Victor Noriega (pianist)
Encyclopedia
Victor Noriega is a Filipino American
jazz pianist, based in Seattle.
He moved from Canada
to the United States
with his family soon after birth, and grew up in both Portland
, Oregon
and Seattle. He began his jazz piano career at age 18. He graduated from the University of Washington
.
Since 2000, Noriega has played regularly with the Victor Noriega Trio, which additionally includes bassist Willie Blair and drummer Eric Eagle. They have recorded three albums together: Stone's Throw in 2004, Alay in 2006, and Fenceless (which also featured trumpet player Jay Thomas and alto saxophone player Mark Taylor) in 2008. Stone's Throw earned the trio a nomination for the Earshot Jazz
Golden Ear Awards for Northwest Acoustic Jazz Group in 2005. Alay, which featured jazz renditions of traditional Filipino
songs, won Noriega the 2006 Golden Ear Awards for both Northwest Instrumentalist of the Year and Recording of the Year.
He has played occasionally in Shanghai
since 2005, performing at venues such as JZ Club.
Noriega's musical style has been compared to that of Dave Brubeck
and Brad Mehldau
.
With "Victor Noriega Trio+2":
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
jazz pianist, based in Seattle.
He moved from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his family soon after birth, and grew up in both Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Seattle. He began his jazz piano career at age 18. He graduated from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
Since 2000, Noriega has played regularly with the Victor Noriega Trio, which additionally includes bassist Willie Blair and drummer Eric Eagle. They have recorded three albums together: Stone's Throw in 2004, Alay in 2006, and Fenceless (which also featured trumpet player Jay Thomas and alto saxophone player Mark Taylor) in 2008. Stone's Throw earned the trio a nomination for the Earshot Jazz
Earshot Jazz
Earshot Jazz is a regional jazz non-profit organization in Seattle Washington. The organization publishes a free monthly journal in the Seattle area and hosts numerous jazz related events annually. The most prominent annual event is the Earshot Jazz Festival in October and November which started in...
Golden Ear Awards for Northwest Acoustic Jazz Group in 2005. Alay, which featured jazz renditions of traditional Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
songs, won Noriega the 2006 Golden Ear Awards for both Northwest Instrumentalist of the Year and Recording of the Year.
He has played occasionally in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
since 2005, performing at venues such as JZ Club.
Noriega's musical style has been compared to that of Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
and Brad Mehldau
Brad Mehldau
Brad Mehldau is an American jazz pianist. Besides leading his own group, the Brad Mehldau Trio, he has performed with many renowned artists, including Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, Larry Grenadier, Peter Bernstein, Jeff Ballard, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Kurt...
.
Discography
With the Victor Noriega Trio:- Stone's Throw (2004)
- Alay (2006)
With "Victor Noriega Trio+2":
- Fenceless (2008)