Biography
Hailing from New York, Terraza Big Band merges harmonically intricate post-bop with contemporary creative jazz in a sound all its own. The ensemble’s first recording earned immediate recognition, securing a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album with the 2019 release One Day Wonder.
The group was founded in Queens, New York, in 2015 by saxophonist Michael Thomas and bassist Edward Perez, who serve as its co-directors. Before launching the project, both musicians had already assembled substantial résumés. Thomas earned a degree from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and later completed a master’s in jazz performance at New England Conservatory; since 2011 he has maintained a steady presence on the New York jazz circuit. In addition to leading his own forward-looking recordings, he has performed alongside Miguel Zenón, Dave Liebman, Brian Blade, Jason Palmer, Wayne Shorter, Nicholas Payton, and numerous others.
Perez, by contrast, pursued mathematics at Harvard while cultivating his interests in jazz and Latin traditions. He spent two years in Peru, collaborating with the celebrated Afro-Peruvian artists Eva Ayllón and Juan Medrano, before settling in Queens. His own distinguished list of associates includes Lee Konitz, Kenny Werner, Seamus Blake, Paquito D’Rivera, and Arturo O’Farrill.
The two first crossed paths on gigs in Boston and New York, eventually pooling their broad musical experiences in a large-ensemble venture. Comprising an 18-piece roster drawn from some of the city’s most inventive improvisers, Terraza Big Band has maintained a monthly residency in Jackson Heights, New York, since its formation. The band issued its debut album, One Day Wonder, in 2019; the project showcased original arrangements written by Thomas and Perez and went on to receive the aforementioned Grammy nomination.
The group was founded in Queens, New York, in 2015 by saxophonist Michael Thomas and bassist Edward Perez, who serve as its co-directors. Before launching the project, both musicians had already assembled substantial résumés. Thomas earned a degree from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and later completed a master’s in jazz performance at New England Conservatory; since 2011 he has maintained a steady presence on the New York jazz circuit. In addition to leading his own forward-looking recordings, he has performed alongside Miguel Zenón, Dave Liebman, Brian Blade, Jason Palmer, Wayne Shorter, Nicholas Payton, and numerous others.
Perez, by contrast, pursued mathematics at Harvard while cultivating his interests in jazz and Latin traditions. He spent two years in Peru, collaborating with the celebrated Afro-Peruvian artists Eva Ayllón and Juan Medrano, before settling in Queens. His own distinguished list of associates includes Lee Konitz, Kenny Werner, Seamus Blake, Paquito D’Rivera, and Arturo O’Farrill.
The two first crossed paths on gigs in Boston and New York, eventually pooling their broad musical experiences in a large-ensemble venture. Comprising an 18-piece roster drawn from some of the city’s most inventive improvisers, Terraza Big Band has maintained a monthly residency in Jackson Heights, New York, since its formation. The band issued its debut album, One Day Wonder, in 2019; the project showcased original arrangements written by Thomas and Perez and went on to receive the aforementioned Grammy nomination.
Albums
Singles
