Negroni's Trio

At the heart of Negroni's trio are father José Negroni and son Nomar, both hailing from Puerto Rico, plus a rotating pool of guest bassists. They've been making strides in the international jazz community since the release of their first CD, Naturaleza/Nature, in 2003. A music professor and classically trained pianist with incredible dexterity, José expertly blends the laid-back feel of the music of his native land with the sophistication of jazz. Beyond this, he often adds various elements of classical music to his compositions. He also displays great musical chemistry with 26-year-old Nomar, a gifted drummer who has been honing his skills as a recording artist since his early teens.

On their new disc, Father & Son (Cacao Música, which is sponsoring a series of concerts in town throughout the season), the trio explores various directions while keeping a firm grip on its Latin roots. For instance, "De un Pájaro las Dos Alas" features fine work by quatro player Quique Domenech, who plays a call-and-response melody with José's piano. Percussionist Alex Acuña is predominantly featured on "Cajón y Tecla," which showcases (as the title suggests) both his percussive instrument and the piano. For the Negroni's Trio performance at the Arsht Center, the musicians will be joined by guest players Ed Calle on saxophone and Marco Panascia on bass.