Though mostly known as one of the finest Cuban bassists of his generation, Alain Pérez is also a superbly gifted composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. Son of composer Gradelio Pérez, Alain was born in 1977 in the town of Manaca-Iznaga (Trinidad) but soon moved to Cienfuegos where he entered the local conservatory at 11 years of age. A couple of years later, Pérez went to La Habana to complete his formal training in bass, guitar, and choral direction. Mentored by the great Chucho Valdés, Pérez soon found himself working in a variety of roles (bassist, keyboard player, singer, musical director) for icons of Cuban music such as Irakere, Issac Delgado, los Van Van, and Celia Cruz. In 2001, he moved to Madrid and fell in with the flamenco crowd, collaborating with luminaries such as Enrique Morente, Niño Josele, Caramelo, and Diego el Cigala, and eventually becoming Paco de Lucía's bassist. Pérez spent a decade with De Lucía's band, from 2004 until the legendary guitarist's demise in 2014, touring the world and recording several albums. A critically acclaimed solo recording artist as well, Pérez made his debut in 2003 with El Desafío, followed by En el Aire (2006), Apetecible (2009), Hablando con Juana (2014), and ADN (2017). ~ Mariano Prunes