LATIN JAZZ WEEK '25

Born in Madrid, Spain, Pepe began his performing career with the National Ballet of Spain. He has performed as a dancer with Ballet Hispanico of New York, and the Ballet Companies of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Ballet Tacoma, and the Oregon Ballet Theatre.

Pianist/composer Kerry Politzer has released eight albums as a leader. She is greatly influenced by Brazilian music, which she discovered when Hermeto Pascoal did a residency at her alma mater, the New England Conversatory of Music. Kerry has performed around the US and Canada at venues including Smalls, Mezzrow, the Gene Harris Jazz Festival, the Black Dolphin, Mr. Tipples, Frankie's Jazz Cafe, and others. She teaches jazz piano at Portland State University and gives clinics on improvisation and composition at universities around the country. 

Jesus "Chuchito" Valdés - (Pianist, arranger, composer, bandleader) Born in Havana Cuba, Chuchito Valdes comes from one of the most distinguished musical families in Cuba. He has recorded and performed piano with the world renown Cuban band, Irakere, which he led for 2 years. He has performed at festivals, clubs and concerts throughout the world: from Cuba and the Caribbean, across the United States and South America, and throughout Europe. Some of his worldwide appearances have included Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in London and Green Dolphin Street in Chicago, The Jazz Festivals of Havana, Cancun and Merida, as well as a recent festival performance in San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Music Festival

Bobby Torres has been honing his unique Latin Jazz sound in Portland for the last 25 years. Before that, he was all over the world. From New York City, to Woodstock with Joe Cocker, through ten years of world-touring with Tom Jones, to forming The Bobby Torres Ensemble – his own Latin Jazz group in Portland – Bobby Torres has been on the music scene for 50 years. 

Ben was born and raised in Tennessee, close to the musical cities of Nashville and Memphis, where he discovered his love of blues, rock, and jazz. Influenced by Wes Montgomery, Grant Green and John Coltrane at an early age; Ben has developed a style blended with not only jazz elements, but Latin, classical and world music as well. ​Ben has studied, shared the stage, and toured with national and internationally known artists including Rick Zunigar (Stevie Wonder), Tony Dumas, Leon Russell, Dick Berk and Charles McPherson. While living in Los Angeles, he studied classical guitar with Scott Tennant (of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet), Evan Hirschelman, and Robert Mayeur. Ben has performed in music festivals all over the U.S., including the Reno Jazz Festival and Portland Jazz Festival. He has performed with local jazz greats including Ron Steen, Andre St. James, Bobby Torres, Dave Captein and Darrell Grant. Ben holds his Bachelors of Music in Jazz Studies degree from Portland State University where he focused on orchestration, composition, jazz arranging and jazz piano. Ben currently resides in Portland, OR where he performs regularly in jazz, chamber music and Latin ensembles.