Diego Barber
Diego Barber | |
---|---|
Born | Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain |
Genres | Jazz, classical |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument | Guitar |
Labels | Sunnyside, Origin |
Diego Barber (Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain) is a classical and jazz guitarist. Throughout his career, Barber's discography has been featured in music charts and "best record of the year" lists by National Public Radio,[1] Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. He has received reviews from magazines published by All About Jazz,[2] Billboard,[3] JazzTimes and Down Beat,[4] among others. Diego has recorded albums for Sunnyside Records[5] and Origin Records.[6]
Early life
Barber was born into a family of musicians.[7] He studied at the Lanzarote Conservatory of Music[8] with Miguel Ángel Calzadilla and took private lessons with Toñin Corújo. Years later, he enrolled at the Arturo Soria Conservatory in Madrid. He met José Ramón García, who taught him harmony, analysis, and composition.
He received a degree in classical guitar from the Salamanca Higher Conservatory of Music. During his time at Salamanca, he took lessons from Costas Cotsiolis for one year in Atenas and from Ricardo Gallén.[9]
Barber attended the Mozarteum University of Salzburg where he completed his postgraduate studies with Marco Tamayo. He won first prize in the Leo Brouwer Guitar Festival and Competition in Spain in 2003, as well as the first prize in a competition organized by the Miami Classical Guitar Society.[10]
Personal life
Barber lives in New York City where he has recorded[11] the albums Calima,[12] The Choice,[13] and Tales in cooperation with Mark Turner, Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier, Ari Hoenig, Johannes Weidenmüller, and Seamus Blake, all recordings were released on Sunnyside Records. His duo album with pianist Craig Taborn, Tales, was mentioned in several top ten charts and Best-of-2014 lists such as iTunes (awarded with 4 stars),[14] Down Beat (4 of 5 stars),[15] The New York City Jazz Record,[16] Baltimore City Paper[17] and The New York Village Voice.[18] The album 411, a quintet recording from 2011 co-led by Hugo Ciprés was released on Origin Records in 2013.
Reviews
He has received reviews from magazines such as All About Jazz, Billboard, JazzTimes and Downbeat, among others
"..known for the grandeur and majesty of his playing. Diego Barber's impressive dynamics and exquisiteness of expression are deeply rooted in extraordinary technique".[19]—All About Jazz.
"Barber's playing is beautiful, his fingers fly lightly over the fretboard".[20]—Down Beat Magazine.
"Diego Barber is a portent of things to come, and the beginnings of a bright career from one who has all the potential to be a truly original voice in modern music".[21]—Michael G. Nastos, Billboard.
"Barber approaches the guitar with precision and fluidity - and with great sensitivity... He's adept at coaxing melodies embedded with an air of mystery and mischief."—JazzTimes.
"Barber and Taborn offer up a sprawling epic in four parts, music with a cerebral punch via the intricacy of the patterns of their interplay, while also forging a mainline straight to the heart via the sheer beauty of the music presented. One of the best things I’ve heard all year. Pick of the Week." [22]—Dave Sumner.
Discography
- 2009: Calima (Sunnyside)
- 2011: The Choice (Sunnyside)
- 2013: 411 (Origin)
- 2013: Tales (Sunnyside)
- 2017: One Minute Later (Sunnyside)
References
- ^ "Top ten jazz records". National Public Radio, 2009.
- ^ "Album review. All About Jazz". Dan McClenaghan; June 23, 2013
- ^ "Calima Album Review" Michael G. Nastos from Billboard
- ^ "Tales Album review, Down beat magazine" Archived 2014-03-09 at the Wayback Machine. By Bobby Reed
- ^ "Diego Barber: Sunnyside Records artist". By Sunnyside Records
- ^ "Diego Barber: Origin Records artists". By Origin Records
- ^ "Press release about Diego Barber". By Adolfo Martin. July 19th, 2009
- ^ "Interview to Diego Barber". Global Cultura. April 2nd, 2013
- ^ "Sonata Banc d´Arguin by Diego Barber: Premiered and performed by guitarist Ricardo Gallén. Press release. March 11th, 2012
- ^ "Diego Barber review by Miami classical guitar society". Admin., June 6th, 2007
- ^ "Diego Barber discography". All Music web site
- ^ Calima album review by Mark F. Turner. All About Jazz, March 18, 2009.
- ^ The Choice album review by Carlo Wolff. JazzTimes.com, July 2011
- ^ "iTunes: The most listened in 2014: Tales by Diego Barber" iTunes store 2015. Apple.com (registration necessary)
- ^ "Best Albums of 2014", Down Beat, January 2015, page 45.
- ^ "Albums of the Year" by David R. Adler, The New York City Jazz Record: "Best of 2014". Relative Pitch Records. December 2014
- ^ "Blue Notes: Top 10 in Jazz and Blues" by Geoffrey Himes. Digital journal Baltimore City Paper. December 2014
- ^ "The Village Voice's Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2014" Archived 2015-05-18 at the Wayback Machine by David R. Adler, Dec. 8 2014
- ^ "Diego Barber: The Choice album review. All About Jazz. Raul D'GamaRose. June 28, 2011
- ^ "Diego Barber: Calima album review". By Chris Robinson from Down Beat magazine PDF Format. 2009. page nr. 65
- ^ "Calima album Review". By Michael G. Nastos from Billboard
- ^ "Tales album review by Dave Sumner" Archived 2014-03-26 at the Wayback Machine. Dave Sumner, contributor. eMusic. Wondering Sound