Javier Zalva Suárez

Outstanding Cuban saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist and composer born in 1955. He has worked with the Conjunto de Música Moderna, Afrojazz and the Orquesta del Cabaret Tropicana.

He is recognized as an exceptional performer of the timbral possibilities and performance techniques of the saxophone, clarinet and flute family. He approaches any type of music or style in his work—classical, popular, traditional and contemporary—standing out, moreover, as an excellent jazz interpreter.

Graduate of the Escuela Nacional de Arte, 1976, specializing in clarinet; he subsequently studies flute at the Ignacio Cervantes Professional Development school, from which he graduates in 1984.

His training as a clarinetist linked him in his early years to chamber music, later becoming interested in jazz.

As a good Cuban, the range of popular rhythms of the Island have been his main muse, enveloping him forever.

His arrival at the legendary Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna in 1978, at only 23 years old, opened the doors to the most diverse paths where he could express multiple concerns.

He was a member of Felipe Dulzaides's group, 1980. From 1984 onwards, he works with pianist and composer José María Vitier's group; in 1988 he moves to the Irakere group; he was part of Afrojazz, directed by Bobby Carcassés, 1991, and joined the Orquesta del Cabaret Tropicana and the ORU group, directed by guitarist and composer Sergio Vitier, 1993.

He was part of the orchestra of singer Ibrahim Ferrer and pianist Rubén González. He is considered one of the most important jazz musicians in the history of Cuban music.

Member of the Afro Cuban All Stars and nominated for Grammy Awards in 1998 and the Buena Vista Social Club with which he obtained a Latin Grammy Award in 2004.

He joins the Cubanismo group in 1997, led by trumpeter Jesús Alemañy, and creates with pianist Roberto Fonseca the group Temperamento, in which he continues to participate today.

We are before the saxophone professor at the Havana Amadeo Roldán conservatory and workshops of popular music at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA). He has taught master classes and workshops in Colombia, Denmark, Spain, London, Switzerland.

He has conducted popular music workshops at the Rhythmic Conservatory of Copenhagen, Denmark (2003), Liceo de Barcelona (El Aula) 2004, Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London (2004 and 2006), Montreux Switzerland, as part of the jazz festival (2005), at the Vandoren house, Paris (2010), "Saxfest" (2011) San José de Costa Rica, The Jazz School, Berkeley CA, US (2012 and 2013). Western Music University, Ontario, Canada (2014).

His first CD Homenaje, he records with the Spanish label Serendib Classics, 1995, and Bariton-chá, from Colibrí label, Cuba, Cubadisco Award 2007 in Instrumental Music. He toured with the Cubanismo group, directed by trumpeter Jesús Alemañy.

In March 2012 he creates his saxophone quartet Zsaxos, composed of professors from the "Amadeo Roldán" and ENA schools. He records the first CD of this project in a live concert on December 28 of that year by Colibrí label.

He has written three books, two on Cuban popular music: Saxsoneando and Flutesoneando; and Daily Technical Studies for Saxophone, as well as the edition of Cuban popular music works and chamber music.

As a performer, Zalba masters the saxophone family: baritone, tenor, alto and soprano, clarinet and flutes, the Yamaha metal flute, in an intrepid jazz, classical and folk outpouring, along with the G flute (in G).

His artistic trajectory is distinguished by the combination of musical work playing chamber music with pianist María del Henar Navarro, in addition to participating as a soloist with the National, Camagüey and Villa Clara Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Camerata Romeu and Soloists of Havana chamber orchestras.

With this family of winds and woodwinds the Cuban and world public has been able to hear him in Concerts of Mozart, Bach, in Jorge López Marín's Suite Cecimar, increasing his passion for Jazz in tributes to pianist Emiliano Salvador and saxophonist Dexter Gordon.