Oscar Peñas

Barcelona-born guitarist, arranger, composer, and bandleader Oscar Peñas returns following his sold-out 2022-23 Season debut. A recipient of the Jazz Road grant from the South Arts organization, Peñas was already a widely respected figure on the international jazz scene before he settled in New York City a decade ago. Since then, he's genuinely blossomed, creating a singular body of work that weaves elements of jazz, Spanish folk music, and the European classical tradition. Often working with unorthodox instrumentation, he will perform with a trio consisting of his electric guitar, Simón Wilson on upright bass, and Mark Ferber on drums. Oscar's music doesn't blend disparate influences so much as stitch them with an internal emotional logic. Peñas has previously performed at SFJAZZ in 2022. He established himself as a vital new voice in New York with four critically acclaimed albums that always feature American master musicians. His latest album, 'Chicken or Pasta,' was released in 2023 and features guitarist Mike Stern and pedal steel guitar player Greg Leiz. Previously, in 2022, his 'Almadraba' suite was released on an engraved limited-edition LP inspired by the sustainable fishing method from Andalusia, Spain. The suite features the legendary bassist Ron Carter and was premiered at the BAM Next Wave Festival. The innovative compositions brought four days of concerts, all of which were sold out. Oscar's 2014 album "Music of Departures and Returns" features Gil Goldstein, Paquito D'Rivera, and Esperanza Spalding. Oscar Peñas is a major league talent from Barcelona, Spain, a New Yorker adopted with a capacious musical imagination that embodies the limitless promise of jazz's global reach.