Today we’d like to introduce you to Martin Bejerano.
Hi Martin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a pianist, composer, and educator, originally born and raised in Miami. I went to the New World School of the Arts for High School, as well as the University of Miami for my Master’s Degree. After completing my education, I moved to New York City and pursued a career as a jazz pianist. I lived in New York for approximately eight years, and there I developed my career as a performing, touring, and recording musician. I have performed/toured/recorded with many amazing world-renown jazz artists including Lifetime Grammy Achievement Award Winner and jazz drumming icon Roy Haynes, Russel Malone, Christian McBride, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny, Ignacio Berroa, Adam Nussbaum, and Ron Carter, as well as many great contemporary jazz artists, including Dafnis Prieto, Jonathan Kreisberg, Marcus and E.J. Strickland, Roxana Amed, and Lauren Kinhan. I have been fortunate to have played at most of the jazz festivals, concert halls, and clubs across the world I have also led my own award-winning trio since 2007, having released three records as a leader.
In 2010 I began teaching at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami, and am currently a tenured professor of Jazz Piano and head of the Jazz Piano Studio.
I have recorded and/or arranged music on several Grammy and Latin Grammy-nominated albums and have been the recipient of several grants and commissions, including Chamber Music America’s “New Jazz Works” in 2010 and 2017, the “Bacardi Choice” commission from Bacardi and Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation, and commissions from SONOS Chamber Orchestra (New York City) and the MAKROKOSMOS Project (Portland).
Currently, I continue teaching at the Frost School and have been performing with my trio, as well as artists including Roy Haynes, Dafnis Prieto, Jonathan Kreisberg, Ignacio Berroa, Roxana Amed, and Sammy Figueroa.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Of course, there are always struggles along the way…especially for musicians! Balancing a successful music career with having a family can be a very challenging endeavor, and there’s definitely been a lot of work and compromise that has gone into striking that balance. Also, a major challenge has been adapting to the various changes in the music industry over the last 20 years. Artists are now expected to do so many other things besides their music compared to when I first started out – fund and release their own recordings, book themselves, create a successful social media presence and following, etc. – and it has been a huge challenge keeping up with all these changes!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a jazz pianist, composer, and educator.
As a pianist, think I am most known for being able to play a lot of different styles and sub genres of jazz (and other music), and fit in with many different kinds of bands and musicians. I take a lot of pride in the fact that I always try to dedicate myself 100% to any musical project I’m involved in – a performance, a recording, arranging music for someone – and strive to musically support the artists I’m working with, while at the same time bring my own musical personality into the mix.
I’m also proud that I have had the fortune to perform and record professionally with many of my musical heroes – Roy Haynes, Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Ron Carter, Ignacio Berroa, Christian McBride, and others.
I’m also very proud of the students that I teach at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami, who all work incredibly hard, and leave the program as fantastic musicians with great careers ahead of them. They really inspire me every single day.
Perhaps something that “sets me apart” from (some) others is that I try hard to always have a good attitude and bring a positive vibe to anything I’m involved with – be it a performance, a recording session, a rehearsal, teaching, etc. I truly believe that making, teaching, or learning music should be fun and enjoyable, even when working extremely hard. It really is a gift to be able to make music for a living, and I try to treat it that way.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Dressing up as KISS with my brother and putting on “concerts” for my family, where we would lip synch and air guitar/air drum to KISS records! It was awesome because much of my family is Cuban, and it was such a weird thing to them, but they got totally into it (even when my brother would spit out fake blood, just like Gene Simmons!!). It’s amazing my parents were cool with that…
Contact Info:
- Email: martin@martinbejerano.com
- Website: www.martinbejerano.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinbejeranomusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartinBejeranoMusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/MartinBejeranoMusic
Image Credits
Felipe Avello Slaven Vlassic
