Osmany Paredes Gonzalez is a pianist, composer and arranger whose style blends jazz with his Afro-Cuban rhythmic heritage by using a technique derived from years of classical education. Born in Santa Clara, Cuba, his father began Osmany's musical education at the age of five. Guillermo Paredes, percussionist with the Santa Clara Orquesta de Música Moderna, was his first teacher and primary influence. He taught him about the different Afro-Cuban rhythms and styles.
At the age of eight, Osmany started his formal education in classical piano at the Olga Alonso School of Vocational Arts in Santa Clara, Cuba. He continued these studies at the esteemed National School of Music in Havana and graduated with honors in 1991. Throughout the time that he was studying the classics, he continued to listen to as many jazz recordings as possible in order to incorporate that style into his playing.
While still in school Osmany played with many groups in Cuba including the charanga group Orquesta America. This group provided him with his first tour outside of Cuba when they went to Venezuela. After graduation he joined the jazz group of Bobby Carcasses and later the charanga group Orquesta Enrique Jorrin. These three groups gave him an invaluable education in Cuban music, jazz, and performance. After moving to Mexico in 1992, he played with various artists and groups including Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Jerry Gonzalez, Celio Gonzalez, Diego alias "El Cigala", and "Patato" Valdes, Fellove Valdes among others.
Osmany has appeared at the renowned Havana Jazz Plaza Festival, the Caracas and Trujillo Jazz Festivals, Venezuela; Acapulco International Jazz Festival, Theatre of Fine Arts, the Centro Historico International Festival; International Festival Tribute to Agustin Lara (2001) as the producer, musical director, arranger and pianist; Veracruz International Caribbean Festival, the Cervantino International Festival, Mexico; and he has also participated in other festivals in Austria, Germany and Colombia. He also appeared on a number Mexican television shows performing with his group Menduvia, Antonio Sanchez, the Art 01 big band, and Celio González.
January 1998 was the year that Osmany became musical director, composer and arranger of his group Menduvia. He recorded his first CD of Latin Jazz in Mexico entitled "Osmany Paredes con Menduvia", under the Fonosound/Universal Music Latino label. This cd has now been distributed in the United States and Puerto Rico. He also recorded with Eugenia Leon, Joey Altruda, Francisco "Fellove" Valdes, Molotov, "Chocolate" Armenteros, Orquesta Enrique Jorrin, Celio Gonzalez, and Amaury Gutierrez.
Since his arrival in the United States in 2003, Osmany Paredes has been featured in many well-known clubs; and he has performed or recorded with David Murray, Richard Bona, Giovanni Hidalgo, George Garzone, Howard Johnson, Dave Samuels, Jane Bunnett and Issac Delgado among others. He has also appeared at the Zinc Bar, the Jazz Gallery, Jazz Standard and Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York City, the Kimmel Center and the Museum of Art in Philadelphia, the Freihofer Jazz Festival in Saratoga Springs, the Berklee Performance Center and the Regattabar in Boston, Providende Sound Session 2005, 2006 and 2007, the San Jose Jazz Festival, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, Yoshi's in Oakland, the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle and the Art of Jazz in Toronto.
Hermanito querido, no pude cuadrar para verte alla! en lo que queda de anho voy tres o cuatro veces para Nueva York, ojala nos podamos ver y tocar juntos, un gran abrazo! Jorge Glem
Gracias mi hermano,tu sabes como es la vida aqui en esta maquina de tiempo , pero lo importante es que estamos en frecuencia ,te deseo un buen fin de semana .
Hey amigo! Supe que te fue tremendo en tus conciertos aca en México, me da mucho gusto y lamento no haber podido asistir a verte y saludarte despues de tanto tiempo... pero sera la próxima. Cuidate mucho, buena vibra para ti.
Vya Osman... como les fue el fin.. ya no pude pasar a escucharlos y saludar.. bueno te mando un abrazo bro!! pasatela increible! voy pa NY en july. aver si nos vemos... peace. gerry
Tu jazz cargado de swing estuvo presente en el Zinco Jazz Bar en México. Mira que acabaste ¡con la quinta y con los mangos! Regresa pronto que en esta gran ciudad hay mucha gente que te quiere.
mi hermano como va la cosa,pasaba a oir un poco y refrescar el oido con tu musica,espero todo este bien,saludame a los tuyos,dile al guille que me acuerdo mucho de el,un abrazo,estamos en contacto
Buen día hermano bienvenido a México, te llamé a casa de tus papás parece que no estaban bueno me estoy reportando a tu llamada estamos en contacto un abrazo espero tu respuesta,gracias bey,bey.
la sangre que boleron como va todo ,te acuerdas de mi pinchamos varias veces en la reina de cuba nada te deseo todo lo bueno yunta un abrazote musical y ache pa ti mi hermanito
Cheers champ, an honour having you here, be well, and do enjoy the library/blog's contents, here's hoping that it'll inspire you, as your creative spirit has inspired mine, sweet dreams then...
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