Alex "Apolo" Ayala
Afro-Puerto Rican Rhythms
Bassist, composer, and bandleader Alex "Apolo" Ayala masterfully blends traditional jazz with the vibrant, spiritual sounds of Afro-Puerto Rican culture in his powerful Salsa Jazz Orchestra.
About
Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, Alex "Apolo" Ayala is a critically acclaimed bassist, composer, and bandleader based in New York City. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and The New School, Ayala is renowned for his project, The Salsa Jazz Orchestra, which celebrates and fuses his rich cultural heritage with the broader jazz tradition.
Music Style
Ayala's music is an electrifying fusion of modern jazz harmony and improvisation with the deep, spiritual rhythms and melodies of bomba and plena from Puerto Rico, presented with the energy and complexity of a big band.
Background
- Hometown
- Caguas, Puerto Rico
- Education
- Berklee College of Music, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music
- Instruments
- bass
- Active
- 2000s-present
Similar Artists
If you like Eddie Palmieri, Arturo O'Farrill, and John Benítez — you'll love this artist
Notable Collaborations
Upcoming Events
Alex "Apolo" Ayala's next NYC show is Friday, July 17 at Smalls.