Jazz Bassist Eddie Gómez Given First Honorary Doctorate Degree from Berklee College of Music Campus in Valencia, Spain

Eminent jazz bassist and Grammy Award-winner Eddie Gómez was presented an honorary doctor of music degree by Berklee College of Music in Valencia (Spain). Gomez is a native of Puerto Rico who was raised in New York City. This was the first-ever honorary doctorate awarded at the college’s new international campus in Spain. The award was presented by Larry Simpson, Berklee senior vice president for academic affairs, at a celebratory concert at the Teatro Martin y Soler in the Palacio de las Artes, home of the college’s Valencia campus.

“I am profoundly proud to receive this honor from Berklee College of music, one of the most prestigious music schools in the world,” said Gomez in his acceptance remarks. “Of course, I need to thank Mr. Roger Brown, Larry Simpson, Brian Cole, Matt Marvuglio and Marco Pignataro for making this happen. It is a very special night.”

The concert starred Gómez performing together with faculty and student musicians from Boston and Valencia. These included flutist and composer Matt Marvuglio, dean of Berklee’s performance division; saxophonist Marco Pignataro, managing director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute; bassist Steve Bailey, chair of the college’s bass department; guitarist and bandleader Dave Fiuczynski, professor of guitar; and vibraphonist and composer Victor Mendoza, director of the college’s master’s program in contemporary studio performance. The concert was produced by Marvuglio and Mendoza.

“Eddie is among the greatest living jazz musicians and a titan in the history of the jazz double bass. His music and technique has influenced jazz musicians and bassists from almost every genre,” commented Larry Simpson. “He has also shown a serious commitment to education, dedicating time to teaching at institutions including the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and Berklee, despite his very active performance schedule.”

About Eddie Gómez:

Legendary bassist and two-time Grammy Award-winner Eddie Gómez has been on the cutting edge of music for over four decades. Gomez is a native of Puerto Rico who was raised in New York City and graduated from Julliard. His impressive resumé includes performances and recordings with jazz giants such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, and Benny Goodman. Gomez’s unique sound and style can be heard on many Grammy winning records as well as on hundreds of recordings spanning the worlds of jazz, classical, Latin jazz, R&B, pop and contemporary music.

About Berklee In Valencia:

Berklee in Valencia is the first international campus established by the renowned Berklee College of Music – and its first campus outside of Boston. Located in the iconic building of the Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain, the magnificent 3,600 square meter campus has been designed specifically for music and is equipped with state-of-the art technology.

Berklee in Valencia aims to provide a hub to launch the careers across the globe for the most musically talented international students. Offering a unique curriculum, as well as an International Career Center to assist students in their transition from student to music professional, the campus presented Berklee College of Music’s first graduate master’s degree programs in contemporary music (Scoring for Film, Television and Video Games; Contemporary Studio Performance; and Global Entertainment and Music Business;) in September 2012 and launched a fourth new master program: Music Technology and Innovation in September 2013. In addition, Berklee in Valencia offers a Study Abroad Program for Berklee students from Boston to study for a term at Valencia, Summer and Special Programs, as well as a new way for musicians around the world to join the global music community – as performers, as practitioners, and as leaders.