“Pamies is telling us not to put him in a box. He can play it all (…)”
“Intricate. Funky. Soulful. Best if played LOUD (…)”
“Never seeking to overshadow others in this album, it takes time to deeply listen to his piano playing. Sergio Pamies himself is truly impressive, making one realize how fortunate students at the University of Cincinnati are to have him as a professor (…)”
“A highly worldly and warm body of work, Pamies plays with an unparalleled skill, and the company he keeps illuminate the swingin’ moments, lullabys, and harmonic superbly…”
“Pamies highlights his substantial bop fluency, and his engaging piano statements are harmonically rich and technically adroit, without needless excess: the economy of Pamies’ playing leads to some smart, carefully structured solos…”
“Pamies' playing is as good as his composing (…)”
“Pamies’ piano improvisation further emphasizes the emotional depth of the piece, making it one of the album’s most poignant moments and showing that Pamies not only has chops but knows how and when to focus on emotions versus technique (…) Time to Say reveals Sergio Pamies’ mastery as a composer, ensemble leader, and performer (…)”
“Time to Say is a blend of cultural and musical influences, showcasing Pamies’ exceptional talent as a composer and performer. The album’s thoughtful compositions, skillful arrangements, and heartfelt tributes create a compelling narrative that resonates with listeners. Pamies’ ability to honor jazz traditions with his unique voice makes Time to Say a significant contribution to contemporary Latin jazz (…)”
“Pamies is also an accomplished arranger, with a sophisticated ear, who seems able to turn his hand to any style or instrumental line up (…)”
“Maybe we are talking about flamenco-jazz? Not exactly. This Borrachito goes further than the simple juxtaposition of two genres as we still see too often. Sergio Pamies is one to watch!...”
“The music is (almost) all Pamies and all seductive, marrying splendid rhythms and inspiring latin rhythms to produce a feast for the ears and heart…”
“Borrachito is a fabulous musical force of nature…”
“I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Time to Say, from pianist Sergio Pamies and it’s a strong tribute to Chick Corea (…) a really strong release”
Sergio Pamies
Born in Granada, Spain in 1983, Sergio Pamies is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and producer whose work bridges traditional jazz language with the flamenco music of his roots and other elements from Latin jazz. He has released four albums as a leader: Entre Amigos (PSM, 2008), Borrachito (Bebyne Records, 2011), What Brought You Here? (Bebyne Records, 2017), and Time to Say (Newtrad, 2024). Critics have praised his lyrical playing, compositional voice, and his innovative approach to blending flamenco, jazz, and Latin jazz into a distinctive musical language.
His most recent release, Time to Say, spent over 20 weeks on specialized jazz radio charts, reaching number 5 on Music Roots Reports and number 41 on JazzWeek. It was also ranked number 2 in the Top Latin Jazz Albums of 2024 by Music Roots Reports.
Pamies has performed at major festivals and venues in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, China, Colombia, Peru, Spain, and the United States. He has collaborated with numerous acclaimed artists, including Dave Liebman, Paquito D’Rivera, Christian Scott, John Clayton, Lewis Nash, Marshall Gilkes, Rubem Dantas, the London Symphony, Jorge Pardo, Antonio Serrano, Diego Amador, and Pepe Luis Carmona “Habichuela.” Additional acclaimed collaborators include Quamon Fowler, Brad Leali, Quincy Davis, Ashleigh Smith, Samuel Torres, Tatiana Mayfield, Michael Miskiewicz, Derrick Gardner, Craig Bailey, Alex Hahn, Tim Armacost, and Joan Albert Amargós.
In addition to leading his own projects, Pamies has produced albums for artists such as Daniel Pardo (Ese Momento, 2024), Estrella de Manuela (Ocho Perlas de Mi Mundo, 2023), Verso Suelto (Verso Suelto, 2016), Korean singer Roja (My Shining Hour, 2013), and The Zebras (Flamenco Jazz Project, 2011). His compositions and arrangements have been recorded by the Dallas String Quartet (DSQ), the London Symphony, the Prague Orchestra (via Musiversal), and Steinway Artist Esteban Álvarez.
As an academic, Pamies has published articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Música Oral del Sur, Jazz-Hitz (Spain), and Jazz Education in Research and Practice (United States), as well as specialized magazines such as Piano Professional (United Kingdom). He also serves as a peer reviewer for scholarly journals and is a member of the Editorial Board for Jazz Education in Research and Practice. He is currently Associate Professor of Jazz Piano at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he teaches jazz piano, small group, jazz styles and analysis, and advanced improvisation.
He has presented master classes and lectures at institutions including the University of North Texas, University of Central Oklahoma, University of Tennessee at Martin, University of Louisville, and University of Texas at Arlington (United States); Universidad de Granada, Conservatorio Superior del Liceo de Barcelona, and Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias (Spain); East Shanghai Normal University and the Contemporary Music Institute of Zhuhai (China); and several universities in Colombia, including Universidad EAFIT (Medellín), Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, and Universidad Industrial de Santander.
Pamies earned a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Piano from the Liceo Conservatory in Barcelona (2007), before moving to the United States to pursue graduate studies with Stefan Karlsson at the University of North Texas. He received his Master’s in Jazz Piano and was named “Outstanding Student” in 2011. He completed a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Jazz Piano in 2016.
While at UNT, Pamies was the pianist for the seven-time Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. With the ensemble, he performed with guest artists including Bobby McFerrin, Arturo Sandoval, Marvin Stamm, Wycliffe Gordon, Doc Severinsen, Chuck Findley, Christian McBride, and Peter Bernstein. He is the featured soloist on Rich DeRosa’s composition “Neil,” which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 2016.
In 2015, Pamies was selected to perform at Carnegie Hall in the “Latin Jazz Traditions” concert with Paquito D’Rivera, where his original composition “Dudú” was featured. He was honored in 2014 with the Youth Cultural Award for "Best Representation of Granada in a Foreign Country" by the Youth Institute of Andalucía. He is also the recipient of seven DownBeat Student Music Awards, including Best Instrumental Soloist (2013), Best Large Ensemble (2014), and Best Latin Group (2012).