Perico Sambeat
www.pericosambeat.com

He was initiated into music when he was six years old and he started to play saxophone in a self-taught way. With a strong background in classical music, he continued his studies in the "Taller de músics", where he met teachers like Zé Eduardo. In 1991 he moved to New York and entered in the New School. There, he had teachers like Lee Konitz, Jimmy Cobb or Joe Chambers. His prolific professional career has led him to play in festivals and clubs worldwide and to record more than one dozen of works. Particularly significant are Uptown Dance with the Mike Mossman Quintet, Cruce de Caminos with Gerardo Núñez, Friendship or Ziribuye with the sextet that he conducts (the last one being another Contrabaix production). He has also collaborated in many recordings, with artists like Bernardo Sasseti, Bob Sands, Chris Kase, George Colligan, Chano Domínguez, Llibert Fortuny, Javier Colina, Albert Sanz y Jon Robles, among others.

He has received numerous prizes in recognition to his work, including 'best soloist' (1990), 'best saxophonist for popular poll' of the Association of Jazz Musicians of Valencia (2001), 'best saxophonist for popular poll' of the Association of Jazz Musicians of Catalonia on two occasions (1994 and 2000), 'third Prize SGAE of composition of Latin Jazz' (La Havana, 2002) and 'Bird Award to the artist that deserves major recognition' in the North Sea Festival (2003).

Lately, the sextet of Perico Sambeat in Ziribuye has received the prize to the best live Jazz band given by the specialized press group Enderrock.