Biography
An outstanding venezuelan musician and master guitarist. Aquiles Baez is a true Latin-American’s multi-chord instrumentalist performer, arranger, and composer. His instrumental execution delivers an innovative and personal style, incorporating sophisticated harmonies, within Latin American’s newborn rhythmic elements.
Aquiles has successfully accomplished eleven of his own record albums , along with numerous collaborations in the company of well-renowned artists such as Paquito D’ Rivera, Farred Haque, John Patitucci, Ilan Chester, Mike Marshall, Aquiles Machado, Ed Simon, Richard Bona, Giora Feidman, Raul Jaurena, Ensamble Gurrufio, Simon Diaz, Nana Vasconcelos, Luciana Souza, Lucia Pulido, Cecilia Todd, Worlds of Guitars, among others. He had also participated with major world orchestras such as the “Brooklyn Symphony “, “Ravinia Festival Orchestra”, “Boston Symphony”,”Atlanta Symphony”, “Simon Bolivar” and “Bach Academy”.Likewise, he has appeared in numerous documentaries such as Fernando Trueba´s “54 Street”, as well as Grammy nominated albums “Motherland” and “Central Avenue” featuring legendary pianist Danilo Perez and ” La Pasion segun San Marco” from composer Osvaldo Golijov.He is also member of “America Contemporanea” collective with musicians of seven countries of south America conducted by the Brazilian pianist and composer Bemjamin Taubkin .
Throughout his career, Baez has received a number of notorious awards. Among those included is the Venezuela’s national prize as musical arranger of the year, and the William Leavitt award from Berklee College of Music; along with a variety of prizes as movie, dance, and music theater composer.
Baez has performed in musicals and concerts all over Europe, Asia, South and North America. At the same time, he has worked as faculty at Berklee College of Music. Likewise, he has dictated workshops and seminars throughout major universities in the U.S and Europe. Currently, he resides in New York from where he precedes his international career
Aquiles Baez Selected Dicography:
Under His own:
-“En Cantado” (release on october 2009)
-“La Patilla” (2007) ,
-“ Ana Maria “(2007),
-”El Saman “ (2006)
-“Reflejando el Dorado”, ( 2001)
-“Rasgao” (1999)
-“Taratara “(1997)
-“La Casa Azul” (1994)
- “El Piache “ ( 1994)
-“Aquiles Baez y su musica” (1987)
In collaboration with another artists
- Aquiles Machado: “La Cancion de Venezuela “ ( 2006) “ La Cancion de Venezuela II”
- America Contemporanea : “Outro Centro”
- Con Marco Granados : “Luna “( 2004)
- Con Esperanza Marquez “ Aquiles Baez y Esperanza Marquez”(1998)
As a Side man
- Giora Feidman:”Tangoklezmer”
- Osvaldo Goligov: “La Pasion segun San Marco”
- Paquito de Rivera :”100 years of Latin Love” and “Calle 54”
- Danilo Perez:” Central Avenue”, “Motherland”
- Richard Bona “ Tikki”
- Luisito Quintero “ Percussion Madness”
- Sofia Tosello “ Alma y Luna “
- Gurrufio y otros :”La Noche del Morrocoy Azul”
among others…….
As a Producer and musical director
All Aquiles Baez’s records
-Pacho Flores “ La trompeta de Venezuela “ ( 2009)
-“Viva Venezuela ” , made toghether with the Smithsonian Institute and el centro para la diversidad cultural de Venezuela ( 2009)
- Tabaire Diaz “ mas temprano que tarde ( 2008)
- “Pintando el Avila “ grupo Pomarosa ( 2008)
- C4Trio ( 2006) C4 Trio “Entre manos “( 2009)
- Ofelia del Rosal “ Flor de Mayo “ ( 2007)
- Esperanza Marquez “La Cancion de Esperanza” ( 2006)
- Simon Diaz: “Tangos” ( 2002), “Tonadas”(2003)
- Irene Farrera “ Serenata “ (2002)
- Ilan Chester :” Cancionero de Navidad” (2000)
- Grupo Sol y Canto “ En todo Momento “ Boston ( 1999)
- Enrique Hidalgo “ El Gonzalito “ (1995)
- Nancy Toro “ De Tanto y Tanto “ ( 1994)
- Miguel Angel Bosch “Canto para arrullar abuelos “ ( 1992)
- Rosario Anzola “Dormite mi nino“ ( 1990)
- Rosario Anzola “Canciones para jugar vol. I y II “ ( 1989, 1988)
- Rosario Anzola “ Rosario Anzola canta cosas de ninos “
Among others
Film Scoring
“Amorcito Corazon” by Carmen Roa ( 2009)
“Cuidado con lo que suenas “ by Geyka Urdaneta (2009)
