While Juancho Herrera is part of a wave of extraordinary Latin American musicians who’ve transformed the New York music scene in recent decades, he’s carved out a singular path with a highly personal synthesis of jazz and South American sounds. With his fourth album Gaviero, the Colombian-born string wizard, singer, composer, arranger and producer delivers a striking concept album that is both a sumptuous sonic journey and a vivid visual feast. In an era when music is consumed disembodied and piecemeal via low-fi digital streams, Herrera has created a countercultural multimedia experience that combines a beloved Latin American literary source, a keen-eyed photographer/designer, and a supremely gifted international cast of musical explorers. Inspired by Maqroll El Gaviero, a beloved nautical character whose picaresque adventures turned Colombian diplomat and poet Álvaro Mutis into a Latin American literary icon, Gaviero is the work of an artist eagerly investigating breathtaking new sonic territory. Born in Colombia and raised in Venezuela, Herrera graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1997.
In 2000 he relocated to Brooklyn, NY where he established himself as one of the busiest Latin guitar players in the New York music scene over the next several years. Herrera has been an essential collaborator with some of the era’s definitive voices in jazz and world music, including Chilean vocalist Claudia Acuña, Colombian singer/songwriter Marta Gomez, Oaxacan-American vocalist Lila Downs, and Argentine singer Sofia Rei. He’s performed and recorded with international heavyweights such as Mercedes Sosa, The Chieftains, Branford Marsalis, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alejandro Sanz, and Idan Raichel, among others. With Gaviero, his fourth album, Herrera has once again set out for new territory, bringing together players, images, and music to create something evocative of realms glanced at but not seen, whispered about but not heard.
DISCOGRAPHY
Bandleader:
-Gaviero, (special guests: Sofía Rei, Alejo García, Sofía Tosello), produced by Juancho Herrera, 2017
-El Mismo Sol, produced by Yayo Serka, Ben Zwerin y Juancho Herrera, 2015
-Banda, (special guests: Anat Cohen, Jason Lindner, Claudia Acuña, Aquiles Báez, Sofía Rei, Sofía Tosello), produced by Juancho Herrera, 2011
-Buscando, produced by Fernando Aponte, 2005
Producer-Arranger:
-River Nikolett Pankovits (Producer, guitar, arranger) 2020
-Turning Pages Claudia Acuña (Producer, guitar, arranger) Latin Grammy Nomination 2019
-Here and Now Erika Matsuo (Guitar, arranger, co-producer) 2019
-Reflections Erika Matsuo (Guitar, arranger, co-producer) 2017
-Magia Nikolett Pankovits (Producer, guitar, arranger) 2016
-Nostalgia Erika Matsuo (Guitar, arranger) 2015
-True Colors Erika Matsuo (Guitar, arranger) 2012
Sideman selected works:
-Aguije Tierra Adentro (Guitar) Latin Grammy Nomination 2020
-Creación Manu Sija (Guitar, Vocals), Premios Gardel Nomination 2019
-Yo You Me Tú: Vol 2 Zemog el Gallo Bueno (Guitar) 4 stars NY Times 2015
-Este Instante Marta Gomez (Guitar, cuatro, mandolin, claps, backing vocals) Latin Grammy Nominee 2014
-Coloreando Marta Gomez and Friends (Guitar, cuatro, backing vocals, claps, musical direction) Latin Grammy Winner 2013
-Encantado Aquiles Baez (Vocals) 2013
-La Música No Se Toca Alejandro Sanz (Cuatro) Latin Grammy Winner 2012
-I Have to Buy New Shoes-Soundtrack Ryuichi Sakamoto + Kotringo (Guitar) 2012
-San Patricio The Chieftains/Ry Cooder (Guitar, background vocals) 2010
-Life at Fip Lila Downs (Guitar, background vocals) 2010
-En Este Momento Claudia Acuña (Guitar, mandolin, background vocals, composer, arranger) 2009
-Sube Azul Sofia Rei Koutsovitis (Guitar cuatro, background vocals) 2009
-Shake Away Lila Downs (Guitar, background vocals) Grammy Nomination 2008
