My music is the spiritual expression of what I am
my faith, my knowledge, my being.
my faith, my knowledge, my being.
Trumpeter Diego Urcola is a composer, educator, and a respected and admired jazz recording artist. He has been a member of Paquito D'Rivera's band since 1991 and has performed and/or recorded with Jimmy Heath, Joe Henderson, Dave Samuels, Bebo Valdés, Avishai Cohen, and Brian Lynch's tribute album to Woody Shaw. Urcola is a graduate of Berklee College and holds a master’s degree from Queens College. Urcola toured extensively with the United Nations Orchestra under the leadership of D’Rivera after Dizzy Gillespie’s death. He has released five albums as a soloist.
In this section, you can find a biography in PDF format as well as a collection of hi and low resolution images in both color and black and white format. To allow for the most versatility, all images have been saved as jpg in either rgb or grayscale mode. To download an image, simply right click on it and select the Save Image As option. If you need footage of live performances, please visit our video page.
Please credit ©Jimmy Baikovicius for all photographs
High Resolution Imagery And Biography Information
According To The Critics
Mates Album
Urcola displays his versatility of sounds and moods as he gets bold and brassy with Cohen on “Elegua” yet can go cool and muted on the Harmon with Dargenton on “Elm.”
Soundances Album
Many critics compare Diego Urcola's horn style to that of Miles Davis. On "Soundances," Urcola acknowledges his kinship with the late horn great by covering Miles Davis's signature "Blue in Green." But with the button accordion intro and the Argentine musicians under Urcola's direction, "Blue in Green" comes off as a completely new song.
Viva Album
Urcola's obviously learned a few things listening to Davis, his style indicates a patience with the material. ...tunes that approximate the intimacy of a Miles Davis group, with fidelity to melody, a creeping sense of surprise and expressive solos.Soundances Album
Urcola plays with dexterity and strength. He's an orderly musician, and like so many other young jazz players, he's looking far and wide for music that will sum up himself and his generation.Viva Album
The album is smartly conceived and deftly executed. It's a testament not only to his abilities but also to the energy and innovation now flourishing in the realm of Latin Jazz.
Appreciation Album
... Urcola is more of a light-footed dancer with a killer punch. He never stops moving, and never telegraphs when the next aggressive rip or upper-register run will land.Mates Album
It is Diego Urcola and his glimmering, brazen horns that add the glorious colours to the music on this date. Mr. Urcola is a true master of tonal shade.