Lumen Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band

• 1 Lumen 06:24
• 2 Across the Crystal Sea 08:13
• 3 Suite for the Americas 10:34
• 4 Prayer for Peace 05:17
• 5 Expeditions 08:29
• 6 Galactic Panama 07:57
• 7 One for Toni (Dedicated to Toni Morrison) 09:19
• 8 Irremediablemente 05:49
• 9 Sunburn and Mosquito 06:31
• Total Runtime 01:08:33

Info for Lumen

Bohuslan Big Band and Danilo Perez collaborate on a new and unique album. Danilo Perez and Swedish jazz orchestra, Bohuslan Big Band, release a record where Pan-American rhythms meet the Nordic big band sound. The album, characterized by improvisation and playfulness, is evidence of music's power to unite cultures. The new album is the result of a collaborative effort marked by openness, a spirit of experimentation, and mutual respect. The music, of which the majority is composed by Danilo Perez, has its roots in Pan-American rhythms and grooves and is as majestic as it is playful with its elements of both improvisation and free flowing melodies. With song titles like "Galactic Panama" and "Sunburn & Mosquito," Danilo's roots are never far away and permeates in the feeling of the music. "The album is a milestone in my career," says Perez. "It symbolizes the power of music to bring cultures together and create shared experiences of beauty and harmony. The project is also special because it was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its release stands as a testament to the commitment and effort of everyone involved in bringing this Global Jazz vision to life." The album brims with joyful spirit. The freely flowing improvisation between Danilo Perez's piano and Joakim Rolandsson's soprano saxophone on "Lumen," or the beautiful flugelhorn solo by Staffan Svensson on "Across the Crystal Sea", and especially the last two minutes of "Sunburn & Mosquito", are all examples of a musical encounter beyond the ordinary. Together with Bohuslan Big Band, Danilo carries on the rich tradition of Panamanian jazz music, from pioneering musicians like Luis Russell and Sonny White to Eric Dolphy and Billy Cobham, blending it with the Nordic touch that characterizes Bohuslan Big Band. "It has been an honor for us to be emersed in Danilo's boundless energy, musical integrity, and creative vision", says Eric Brandstrom Arellano, orchestra manager for Bohuslan Big Band. "He has truly created an inclusive and exploratory atmosphere in this project. This has opened the door for the musicians to delve deep into the intricacies for the music and embrace his artistic vision." In 2019, Panamanian-born world pianist Danilo Perez initiated a collaboration with Bohuslan Big Band in his role as Artist in Residence at Vara Concert Hall. In addition to touring, workshops, and work with the youth big band Next Generation Big Band, they also recorded Perez's music in new big band arrangements, now released.

Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band

Danilo Pérez
was born in Panama in 1965. Danilo started his musical training at 3 years old with his father Danilo Sr, a professional bandleader and singer, gave Danilo Jr. his first set of bongos. By the time he was 10 years of age he was studying the European Classical Piano repertoire at the National Conservatory in Panama, eventually transferring to the Berklee College of Music to study Jazz composition and then serving as a professor at the New England Conservatory of Music. While growing up in Panama, Perez was notably influenced by the works of Gershwin, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and his mentor in spirit Thelonious Monk.

When Danilo Perez moved to the United States his prominence increased immensely. He played with living jazz legends who played a key role in shaping Perez's technique and style. Between 1985 and 1988, while being a student at Berklee, Perez played with Jon Hendricks, Terence Blanchard, Claudio Roditi and Paquito D'Rivera. He also was part of the Grammy winning album, Danzon. Wynton Marsalis asked Perez to tour Poland with his band in 1995; Danilo Perez was the first Latin artist to perform with Marsalis. For the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Perez and Marsalis played together again. He performed as a special guest at President Clinton's Inaugural Ball, and played the piano on the Bill Cosby theme song.

He also played with Dizzy Gillespie, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden, Sibongile Khumalo, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Tito Puente, Gerardo Núñez, Wynton Marsalis, John Patitucci, Tom Harrell, Gary Burton, Wayne Shorter, Roy Haynes, Steve Lacy, Ben Street, Adam Cruz, and others.

A resident of Boston, Danilo Perez serves as the artistic director of the Berklee College of Music Global Jazz Institute, a program for talented jazz students from around the world.

Conceivably Perez's biggest influence in terms of style and thought was Dizzy Gillespie. Perez had the opportunity to perform with Gillespie and his United Nations Orchestra from 1989 until the band leader’s death in 1992. Perez states in a press report for the Independent that "One of the things Dizzy taught me was to learn about my own heritage even more than I knew already. He said it was more important for jazz for you to get to what your roots are, than to learn about other things". Danilo assimilated the bebop and post-bop styles. He was also a member of the Grammy winning record Live At The Royal Festival Other influential studies that Perez has achieved have been his album for Impulse! records, PanaMonk, which is a study of and tribute to Thelonious Monk.

This album contains no booklet.