“Libertador Morales , el Justiciero” by Efterphi Chiaramiedes (2008)
“La Pluma de el Arcangel ” by Luis Manzo ( 2001 )
”Despedida de Soltera “ by Antonio Llerandi ( 1996 )
“Rosa de Francia” by Cesar Bolivar ( 1993)
Short films:
“Cunaro “ by Alexandra Henao(2007)
“El Chancesito “ by Efterphi Chiaramiedes ( 2003) ,
“Acuerdate del Diccionario” and “Los ladrones llegaron ya” de Gustavo Baez ( 1998 ) (1995)
“Entre Mentiras “ y “Remoto” by Carlos Villegas ( 1996)( 1993) ,
“Calle 22” by Mariana Rondon (1994)
“ Cotidiano by Marite Ugas(1992)
“La Reina Mora “ by Gustavo Balza (1991)
“Peliculas de Arena 1” by Sergio Curiel (1988)
“Sombras y Barro “ by Emilia Anguita( 1986)
“ El Rebusque” by Roman Chamorro (1984)
among others…
Documentals
“Tokoara’ Bolivar films
“Reveron La Mutacion de un habitat”, Museo Armando Reveron
“Coro Barro y Viento “ , Centro Unesco Coro/Unesco
“Los Reporteros Graficos “, Cudarnos Lagoven
among others…
Music for Dance :
“Huespedes” de Adriana Urdaneta /Danzahoy ( 1994 )
“Juliana “de Margo Sapington /Daring Balet at the Joyce Theater New York
( 1999)
Music for Theater :
“Amor que Mata” , el Motor, el nino ciego , Fama de mujer amada, among others for The Compania Nacional de Teatro of Venezuela ,
“Tartufomolieregoldoni”, grupo Contrajuego,
“Los Ojos del Dia “, “Viva el Duque nuestro dueño”, Domingo a la Putanesca , Grupo GA 80
“Por alto esta el cielo en el mundo” TET, etc
Awards
-Premios Manuel Trujillo Duran best music for short films , “Cunaro” (2008 ) and “ El Chancesito” ( 2004)
-Premio mejor musica en el Festival de cortometrajes de Maracaibo for “ Cunaro “( 2008)
-Premio Anac el cine premia al cine for “ La Pluma del Arcangel” (2000) “ Los Ladrones llegaron ya “(1996)
-Premio Municipal de cine mencion Musica for “Cunaro “(2008) “ La Pluma del Arcangel”(2000), “La Reina Mora”(1994)
-William Leavit Award at Berklee College of Music (1997)
-Premio Municipal de Teatro mencion Musica por el Motor (1994)
-Premio Casa del Artista de Venezuela “ Arreglista del ano“ (1993)
-Premio Municipal de Danza Mencion Musica “ Juliana “ (1992)
-Premio Municipal de musica para corto metrajes por la “Reina Mora” 1991)
Some concert halls where Aquiles had played
New York :Alice Tully hall y el Rose Theater at the Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Beacon Theater, Camy Hall, Rose, Kauffman Center, Bluenote, Jazz Standard, 92Ymca, Makor, Satalla, Jazz Gallery, Bam, etc, New Jersey: NJPAC, Washington : Keneddy Center, Banco Mundial, la sede de la OEA , Chicago: Merklin Theater, “The Hot House”, Ravinia Summer Festival . Boston: Tanglewood Festival, Symphony Hall, Berklee Performance Center ,Regattabar, Schullers, Ryles, etc. San Francisco :Hearts Theather, La Pena ,Strings, etc Germany: WDR Radio, Beethoven halle in Bonn, Philarmonie at Munich, Philarmonie at Berlin, Schieller halle at Stuttgart, Opera house at Hamburg, etc. England : Manchester City hall, Barbican center, Bolivar Hall, Trinity Church. Italy: Teatro Comunale de Ferrara, Umbria Jazz Festival, Iglesia de San Ambrosio en Milan, Sala de la academia Santa Ceclia en Roma, France: French Aliance, Portugal : Casa de Musica de Oporto Australia: Sydney Opera House, Spain: Circulo de Bellas Artes, Sala Clamores de Madrid, Alcaldia de Pozuelo,Museo Hipanoamericano de Madrid, El Alcazar de los Reyes Catolicos de Cordoba, Instituto Iberoamericano de cooperacion en Barcelona, etc,Iglesia San Ruz y pastor en Barcelona , Catedral de Tarragona , etc Colombia: Sala Luis Angel Arango ( Bogota) Conservatorio del Tolima ( Ibague) , Costa Rica : Teatro Melico Salazar, Ateneo de Alahuela Mexico: Teatro Juares de Morelia, Casa de la Cultura de Coyoacan , Teatro Municipal del Gaudalajara, etc, Brazil: Sisc Sao Paulo, Banco du Brasil en Rio de Janeiro , Teatro Castro Alves , Bahia Venezuela : Sala Teresa Carreno, Aula Magna, Corp Group, Teatro Municipal de Caracas,Celarg, Trasnocho, Quinta Anauco , etc, Teatro Municipal de Valencia, Teatro Juarez Barquisimeto, Bellas Artes de Maracaibo, Centro Lia Bermudez,Auditorio Banco Mara en Maracaibo etc