Acclaimed Flamenco jazz pianist Alex Conde was born in Valencia, Spain. He grew up in a musical family and started playing piano at the age of three.
Alex graduated in classical piano from the Conservatorio José Iturbi in Valencia and later studied jazz piano at El Liceo de Barcelona.
In 2007, Alex received a scholarship and moved to the United States to study at the prominent Berklee College of Music in Boston. He graduated cum laude in jazz piano performance. Next, he received his Masters degree in Jazz Piano from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in New York City.
Conde has performed throughout the United States, Spain and worldwide. He has collaborated with flamenco ensembles such as Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco and the New York Flamenco Festival, among others. He is the also the director of the Piano Flamenco Institute that provides in New York City and Valencia, Spain.
Conde has composed music for symphony orchestras such as the Miami Chamber Orchestra with violinist Federico Britos and guitarist Jose Luis de la Paz; the Oakland Symphony Orchestra in California, directed by Omid Zoufonoun; and his arrangements of Franz Schubert have been performed at the Symphony Space and at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens.
Alex’ audacious 2015 tribute to innovator Thelonious Monk, Descarga for Monk, was well received by the music press, as did his 2018 album with Ropeadope, Origins, that explored the roots of Afro-Cuban music and jazz from a flamenco perspective.
On his 2021 album, Descarga for Bud, Conde worked again with renowned percussionist John Santos and virtuoso bassist Jeff Chambers, drummer Colin Douglas and Spanish musicians. Conde reimagined Bud Powell’s compositions combining jazz with Flamenco musical forms.
(headline image: Alex Conde – Photo by Tom Elrich)
Discography:
Jazz and Claps (Matt Music, 2006)
Barrio del Carmen [2013 AC Records, 2013)
Descarga for Monk (Zoho, 2015)
Origins (Ropeadope, 2018)
Descarga for Bud (Sedajazz Records, 2021)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.