Sergio Pamies
Asst Professor
Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano
Corbett Cntr Perform Arts
1420
CCM Jazz Studies - 0003
Professional Summary
Born in Granada, Spain in 1983, Pamies has published four albums under his name; Entre Amigos (PSM, 2008), Borrachito (Bebyne Records, 2011), What Brought You Here? (Bebyne Records, 2017), and Time to Say (Newtrad, 2024). Critics have acknowledged his talent for composition, the lyrical qualities of his playing, and his natural and spontaneous ability to fuse the traditional jazz language with the flamenco music of his childhood. Time to Say stayed more than 20 weeks in specialized jazz radio charts, reaching number 5 in Music Root Reports and number 41 in Jazz Week. It reached number 2 in the Top Latin Jazz Albums of 2024 by Music Root Reports.
Pamies has performed at festivals in Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Colombia, Perú, China, Spain and the United States. He has recorded and performed with outstanding artists, such as Dave Liebman, Paquito D’Rivera, Christian Scott, John Clayton, Lewis Nash, Marshall Gilkes, Rubem Dantas, London Symphony, Jorge Pardo, Antonio Serrano, Diego Amador, Pepe Luis Carmona “Habichuela,” Quamon Fowler, Brad Leali, Quincy Davis, Stockton Helbing, Ashleigh Smith, Samuel Torres, Tatiana Mayfield, Michael Miskiewicz, Derrick Gardner, Craig Bailey, and Joan Albert Amargós, among others. Besides leading his own projects, he has produced other artists such as Daniel Pardo (Ese Momento, 2024), Estrella de Manuela (Ocho perlas de mi mundo, 2023), Verso Suelto (Verso Suelto, 2016), Korean singer Roja (My Shining Hour, 2013), and The Zebras (Flamenco Jazz Project, 2011). His compositions and arrangements have been recorded by Dallas String Quartet (DSQ), London Symphony, Prague Orchestra (Musiversal), and Steinway Artist Esteban Álvarez.
Pamies is currently Assistant Professor at the College-Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati), where he teaches jazz piano, jazz styles and analysis, jazz small group, and advanced jazz improvisation. Prior to this appointment, Sergio Pamies taught jazz arranging, composition, and led the small group program at University of Texas in Arlington. Pamies has given Master Classes and presented his research at the Jazz Education Network Conference, University of North Texas, University of Central Oklahoma, University of Tennessee at Martin, University of Texas at Arlington , University of Louisville (USA), Universidad de Granada, Conservatorio Superior del Liceo de Barcelona, Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias (Spain), East Shanghai Normal University, Contemporary Music Institute of Zhuhai (China), Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Universidad EAFIT de Medellín (Colombia), among other institutions. He has published articles in different peer-reviewed scholarly journals, such as Jazz-Hitz (Spain) or Jazz Education in Research and Practice (USA) and specialized magazines such as Piano Professional (United Kingdom).
Pamies received his bachelor’s degree in jazz Piano (Liceo Conservatory in Barcelona, 2007), and then moved to the United States to study with Stefan Karlsson and complete a master’s degree in jazz piano at the University of North Texas (UNT), where he was awarded “Outstanding Student” in 2011. He finished his doctoral studies (DMA in Jazz Piano) in 2016. He was the pianist of the 7-time Grammy nominated One O’Clock Lab Band at UNT, having the opportunity to perform with guest artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Arturo Sandoval, Marvin Stamm, Wycliffe Gordon, Doc Severinsen, Chuck Findley, Christian McBride, and Peter Bernstein. He is the featured soloist on Rich DeRosa’s composition “Neil,” which received a Grammy nomination in 2016 for “Best Instrumental Composition.”
