PERE SOTO
Guitar Player, Composer, Arranger, Music Producer, Music Engraving, Educator.
Born in Badalona (Catalonia, Spain). Guitar player, composer, arranger, music producer.
Self-taught musician. He is known in the international scene for his esthetical flexibility that covers styles as unalike as gypsy jazz, free jazz, Avantgarde, jazz fusion, Bebop and, in classical music, contemporary and electroacoustic music, mostly XX century styles.
Currently, his work as a composer exceeds the amount of 1000 registered compositions at the SGAE, (Sociedad General de Autores de España) among Jazz music and classical music.
He is also currently active as a music producer, with his own recording studio and as a consultant-engraver.
His approach to gypsy jazz comes from Django Reinhardt, but gypsy jazz is not only a style, says Pere, but a completely fresh and dynamic kind of improvisational music. He was profiled in the John Engel's book, Uncommon Sound: Left-handed Guitarists Who Have Changed the World.
RELEVANT TRAJECTORY
In 1989 his first LP "Coincidencias" was nominated for best album of the year by Nacional-Radio 4 en España being probably one of the jazz albums more broadcasted by radio in Catalonia (twice daily for 2 years).
In Spring 1992, records with Bill Gerhardt Quartet his first CD “Metanoic” in Hilversum (The Netherlands). This album was selected best record of the month and one of the top 12 of the year by the JAZZ SOUTH ART FEDERATION (USA). It was broadcasted all around the U.S.A.
His second CD, "Particular Vernacular", was recorded during February 1994 in New York City with his partner Bill Gerhardt on the piano and invited artists invitados like Jeff Ballard, drums, Ben Allison, Dave Douglas, trumpet and Dave Liebman, sax.
In 2000 year travels to Mexico for his world premiere String Quartet nº 2 by “Mexico City String Quartet”.
In 2006 he was dedicated chapter on John Engel ’Uncommon Sound", the ultimate book about left handed guitarists that change the music, along with standing artists like: Albert King, Jimi Hendrix and Paul McCartney. The book highlights him as one of the most relevant left handed guitarists of all guitar history.
In 2008 appears in two of the most important Gypsy Jazz festivals in USA: San Francisco DjangoFest and Los Angeles Djangofest.
In 2009 there is a World premiere of his composition "Triumphant" in the Palacio de Congresos in Jaca, Huesca, Spain, during the International Mathematical Conference "LIBGOBER" (Topology of Algebraic Varieties).
In 2011 is invited as a soloist with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puebla, contributing original arrangements and conducting the orchestra along with the Oaxaca Big Band in 2 concerts in Puebla, Mexico.
In 2012 records the show “Fusió i swing a l ‘estudi” on Catalan Television (TV3) with his Pere Soto Gypy Project. (http://www.ccma.cat/tv3/alacarta/fusio-i-swing-a-lestudi/pere-soto-gypsy-project/video/4549912/)
In 2013, important concert in the top European jazz event BIM-HUIS in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
In 2014, he has a part in the movie “The Jump! WTF experience” by Carme Puche.
In 2015, Concert at Mexico City Auditorio Nacional (Lunario), Concert and video production at Mogor of Ensenada, Tijuana tour, and concert at Cenart (centro Nacional de las artes Ciudad de México) with Pere Soto & Galaxian Swingers.
