Biography

Born in Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico.
He began his musical career in the year 1973 studying to be a concert clarinetist and participating as a member of the symphonic orchestra at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Mexico City, Mexico.
In 1978, he joined a musical group, playing the clarinet and the alto saxophone, which went on tour for more than 18 months to Central America, South America and the Caribbean visiting countries such as Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Panama, Aruba, etc.
Towards the end of 1979, he arrived in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico and formed the first jazz group, The Downbeats, as a tenor, alto and soprano saxophonist, being a pioneer of said genre in the scope of jazz in this city and perhaps in the state of Guanajuato. The Downbeats group has a broad artistic trajectory interpreting all the styles of jazz such as: swing, latin jazz, classical jazz, bebop, cool jazz, free jazz, fusion, etc. Nowadays, Salomon Maawad presents himself using just his name, utilizing different formats in his presentations, from duets to nonets and on occasion he has used a string quartet in his concerts. Salomon has had a successful career for more than 50 years as a professional musician and composer and countless national and international musicians and singers have been guests of his group.
Salomon Maawad has a discography of 9 CD's of his original music (calling it jazz music of the world) where he uses various grouping formats:
DOWNBEATS EN VIVO: The Downbeats (Salomón Maawad The cool Jazz Era Group).
OJOS VERDES: The Downbeats (Salomon Maawad The Cool Jazz Era Group) sextet
ENREDOS: The Downbeats (Salomon Maawad The Cool Jazz Era Group) octet
NOCHES DE BABILONIA: The Downbeats (Salomon Maawad The Fusion Jazz Era Group) octet
EL GURU DE TEO'S: The Downbeats (Salomon Maawad Jazz) quintet
EL PAPUCHO: The Downbeats (Salomon Maawad Jazz) trio
CRISIS: The Downbeats (Salomon Maawad The Cool Jazz Era Group) septet
TRIBUTO A COLTRANE: The Downbeats (Salomon Maawad Jazz) trio
He has also participated on other musician's projects in recording studios and in live concerts. Salomon Maawad was co-founder of the International Jazz Festival of San Miguel de Allende in 1994, being a principal supporter as musical director and as a musician for 12 years. He played in numerous concerts with guests such as Randy Vincent, Eddie Daniels, Denny Berthiaume, Bob Pierson, Nicole Henry, Tammy Hall, Nora York, Randy Bernsen, Ken Basman, Gabriel Hernandez, Jako Gonzalez, Aaron Cruz, Agustin Bernal, Francisco Lelo de Larrea, Christopher García, Rey David Alexander, Jerry López, Ken Bichel, Michael Manring, Adrian Flores, Victor Monterrubio, Lila Downs, Magos Herrera, Diego Maroto and many more.
Presently, Salomon is the director of the Encuentros Nacionales de Jazz (National Encounters of Jazz), an annual event that has been happening for the past 21 years in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, where the best national and some international jazz musicians have participated.
Salomon Maawad has performed many times in the International Cervantino Festival (Festival Internacional Cervantino) an internationally renowned event, as well as many other national festivals in the Mexican republic and in theaters like Teatro Juarez de Guanajuato, Teatro de la Ciudad in Mexico City and many more.

Primary Instruments

Saxophone

Categories