Education
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA): University of North Texas Denton (TX), 2016 (Major: Jazz Piano Performance Related field: Music Composition )
Master of Music, MM: University of North Texas Denton (TX), 2011 (Jazz Piano Performance)
Bachelor of Music (BM): Conservatorio del Liceo Barcelona (Spain), 2007 (Jazz Piano Performance)
Research and Practice Interests
As a researcher and a creative, I am a specialist in flamenco jazz. Other areas of interest in my research activities include jazz piano, jazz education, jazz theory, jazz improvisation, jazz small group performance, jazz historiography, and jazz arranging. My dissertation focused on how different artists have combined elements from flamenco and jazz throughout the years, and how the creative process led them into producing a new musical style with specific aesthetics that have entered jazz discourse. This study can be a resource for international jazz musicians who are seeking to combine jazz with their musical cultural heritage. In addition to my research, I have approached this topic from a creative perspective. My first two recordings as a leader were focused in developing my own vision of flamenco jazz. These compositional, arranging, recording, producing, and performance experiences have been cited by scholars in the field and reviewers (Rojas, 2012; Delannoy, 2012; Dalmace, 2013), which reflects my growing reputation as an expert in flamenco jazz. This long term project has taught me the process of developing an individual voice as an artist. As a result of finding my own artistic identity, I have published four albums under my name and have led my own groups since 2007. I have performed as a featured artist in several international jazz festivals and venues, and my music has appeared in specialized and general media, and has been critically reviewed. Musicians such as Dave Liebman, Paquito D'Rivera, Christian Scott, Diego Amador, Antonio Serrano, Rubem Dantas, Quamon Fowler, Samuel Torres, Marshall Gilkes, Alex Norris, Ricky Rodriguez, Michael Thomas, and Jimmy Macbride have collaborated in my projects, among others.
Currently, I am engaged in two research projects; expanding my dissertation topic by creating a scholarly book, and writing and publishing an educational textbook that includes various jazz piano topics. I recently had two articles published in Piano Professional (European Piano Teachers Association), that can be taken as an example of the materials I am currently developing.
Positions and Work Experience
08-2016 -05-2020 Adjunct Faculty, Taught Applied Jazz Piano, Jazz Ensemble, Music Appreciation., Dallas College (Mountain View Campus) , Dallas (TX)
08-2018 -05-2020 Adjunct Assistant Professor, Taught Applied Jazz Piano, Jazz Arranging, Jazz Composition, Advanced Jazz Improvisation, and serve as the Jazz Small Group Coordinator., University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington (TX)
08-2018 -05-2016 Teaching Fellow, Taught Applied Jazz Piano (graduate and undergraduate students), Jazz Performance Fundamentals, Jazz Keyboard Fundamentals, directed a big band, directed a contemporary music ensemble (called "The Zebras"), coached jazz small groups and assisted organizing performance and rehearsals schedules for the small group program., University of North Texas, Denton (TX)
Publications
Peer Reviewed Publications
Sergio Pamies Rodriguez (2021. ) “Deconstructing Modal Jazz Piano Techniques: the Relation between Debussy’s Piano Works and the Innovations of Post-bop Pianists.” .Jazz Education in Research and Practice, , 2 (1 ) ,76–105
Sergio Pamies Rodríguez (2021. ) “Wynton Kelly: A Model for Soloing, Comping, and Rhythm Section Interplay.” .Jazz-hitz, , 4 ,11–41
Sergio Pamies Rodríguez (2022. ) “Some Remarks on the Pedagogy of Advanced Jazz Improvisation in the 2020s.” .Jazz Education in Research and Practice, , 3 ,97–117
Sergio Pamies Rodríguez (2022. ) “‘Well, You Needn’t’: Harmonic Challenges for the Jazz Improviser in Thelonious Monk’s Music.” .Jazz-hitz, , 5 ,55–85
Sergio Pamies Rodríguez (2024. ) “Diego Amador: Flamenco jazz innovador creado en España por un artista flamenco de cuna.” .Jazz-hitz, , 7 ,37–68
Sergio Pamies Rodríguez (2024. ) “La contribución indirecta de Chick Corea al Nuevo Flamenco a través de Paco de Lucía.” .Música Oral del Sur, , 21 ,319–360
Sergio Pamies Rodríguez (2022. ) “Review of Experiencing Chick Corea: A Listener Companion, by Monika Herzig.” .Jazz Education in Research and Practice, , 3 ,140–143
Sergio Pamies Rodríguez (2023. ) “Review of Playing Solo Jazz Piano, by Jeremy Siskind.” .Jazz Education in Research and Practice, , 4 ,169–171