Alexey was my student at Berklee Valencia. From the first moment I heard him I felt a great talent, that together with a huge passion, with no doubt would make him become a great musician he is now.
SHORT BIO
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Alexey León Reyes is a saxophonist, flutist born in Manzanillo, Cuba. Winner of the 1st prize at a young jazz musicians competition Jojazz, Havana, Cuba.
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He graduated from Gnesin Academy of Music (Moscow, Russia). In the spring of 2013, he received the Michel Camilo scholarship to attend the Master's program in Contemporary music at the Berklee College of Music, Campus of Valencia to study with the acclaimed musicians and educators Perico Sambeat, Alain Pérez, Polo Ortí.
His debut album "Cuba meets Russia", released by the label Sedajazz, was chosen for the Spanish jazz show case Jazz eñe and was presented at the Rialto theater in Valencia.
In 2017 Alexey released his 2 album Alexey Leon Quintet "Cuban connection" featuring Perico Sambeat, Ivan "Melon" Lewis, Carlos Sarduy.
He performed with Perico Sambeat, Eddie Gómez, Danilo Pérez and Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Jack Walrath, Marc Miralta, Alain Pérez, Iván "Melón" Lewis, Carlos Sarduy among other musicians.
Scholarships and awards
2018 Cuban connection nominado al premio Carles Santos "Mejor disco de Jazz", Valencia, España
2017 1er premio interpretación, XX concurso de jovenes jazistas, JoJazz, la Habana, Cuba
2017 Best grout prize, V Festival de Jazz Johnny Raducanu, Braila, Romania
2017 I premio, Concurs Jazz Jove, XXI Festival de jazz Palau de la musica de Valencia
2016 Premio Mejor Grupo", IV Concurso Portón del Jazz, Malaga, Spain
2015 Premio Juan Claudio Cifuentes "Mejor solista", el VI Concurso de Jazz UJI, Spain
2015 Jazz Eñe, SGAE, Valencia, Spain
2014 Michel Camilo Scholarship, Valencia, Spain
2013 1st prize for improvisation and best ensemble, Gnesin Jazz Fest, Moscow, Russia
2012 2nd prize, VIII competition of young improvisers, Rostov, Russia
2011 3nd prize, The voice of saxophone in the modern world, Moscow, Russia
2010 2nd prize, Jazz Competition XXI New Generation, Moscow, Russia
2009 1st prize, Modern Saxophone competition, Cheboksary, Russia
2005-2008 Scholarship from ¨our culture and heritage¨ fund, Moscow, Russia
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EXTENDED BIO
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Alexey Leon Reyes is a saxophonist, flutist born in Manzanillo, Cuba.
He got his Master of Music Degree at Berklee College of Music and graduated from Gnesin Academy of Music (Moscow, Russia).
During his studies he represented the Gnesin Academy of Music at numerous festivals and jazz competitions. He represented the Russian Academy of Music at the BT River of Music Festival, organized by the British Council playing in the Matthew Herbert Big Band during the celebration of the Olympic Games in London in 2012.
He participated as member of both a jazz quintet and a big band in a workshop delivered by Herbie Hancock during the first International Day of Jazz in Moscow.
In spring 2013, he received the Michel Camilo scholarship to attend the Masters program in Contemporary Performance at Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus to study with acclaimed performers and educators Perico Sambeat, Alain Perez, Polo Ortí and Victor Mendoza.
During his studies he participated in numerous concerts, clinics and recording sessions.
He performed with Eddie Gomez, Danilo Perez and Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Jack Walrath, Perico Sambeat, Marc Miralta, Alain Perez, Ivan "Melon" Lewis, Javier "Caramelo" Masso, , Israel Suarez "Piraña", Carlos Sarduy, Polo Orti, Albert Sanz, Voro Garcia and many others.
His first album "Cuba meets Russia" released by Sedajazz label was chosen to the Spanish jazz showcase Jazz eñe and was performed at the Rialto theatre, Valencia.
In December 2015 Alexey won the Juan Claudio Cifuentes prize for best soloist at the Jaime I University jazz competition.
In July 2016 his project "Cuba Meets Russia" received a "best quintet award" at a Spanish national Jazz competition Porton del Jazz, Malaga. In July 2017 XXI Festival de jazz Palau de la musica de Valencia, Concurs Jazz Jove, I prize.
In October 2017, Best group award at Johnny Raducanu Jazz competition in Braila, Romania.
In November 2017 he won the 1st prize at the XX edition of Jojazz competition, La Habana, Cuba.
In 2017 Alexey released his 2 album Alexey Leon Quintet "Cuban connection" featuring Perico Sambeat, Ivan "Melon" Lewis, Carlos Sarduy.
2018 Cuban connection nominado al premio Carles Santos "Mejor disco de Jazz", Valencia, España
Alexey is currently teaching at Sedajazz, Valencia and is active on the Spanish jazz scene.
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DISCOGRAPHY
AS A LEADER
2018 Alexey Leon Quartet "Okudzhava for my mother" (coming soon)
2017 Alexey Leon Quintet "Cuban connection"
(Sedajazz Records )
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Perico Sambeat/Carlos Sarduy/Ivan "Melon" Lewis/Dany Noel/Ivan Cebrian/Matt Baker/Kumar Sublevao Beat/Frank Durand
2015 "Cuba meets Russia" (Sedajazz records)
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Voro Garcia/Piotr Orzhechowski/Alberto Palau/ Aless Cessarini/ Mariano Steimberg/ Javier Vercher/Max Ridley/
AS A SIDEMAN
2018 Sergio Pereira "Nu Brazil"
(Zoho records)
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Perico Sambeat/ Oriente Lopez/Voro Garcia/ Marcus Teixeira/Mauricio Zottarelli/Victoria Pilatovic/Ariel Ramirez/Paula Santoro/Gabriel Grossi/Baptiste Bailly
2018 Sedajazz Big Band "Compendium"
(Sedajazz Records)
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Saxo Alto _ Perico Sambeat
Saxo Alto_ Alexey León
Saxo Tenor_ Vicente Macián
Saxo Tenor_ Joan Benavent
Saxo Barítono_ Fco. A. Blanco "Latino"
Trompeta_ Voro García
Trompeta_ Raúl García
Trompeta_ Fede Crespo
Trompeta_ Pep Zaragoza
Trombón_ Carlos Martin
Trombón_ Toni Belenguer
Trombón_ Vicente Pérez
Tuba_ Javi Boluda
Piano_ Alberto Palau
Guitarra- Iván Cebrián
Contrabajo_ Aless Cessarini
Batería_ Felip Santandreu
Percusión_ Carlos Llidó
2016 Santi Navalon
"Silent Songs"
(Sedajazz Records)
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Voro Garcia/Santi Navalon/Dany Noel/Frank Durand/Ivan Cebrian/Javier Vercher/Aless Cessarini/Mariano Steimberg
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2016 Thais Morell
"Amaralina"
(Sedajazz Records)
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Alberto Palau/Aless Cessarini/Mariano Steimberg/Natxo Tamarit/Voro Garcia/ Javier Vercher/Matt baker/ Carles Denia/Orlando Bonzi
2015 Sebastian Laverde Quintet "Alma en clave"
(SLaverde records)
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Ivan "Melon" Lewis/Georvis Pico/Yoel Paez/Alberto Palau/Aless Cessarini/Pedro Pablo Rodriguez
2014 Stephen McHale "Weird glitches" (autoproduced)
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Piotr Orzhechowski/Daniel Toledo/Joshua Wheatley/Mariano Steimberg/Ricardo Curto
