Javier Vercher Cuarteto

The international JAZZMADRID festival features in its official programme a quartet performance by one of the most outstanding and distinctive saxophonists on the contemporary Spanish scene: Javier Vercher. With a long-established career across Europe and the United States, the Madrid-born musician visits the CentroCentro venue on 10 November to give a concert focused on free improvisation and the constant pursuit of new sonic nuances.

He began studying classical music as a child at the Joaquín Rodrigo Conservatory in Valencia, under the guidance of his father, but he soon turned his interest towards jazz after attending workshops with masters such as Perico Sambeat and Jorge Pardo. In 1997 he made the leap to Boston on a scholarship from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he broadened his knowledge of harmony and composition alongside reference names such as George Garzone and Bob Moses. A few years later he settled in New York, spending almost a decade on the jazz circuits of Brooklyn and recording with musicians of the calibre of Lionel Loueke, Robert Glasper and Larry Grenadier.

Over the course of his career he has released works widely acclaimed by critics, such as Introducing Javier Vercher, The Wheel of Time or Imaginary Realm, records that combine post-Coltrane heritage, sonic exploration and a strong emotional dimension. These have earned him accolades including the Revelación prize at the Tete Montoliu Jazz Biennale. He currently balances his own artistic projects with teaching at Berklee's Valencia campus.

Line-up:

Javier Vercher – Saxophone

Íñigo Ruiz de Gordejuela – Piano

Deejay Foster – Double bass

Marc Miralta – Drums