(New York, USA, 1949)
Trumpet and conga player with Puerto Rican origin, one of the fathers of Latin-jazz. His principle influences are Miles Davis, Mongo Santamaría and Dizzy Gillespie.
He studies at New York Music & Art High School, New York Music Collage and New York University.
He starts his music career playing in Dizzy Gillespie's band (1970-1972). After that, he joins Eddie Palmieri (1970-1974), Manny Oquendo's Conjunto Libre (1974-1997), Tito Puente (1974-1997), McCoy Tyner (1984-1990) and Jaco Pastorius (1984-1987).
In 1970, together with his brother the bass player Andy González, he starts the Conjunto Anabacoa and later the Grupo Folklórico y Experimental Nuevayorkino, that included musicians such as "Chocolate" Armenteros, Frankie Rodríguez and Manny Oquendo. The band releases three albums: "Concepts in Unity" (1974), "Lo dice todo" (1975) and "Homenaje a Arsenio Rodríguez" (2011).
In 1979, González publishes his first album as a leader: "Ya yo me curé". Soon he forms his best-known band, the Fort Apache Band, which first includes 15 musicians but later becomes a quintet: Jerry González (trumpet, flugelhorn and congas), Andy González (bass), Larry Willis (piano), Joe Ford (sax) and Steve Berrios (drums).
Their first two albums are recorded live during European jazz festivals: "The River is Deep" (Berlín, 1982) and "Obatalá," (Zurich, 1988). These are followed by their hit album, "Rumba Para Monk", earning them recognition from the French Academie du Jazz with the "Jazz Record of the Year" award.
Their next albums are "Earthdance" (1990), "Moliendo Café" (1991), "Crossroads" (1994) and "Pensativo" (1995). "Crossroads" and "Pensativo" are nominated to the Grammy Awards as Best Latin-jazz albums. In 1996, they release "Fire Dance," recorded live at Blues Alley in Washington D.C. also a Grammy nominated album.
The ensemble is awarded "The Beyond Group of the Year" by both Down Beat Magazine reader's and critic's polls in 1995 and 1996.
In 1997, the band is voted "Best Jazz Group" by the readers of Playboy magazine and, in 1998, they receive the prize of the industry and the critic at the New York Jazz Awards. The latest tribute to Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers".
Jerry González's popularity rises after his participation in the movie "Calle 54" by Fernando Trueba where the main names of Latin-jazz participated: Tito Puente, Bebo Valdés, Gato Barbieri, Paquito D'Rivera, Michel Camilo, Eliane Elias, etc.
This is not the only participation of Jerry González in movies, he collaborates in "Crossover Dreams" (León Ichaso, 1985) with Rubén Blades and Virgilio Martí, in "Piñero" (León Ichaso, 2001) about the poet-scriptwriter-actor Miguel Piñero and in chapters of "Sesame Street".
After the premiere of "Calle 54", in 2000, Jerry González settles down in Madrid, Spain. The first result of his times in Spain is the album "Jerry González & los Piratas del Flamenco", that includes the guitarist Niño Josele, the singer Diego "El Cigala" and the percussionist Israel Suárez "Piraña". It is a different approach to the fusion between jazz and flamenco, without bass, drums or piano.
González's latest albums are "A primera vista" (duet with the Argentinean pianist Federico Lechner, 2000), "Music for Big Band" (2006) and "Avísale a mi contrario que aquí estoy yo" (2010). This latest one is recorded with El comando de la clave, his quartet in Spain, formed with Alaín Pérez (bass), Javier Massó "Caramelo" (piano) and Kiki Ferrer (drums). The album is nominated as "Best Jazz Album" in the Spanish Music Awards.
In 2008, the Heineken Festival pays tribute to Jerry González and his brother Andy González, the first Puertoricans to be honored by the Heineken Festival.
In the long run of his career he has performed at the most prestegious theaters, festivals and clubs in the world.
He has played with musicians such as Jaco Pastorius, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, McCoy Tyner, Chet Baker, Israel López "Cachao", Woody Shaw, Dizzy Gillespie, Enrique Morente, Paco de Lucía, Tony Williams, Larry Young, Ray The Beach Boys, Freddie Hubbard, Archie Shepp, George Benson, Papo Vázquez, Andrés Calamaro, "Chocolate" Armenteros, Hilton Ruíz, Paquito D'Rivera, Steve Turre, Martirio, Chico Freeman, Rashied Ali, Famoudou Don Moyé, "Chombo" Silva, Bobby Paunetto, Javier Limón, Diego "El Cigala", Javier Colina, Calle 13 or Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.
PS. To pause this video clip to listen to the songs, just click on the video once.
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