Irati Bilbao

Members:

Irati Bilbao (vocals, compositions, arrangements and lyrics)
Mikel Núñez (piano)
Aitor Bravo (drums)
Fran Serrano (double bass)

IRATI BILBAO

Irati Bilbao Gandarias, January 28, 1992, born in Durango, began singing at the age of 17, having previously developed a great interest in music, studying transverse flute at the Bartolomé Ertzilla music school. She has a higher degree in the specialty of Jazz Singing at Musikene since 2020, under the tutelage of Deborah J. Carter. She has worked as a professional singer for many years while being part of several projects, including Ekuru, Josu Bergara & Akorde Txikiak, Reunion Big Band, Manixa Jazz Choir, Bilbao Lindy Band, Jazzbana Ensemble or Sarrabete.

In 2019, she was the winner of the II Durango Feminist Song Contest with her song “Hopefully My Prince Won’t Come”, and in 2020, the year of the release of her first album “Begin”, she won first prize in the Jazz band contest at the Deba Jazzez Blai festival.

Very personal compositions and arrangements make up her second album “Bloom”, full of her own songs, details and soul. Her great technical ability and her great sensitivity are once again the pillars of her new work as a leader, and if this were not enough, a fantastic trio takes her artistic expression to the maximum: with unlimited freedom and creativity, they adapt and make each of the songs grow in a fine and delicate way.

With deep roots in the most classic jazz, the repertoire covers a wide musical spectrum, proposals with more modern and contemporary influences, original compositions and carefully arranged standards that complete a concert that unites present and past.

Mikel Nuñez, piano

Pianist from Durango who graduated in Jazz piano from the Musikene Higher Music Centre of the Basque Country and is currently a piano teacher at the Bartolomé Ertzilla Conservatory in Durango. He combines his teaching work with that of a professional musician, being part of bands of diverse styles such as Mississipi Queen and The Wet Dogs, Josu Bergara, Melted Klocks, Ekuru or Xahu, among others. In 2023 he began his career as a composer and leader of his own project Mikel Nuñez Trío.

Aitor Bravo, drums

A native of Araia, he began playing drums at the early age of 7. He completed percussion studies at the Jesús Guridi Conservatory in Vitoria Gasteiz and graduated in jazz drums at the Musikene Higher Music Centre of the Basque Country under the tutelage of the prestigious professor Jo Krause. He is a member of the group No Land Trio with which he has published two albums as well as playing in bands such as Potato, Sonia Vera Swing Band or Iosu Izaguirre Sextet or Iñaki Salvador.

Fran Serrano, double bass

Graduated in jazz double bass, modern music, two masters in interpretation, composition and pedagogy completed at ESMUC (Barcelona), with teachers such as Horacio Fumero, Mario Rossy and Marcelo Escrich.

His career is divided between various projects and recordings between Barcelona, ​​the Basque Country, La Rioja, France and Portugal.

As a double bass player and bassist, he has participated in projects such as Italian Jazz C.R.E.A, the Lorca project with the CSMN Big Band and in different national jazz festivals. He is currently working on applied research projects in pedagogy as well as as a performer with the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Navarra and in other jazz and modern music projects.

In 2021, he presented his first album as a leader at the Vitoria Jazz Festival.