Episode #176: Diego Pinera

Episode #176: Diego Pinera

From Improv Exchange Podcast by Leander Young

September 9, 2025 · 34 min · Episode 176

About this episode

Diego Pinera discusses his musical journey and unique style influenced by jazz and Latin American music.

Diego Pinera was born 1981 in Montevideo, Uruguay and has lived in Germany since 2003. He studied drumming at the Berklee College of Music (USA), at the University of Music in Havana (Cuba) and at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig (Germany). Pinera’s encounters with Latin American music, and with jazz in all its breadth, have led him to develop an unmistakable style. Through the combination of his advanced conception of rhythm, a jazz sound with a Latin touch, and the freedom of improvisation his strong character comes across vividly. In Pinera´s compositions there is musical complexity and virtuosity in abundance imbued with great subtlety and his love to odd meter grooves. In Uruguay he recorded with the Diego Pinera Trio the album “Buscando” under the Perro Andaluz label. Back in Germany he founded the Berlin Quartet and released in 2010 “Reflexiones” featuring Tony Lakatos. In 2014 the Jazz Thing Next Generation Series “Strange Ways” followed. In May 2016 he went on the cd release tour for “My Picture” with Donny McCaslin and Phil Donkin. In 2017 Diego Pinera received as bandleader and composer the prestigious prize ECHO Jazz for his album “My picture” in the…

People in this episode

Host: Leander Young

Guest: Diego Pinera

Topics covered

  • jazz
  • Latin American music
  • drumming
  • improvisation
  • music composition

Keywords

  • Diego Pinera
  • jazz
  • Latin music
  • drumming
  • improvisation
  • ECHO Jazz
  • GRAMMY

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Berklee College of Music, University of Music in Havana, University of Music and Theater in Leipzig, Perro Andaluz, Berlin Quartet

Books & works: Buscando, Reflexiones, Strange Ways, My Picture, Despertando, Odd Wisdom

Places: Montevideo, Germany

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