julian Vaughn.
One notable collaboration, divided into two periods (1985–1988 and 1996–2000), was with vibraphonist and drummer Oriol Bordas, performing in trio and quartet formations as well as with the Barcelona Jazz Orchestra.
Since 2003, he has taught jazz piano at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya – Catalonia College of Music. [2] Since 2006, his trio has accompanied singer Susana Sheiman at venues in both Madrid and Barcelona.
Since 2009, [3] he has appeared in performances and recordings with the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, a youth big band founded by Joan Chamorro in Barcelona, featuring multi-instrumentalists such as Andrea Motis, Rita Payés, and others. He is also a member of the Motis Chamorro Quintet, which includes Josep Traver and Esteve Pi.
Terraza's 2009 recording, Plaça Vella (with the Josep Maria Farràs & Ignasi Terraza Trio), features two tracks with saxophonist Jesse Davis.
In 2013, he premiered his Suit Miró at Washington's National Gallery of Art during a monographic exhibition on the Catalan artist Joan Miró, and the following year performed the suite at Madrid's Museo Reina Sofía on International Museum Day. [4]
But everyone was on the same page Thursday night at The Florida Theatre and Ignasi Terraza is the 2009 winner of the competition.