Panamanian Jazz from Samuel Batista

Panamanian saxophonist, composer, and educator Samuel Batista’s latest album, Panama United, covers traditional Panamanian rhythms within his original compositions, aiming to preserve Panamanian folklore while documenting his firsts travels to the United States. In 2012, Batista was admitted with a full scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, where he earned a double degree in Performance and Jazz Composition. He’s performed internationally at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Small Jazz Club, Outside The Box Music Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Kriol Jazz Festival, with artists including Paquito D’Rivera, Zahili Gonzales Zamora, Ron Savage, Neal Smith and Antonio Hart. While working with bassist Oscar Stagnaro, pianist/producer Alain Mallet, and drummer Mark Walker, Batista was appointed to teach at The New England Conservatory for The Preparatory Jazz School and the Continuing Education Program. Panama United was produced by Alain Mallet and premiered at the Panama Jazz Festival in 2018. That year Batista returned to Panama and toured with Panamanian singer Ruben Blades while working as an educator at the Danilo Perez Foundation. After four years as a piano teacher for ages three to five, Batista was granted a full scholarship for the graduate program at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. Batista currently lives in Boston, where he is working on his upcoming album Rising to Love.