Francisco Lelo de Larrea
Born in Monterrey N.L, he graduated from
Escuela Superior de Música del INBA, holding a degree in Jazz studies and majoring in jazz guitar. He completed a master’s degree in Jazz Performance at Aaron Copland School of Music, in Queens College, NewYork.
He has worked as a composer and project
leader, and performed in major festivals and
stages all over the world, such as Mexico,
Central America, South America, Europe,
United States, Malaysia, Singapore and
India. As a teacher, he has lead courses,
classes, workshops and educational concerts
at the most important seminars and music
schools in Mexico.
In 2017 he joined the teaching academy at
Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai,
India. He also did a residency teaching
a jazz seminar at Universidad de las Artes
(ISA) in La Habana, Cuba (2018). In 2007
he released his first album titled Francisco
Lelo de Larrea 5uinteto, performed at the
most relevant music festivals in the country
throughout his musical trajectory of over
fifteen years. He now finds himself working
on his second album, which will be in collaboration
with New York City Jazz scene artists.
T r a y e c t o r y
Francisco is amongst the most recognized and prolific jazz guitarists and composers in Mexico and latin America. He has performed in some of the most relevant festivals and venues all over the world, including Mexico and central America, South America, Europe, United States, Malaysia, Singapore
and India. In the last two decades, he has played and
recorded with and for various Mexican artists and their projects including Eugenio Toussaint, Enrique Nery, Agustin Bernal,
Alex Mercado, Magos Herrera, Iraida Noriega, Luri Molina, Rey David Alejandre, Diego Maroto, Marco Rentería, Big Band Jazz de Mexico, La Casa de Agua, Popo Sánchez y
Chucho López, to name a few. He has also had the pleasure of working on the side of international artists including
John Benitez, Antonio Hart, Michael Mossman, Thana Alexa, Alex Sipiagin, Ari Hoenig, Chris Cheek, Stan Killian, Benito González, Ugonna Okegwo, Steve Cardenas, Jorge Roeder, Shai Maestro, Jarry Singla, Oscar Stagnaro, Americo Bellotto, Gabriel Hernández, Alex Kautz, Tyler Mitchell, Ricky Rodriguez, Gabriel Puentes, Cristian Mendoza, E.J Strickland, Jorge Brauet, Hernán
Hecht, Ricardo Benitez, Joan Chamorro y Paquito de Rivera, amongst others. As a leader and sideman, he has performed
in forums like La Ve Lee Jazz Club, at the Baked Potato in Los Angeles, as well as various jazz clubs in New York City, like the
legendary 55 Bar, Fat Cat, Somethin’ Jazz Club, Cornelia St Café , Tommi Jazz Club, Terraza 7 Train Café, Dizzy’s Jazz Club at
Lincoln Center with Diego Maroto Sextet (Festival Mexico Now 2004), and in theaters such as Queens Theater in the Park in Flushing Town Hall with Antonio Hart’s group. Additionally, he performed a series of concerts at the Lehman Center in the Bronx as a member of Wesley Reynoso’s Afro Latin Big Band alongside renowned jazz flautist Dave Valentin, Bob Franceschinni, Luis Quintero, Vince Cherico, Rubén Rodríguez, Luis Bonilla, Mike Rodriguez, amongst other world acclaimed latin jazz artists. He and his Quartet performed in a few of
the most important jazz clubs in India, such as B Flat in Bangalore, and Kasha Jazz in Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu.
He also played in New Delhi, with his Trio at the Piano Man Jazz Club, as well as the Electric Room and Depot 48 (2017).
He performed at the Blu Jazz Café and at the Esplanade Festival in Singapore, as well as jazz club No Black Tie in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, where he recorded a live EP with his Jazz Trio.
In 2019, he performed on the main stage at Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes, where along side the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, he accompanied internationally renowned Venezuelan trumpet player Pacho Flores, during the concert Música Latinoamericana, as they played Argentinian composer Daniel Freiberg’s Crónicas Latinoamericanas. Under the same project, album soon to be released, he recorded acoustic guitar in Estudios Churubusco, next to latin jazz legend Paquito de Rivera, for prestigious record company Deutsche Grammophon.