Born in Lima, Peru, Jorge Pérez-Albela began playing drums at age 16. He comes from a long line of musicians and educators that includes Don Isidoro Purizaga and Rafael “Pocho” Purizaga.

 

In the early nineties Jorge kept a busy schedule performing with Latin Grammy-winning singers Gian Marco and Eva Ayllón. 

Perez-Albela begins studies in Afro-Peruvian music and it’s staple percussion instrument, the cajón

 

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 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Music, later he graduated Summa Cum Laude from Berklee's Global Jazz Institute obtaining his Masters Degree in jazz performance.

​

Jorge has performed and or recorded with Grammy-winners: Maria Schneider, Danilo Perez, Ruben Blades, The Either Orchestra, Claudio Ragazzi, Gian Marco and Eva Ayllon.
 As well as world renowned artists: George Garzone, Avishai Cohen, Daniel Blake, Tim Ray, Mike Tucker, Bill Lowe, Rufus Reid, Eddie Gomez, Ron Mahdi, Jorge Roeder, Sissy Castrogiovanni, Mili Bermejo, Geoffrey Keezer, Bert Seager, Claudia Acuna, Sofia Rei, Joey Blake, Tania Libertad, Eric Kurimski, Bruce Bartlett, John Lockwood, Jason Palmer and Grace Kelly.

 

A Boston resident, Pérez-Albela is actively involved in the city’s jazz scene and frequently commutes to New York City for performances 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 been featured in WBUR's "Kind World", NPR's "Toast of The Nation", PRI/BBC "The World",  GBH "Eric in the Evening" and Peruvian National TV "Sonidos Del Mundo".

 

In 2010, Pérez-Albela joined the faculty for the Summer Performance Aspire Program at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. 

​

Jorge proudly directed a music mentorship program for "at risk" students in Brookline, Massachusetts that begun in 1997 and benefited thousands of children for over 23 years. He has taught at The New England Conservatory, The Panama Jazz Festival, The Internal Compass Jazz Seminar in Israel, La Pontificia Universidad Catolica in Lima, The National Conservatory in Lima, Perú; The National Conservatory in Santo Domingo, The Jerusalem Academy in Israel and at the Portsmouth Dance and Percussion Festival in New Hampshire.

​

Jorge is also a "drum circle" facilitator and has offered drum circles sessions in various schools, festivals and retirement homes, bringing healing and unity through rhythm.

​

Jorge is an expert in drums/cymbal sounds, gear and tunings and has coached many drummers in finding their own voice.

​

Jorge Perez-Albela released his first album as a leader "The Time is Now" with nine of his compositions. 

The opening song, "The Mirror" was chosen as a semi-finalist for the prestigious 2020 ISC International Songwriting Competition, out of 26,000 entries.

​

The Time is Now is a spirited amalgam of the percussionist’s jazz influences and his South American roots includes rhythms from Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Africa and India. It features vocalist Sissy Castrogiovanni, pianist Tim Ray, bassist Jesse Williams, guest artists saxophonist Lihi Haruvi, vocalist Santiago Paredes, trumpeter Phil Grenadier alongside Jorge on drum set, Peruvian cajon, percussion and vocals. This Album has been recorded and mixed by Grammy winner sound engineer Rob Griffin.

 

The ten tracks that make up The Time is Now reflect an array of musical traditions and are tied together by a jazz sensibility.  Inspired by the saying “Music unites us. Music connects us to the truth”, Jorge spreads that message with music that sees no border and is rife with emotion.

​