Roberto Perera, born on January 1st 1952 in Montevideo, Uruguay, is a harpist known for his contributions to jazz. At age twelve, he began studying at a music conservatory, selecting the 36-string Paraguayan harp. In the early 1970s, Perera moved to New York City and, after a period of playing folk tunes in clubs, was recruited by a talent scout for performances in Florida. This breakthrough allowed him to develop his distinctive style, blending influences from Weather Report and Antônio Carlos Jobim. His recording debut, Erotica, was released by Epic Records in 1990, followed by Passions, Illusions and Fantasies (1991) on the Heads Up label. In 1993, he won the Billboard Contemporary Latin Jazz Album of the Year award for Dreams & Desires. Perera's subsequent albums infused jazz-pop with multicultural elements and featured guest performances by notable artists such as Othello Molineaux and Paquito D'Rivera.
