Greg Diaz - Biography

The music was abundant and diverse…and being played daily for hours at a time on the household phonograph and 8-track tape player (Yes, this was before electricity!) by my parents as far back as I could remember…Neither of my Cuban- born parents were musicians, but they were ardent and appreciative listeners. Mom (Sonia) had inherent musical ability, but never got the opportunity to nurture it because she had to help support her mother and siblings. My dad (Erasmo) very badly wanted to take up saxophone, but his mother flatly refused to let him take up an instrument… He tried sneaking a few into the house and was harshly disciplined for it...Apparently she had visions of young Erasmo becoming a lawyer or an accountant…Fortunately, her ambition for my father never came to fruition…THANK GOD!! Definitely not for him…

Their love for music never waned. They may have been prevented from its personal undertaking at an early age, however, it never deterred them from the unbridled enjoyment of listening to music. It was one of many gifts both my parents unselfishly cherished on not only me, but my sister and brother as well. The universe is a fascinating wildcard in that respect…Both of my parents had different, yet complementary tastes…Dad loved charranga music…especially Orquestra Aragon…He also was a big fan of Cuban songstylist Beny More and salsa queen Celia Cruz. His favorite music however, emanated from a saxophone…Ben Webster, Zoot Sims, King Curtis, Boots Randolph, Phil Woods, and Charlie "Yardbird" Parker were at the head of his record collection…When it was my mother's turn, she dipped into her Motown library which included the Four Tops, Temps, Supremes, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin…During the evening, they relaxed with LPs of Strauss and Berlioz.

It was from this starting pointing that I began developing my own listening repertoire to include music from other realms. My musical heroes are many…Far too many to mention…From Satchmo to Diz…Miles to Woody Shaw…Bechet to Prez…Sonny (all of them!) to Trane…Wayne Shorter to Ornette…Mike Brecker to Grover Washington…Eddie Harris to Stanley Turrentine…James Brown to the Beatles…Dave Matthews to Ravi Shankar…Hendrix to Steely Dan…Ella to Etta…LH&R to Take 6…Sinatra to Marvin Gaye…Astor Piazolla to Oscar DeLeon…Mahler to Brahms…The list goes on…and on...

GD.

Greg Diaz has over 25 years experience as a respected professional musician and over 15 years as a college, magnet school and private sector educator.

Performance

Greg has toured with his group throughout the Caribbean and Europe and in addition, has recorded or performed with such notable headliners as Tito Puentes, Phil Woods, Patrice Rushen, Julian and Ziggy Marley, Ira Sullivan, Bobby Thomas Jr., Bobby Rydell, The Temptations, The Lettermen, Ben E. King, Grammy nominee Sylvia Bennett, Willy Chirino, Chayenne and others…In addition to leading his own group, Greg works with some of the most in demand musicians in South Florida...

Teaching

Greg taught within the performing arts school at Miami Dade College (Kendall campus) from 1993 to 2002, where he was professor of jazz voice for 3 years. His resume also includes seven successful years as saxophone professor and 2 years as Director of the Jazz Workshop at MDC's largest campus...

E-mail: imaginationmusic@earthlink.net