Danilo Pérez is an internationally acclaimed Panamanian jazz pianist, composer and teacher who was born into a musical family and began studying music as a child. He won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he performed with several visiting artists including Terence Blanchard, Slide Hampton and Jon Hendricks. He went on to tour and make recordings with jazz artists Roy Haynes, Tito Puente and Wynton Marsalis.
He played with Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra for several years, received commissions from organisations including jazz festivals in Chicago and Detroit, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, taught at major institutions and founded the Panama Jazz Festival. He has performed and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D'Rivera and Wayne Shorter. He won Grammy Awards accompanying saxophonist Shorter on two recordings: Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group for 'Beyond the Sound Barrier' (2005) and Best Jazz Instrumental Album for 'Emanon' (2018), both with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade. The quartet's 2013 release, 'Without a Net', hit number two on Billboard's Jazz Albums Chart.
He released his eponymous debut album as leader in 1993 followed by 'The Journey' (1994) and 'PanaMonk' (1996). 'Central Avenue' (1998) was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance and went to number 34 on Billboard's Jazz Albums Chart. 'Motherland' (2000) was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance and it reached number 24 on the Jazz Albums Chart. 'Providencia' (2010) was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group and peaked at number 39 on the Jazz Albums Chart.
Other releases include 'Till Then' (2003), 'Live at the Jazz Showcase' (2005) and 'Panama Suite' (2006). 'Across the Crystal Sea' (2008) went to number 50 on Billboard's Jazz Albums Chart, 'Music We Are' (2009) with drummer Jack DeJohnette reached number 26, 'Panama 500' (2014) peaked at number 42 and 'Children of the Light' (2015) with John Patitucci and Brian Blade hit number 16.
