Jorge Narciso Reyes Hernández

Cuban bass player (bass, electric bass). He has been part of musical groups including the Orchestra of Modern Music, the Riverside Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT); the group Perspectiva and the world-renowned Irakere.

Jorge Reyes is the owner of rigorous academic practice that has transitioned from the classroom to an intense experience as a performer, until becoming a teacher of new generations of Cuban instrumentalists.

A possessor of intense experience as a performer, acquired from his time with the Modern Music orchestras, the Riverside, the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT); the group Perspectiva and the world-renowned Irakere, led by Chucho Valdés. This, combined with frequent contact with the international scene, has made Jorge Reyes an integral musician.

He is an heir to the legacy left by notable pianists such as Peruchín, Bebo Valdés, Frank Emilio, Felipe Dulzaides; by percussionists who made an era such as Walfredo de los Reyes, Oscar Valdés (father), Guillermo Barreto, Tata Güines; saxophonists of the caliber of Chombo Silva, Leonardo Acosta, Pedro Chao, Gustavo Más, Mosquifín.

Jorge Reyes studied double bass with Orlando Cachaito López at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana. He began his career as a bassist with Pío Leyva's Montuneros. He played successively with the Riverside Orchestra, Cuban Radio and Television Orchestra and the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music.

In the late seventies, Jorge Reyes participated in the production of Dizzy Gillespie's documentary A Night in Havana. In the following years, there were regular meetings with Dizzy Gillespie during which Dizzy's admiration and friendship with Cuban conga player Chano Pozo (who was murdered in 1948) were often the subject of their conversations. Inspired by Dizzy's enthusiasm, Jorge began to compile information and compositions by the legendary conga. The quantity and quality of the compositions far exceeded his expectations.

In 1981 he joined Arturo Sandoval's band, with whom he remained for more than nine years and toured the world.

In 1983 he recorded his solo album Pocito 11, together with singer Omara Portuondo, among others.

In 1990, together with pianist Hilario Durán and guitarist Jorge Chicoy, he founded the group Perspectiva.

In 1996 he was invited to the group Irakere (by Chucho Valdés). He also played on numerous occasions with Chucho in his quartet.

In 1997 he participated in Roy Hargrove's Cuban project: Crisol. The CD Havana won the 1998 Grammy Award in the Latin jazz category.

In late 1998, in a recording studio in Havana, a few weeks before the fiftieth anniversary of the murder of vibrant Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo, Jorge Reyes was putting the finishing touches on his tribute to Pozo. The CD was nominated in two categories for the 1999 Cubadisco Award.

In September 2000, Jorge Reyes's tribute to Chano Pozo was presented in Bogotá, Colombia. In the spring of 2001 they performed at the Barbados Jazz Festival. September 2003 Barranquilla Jazz Festival.

In 2001 he recorded with David Murray his Cuban jazz project: Ahora es otro momento. In 2003 and 2004 he toured Europe with this big band, which was very well received at numerous festivals.

In 2014 Jorge Reyes was part of the group of instrumentalists who accompanied Silvio Rodríguez on his CD Amoríos, since then the bassist has accompanied the singer-songwriter on his tour through the neighborhoods of Cuba and also at international performances.

Jorge Reyes performed with

Dizzy Gillespie,
James Moody,
Carmen McRae (1922-1994),
Max Roach,
Tania María,
Daniel Barenboim,
Paquito D'Rivera,
Emiliano Salvador,
Pablo Milanés,
Rey Guerra,
José María Vitier,
Tata Güines,
Compay Segundo,
Rubén González,
Los Papines,
Afro-Cuban All Stars (by Juan de Marcos),
David Murray and Issac Delgado,
Silvio Rodríguez.

In fact, in Cuba there are hardly any renowned musicians in any category with whom he has not played.

The list of musicians with whom he has recorded is equally long:

Paquito d'Rivera,
Cesária Évora,
Emiliano Salvador,
Chucho Valdés,
Rubén González,
Pedro Luis Ferrer,
José María Vitier,
Silvio Rodríguez, etc.

In the spring of 2004, Jorge Reyes recorded De todo un poco, a Cuban jazz quintet with four young and talented musicians from Havana.

In the spring of 2009, Jorge was asked to become music director of Yuri Buenaventura, followed by an extensive tour of North Africa, the Caribbean and Europe.

In autumn 2009 he recorded the CD Cosas nuestras in Los Angeles (California).

In winter 2010 he began a new project with his longtime friend, renowned soprano saxophonist Germán Velasco, the duo's first recording was completed in mid-February 2010.

Jorge Reyes arranged and recorded most of the music for the film Chico y Rita (by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal).

In 2011, Reyes decides to officially inaugurate his project with a new format that includes on this occasion Alejandro Falcón on piano, Keyser Jiménez on drums, Yaroldy Abreu on Cuban percussion, Roberto García on trumpet and flugelhorn, Yamil on saxophone and Jorge Reyes himself on double bass.

Discography
Arturo Sandoval - live in Ronnie Scott's[1]
Finlandia
Tumbaito
Emiliano Salvador - Nueva Vision
Jorge Reyes - Pocito 11
Perspectiva - Buscando Cuerdas
Irakere - Babalu Aye Latin Jazz Grammy nominated
Roy Hargrove - Crisol Latin Jazz Grammy Winner
Pedro Luis Ferrer - Pedro Luis Ferrer
Jorge Reyes & German Velasco - Tributo a Chano Pozo
Jorge Reyes - de todo un poco
David Murray - Latin All Stars
Los Ángeles - cosas nuestras

DVD

Biographical documentary of Chucho Valdés
Documentary on the biography of Chano Pozo
Iré Habana, by José María Vitier
Ni fresa ni chocolate, by Jorge Perrogoria
Nascí para bailar, by Joao Donato
Havana-Rio, by Tete Moraes.