Jorge Pérez-Albela Releases New Album Featuring Singer Sissy Castrogiovanni

Today marks the release of percussionist Jorge Perez-Albela's debut album The Time is Now. Noted for his skilled work as a sideman with such artists as Maria Schneider, Bert Seager, Danilo Perez and Sofia Rei Perez-Albela offers audiences his first foray as a bandleader on this multicultural, contemporary jazz release which features shades of his native Peru, plus Argentina, Brazil and Africa. The Time is Now features vocalist Sissy Castrogiovanni, pianist Tim Ray, bassist Jesse Williams, guest artists saxophonist Lihi Haruvi, vocalist Santiago Paredes, trumpeter Phil Grenadier alongside Jorge on drum set, Peruvian cajon, percussion and vocals. The album was been recorded and mixed by Grammy winning sound engineer Rob Griffin.

Sissy Castrogiovanni, Jorge's wife, recently released her own album in May entitled Terra. An impressive outing in its own right that focuses on themes of environmentalism and motherhood, Terra showcases Castrogiovanni's lofty vocals, sung in her native Sicilian dialect. She once again impresses on The Time is Now, with her feature on "The Mirror" a high point.

The ten tracks that make up The Time is Now reflect an array of musical traditions and are tied together by a jazz sensibility. Inspired by the saying "Music unites us. Music connects us to truth", Jorge spreads that message with music that sees no borders and is rife with emotion.

Born in Lima, Peru, Jorge Pérez-Albela is now based in Boston, where he has had a fruitful career since arriving there in 1994. He is an expert in the cajón, the staple instrument of Afro-Peruvian music. Jorge has performed or recorded with Grammy-winning artists like Maria Schneider, Danilo Perez and Ruben Blades, as well world renown George Garzone, Avishai Cohen, Sofia Rei, Claudia Acuna, Tania Libertad, Mili Bermejo, Joey Blake, Sissy Castrogiovanni, Tal Gamlieli, Roni Eytan, Daniel Blake, Grace Kelly, Jason Palmer, Tim Ray, Geoffrey Keezer, Bert Seager, Jarrett Cherner, Kevin Harris, Marco Pignataro, Juan Medrano "Cotito", Claudio Ragazzi, Eric Kurimski, Bruce Bartlett, Yuri Juarez, John Lockwood, Rufus Reid, Eddie Gomez, and Jorge Roeder. He graduated with both his undergraduate and graduate degree from Berklee College of Music.