BIOGRAPHY
Pau Albir Casares (Barcelona, 1997) is a saxophonist and composer.
He took his first steps in music at the age of seven, when his uncle Pau handed him a clarinet. He began his studies at a small music school in the Camp d’en Grassot neighborhood, while also learning at his uncle’s house, where he was introduced to the sounds of New Orleans and bebop. There he discovered saxophonists like Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, and John Coltrane, who became the soundtrack of his childhood. A few years later, he switched to the alto saxophone.
At 18, he entered EMM Eixample, where he studied the foundations of Latin music and flamenco under his mentor Vicenç Solsona. He learned concepts such as clave, Afro-Cuban percussion patterns, and flamenco "compás" .
During this time, he also connected with the Roma community in the neighborhood through playing with the Rumba Catalana group Tupica. The soniquete, palmas, guitar, and percussion are just a few of the elements that shaped his musical language.
He continued his studies at Taller de Músics in El Raval, where he also completed his bachelor degree. He studied with teachers such as Santi de la Rubia, Ramon Cardo, Raúl Reverter, Meritxell Neddermann, Néstor Giménez, and Lluc Casares, and attended masterclasses by renowned musicians such as Ben van Gelder, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Guillermo Klein, and Joe Farnsworth.
He is currently studying at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Jasper Blom and Ben van Gelder. He has been a member of the CvA Big Band led by Johan Plomp and has received private lessons from Dick Oatts. He has also attended masterclasses by Gerald Clayton, Peter Bernstein, Kendrick Scott, Lage Lund, Philip Dizack, among others.
Throughout his journey, he has performed with musicians such as Perico Sambeat, Meritxell Neddermann, Telva Rojas, David Pastor, Lluc Casares, and Joan Mar Sauqué.
He is currently part of the Joven Big Band Nacional and leads his own projects in septet and quartet format: ORONOS and CANDOR.
He is also a co-founder of the salsa orchestra La Condal, with which he has helped promote salsa in the Barcelona music scene.