Born in Lima, Peru, Jorge Pérez-Albela began playing drums at age 16. He comes from a strong lineage of musicians and educators from Peru. The Purizaga family from his mother's side and the Merino family from his father's side. His great grand father was Educator Don Isidoro Purizaga and his uncle was drummer/ composer Rafael "Pocho" Purizaga.
In the early nineties Jorge kept a busy schedule performing with Latin Grammy-winning singer Gian Marco and Grammy-nominated Peruvian singer, Eva Ayllón.
Inspired by the beauty and richness of Peruvian music, Pérez-Albela began to study the cajón, which he learned directly from the masters.
In 1994, following his passion for Jazz, Pérez-Albela relocated to the United States to study at the Berklee College of Music, where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Music.
His versatility, deep knowledge of jazz and South American rhythms, and his ability to integrate jazz drums with cajón make him a one-of-a-kind musician. He has performed or recorded with Grammy-winning composer/conductor Maria Schneider, pianists Danilo Perez, Geoffrey Keezer, Nando Michelin, Jarrett Cherner, Bert Seager and Leo Blanco; guitarists Claudio Ragazzi and Eric Kurimski, bassist John Patitucci, Ben Street and Jorge Roeder, singers Sofia Koutsovitis and Mili Bermejo, Saxophonists Dan Blake and Grace Kelly; trumpeters Jason Palmer and Peter Kenagy.
A Boston resident, Pérez-Albela is actively involved in the city’s jazz scene and frequently commutes to New York City for performances or recordings in venues such as: The Blue Note, The Jazz Standard, The Jazz Gallery, Sweet Rhythm, Tonic, Jordan Hall, Scullers jazz club, The Regattabar and The Berklee Performance center.
Jorge has toured throughout Europe with Sofia Rei Koutsovitis, Javier Vercher, Albert Sanz and Andre Fernandes, performing at the most prestigious venues and festivals such as "El Festival Grec" in Barcelona.
Pérez-Albela has been featured at the "2010 International Cajon Festival" leading his quintet with singer Sofia Rei, bassist Jorge Roeder, pianist Bert Seager and guitarist Eric Kurimski. Also featured at the "Jazz en Lima" International Festival (Peru) with his jazz trio (w/ Eli Degibri on sax and Edward Perez on bass).
Pérez-Albela has joined the faculty of the Berklee College of Music for the Summer Performance Program since 2010 He also proudly directs a music therapy program for "at risk" students in Brookline, Massachusetts. Jorge teaches at The Concord Conservatory since 2010. He has taught master classes at The Berklee College of Music, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, The National Conservatory in Lima, Perú, and at the Portsmouth Dance and Percussion Festival, in New Hampshire.
