Danilo Peréz

If anyone represents the vibrant, multicultural face of today's contemporary jazz scene, it's Panamanian pianist Danilo Peréz. Breaking out in the early '90s thanks to his stint in Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra, Peréz went on to release some of the most compelling and innovative Latin jazz recordings of that decade, including 1996's Panamonk and 1998's Central Avenue, with the latter earning his first Grammy nomination. In 2000, Peréz released his passionate opus Motherland, a disc that celebrates the array of cultures that mirrors his own heritage, from Panamanian folk and sultry South American rhythms to native Indian flavors and straight-ahead jazz. As the pianist for saxophonist Wayne Shorter's quartet, he's delved even further into the rich traditions of the jazz giants of yesteryear while studiously supporting one of the genre's living legends. Released earlier this year, Footprints Live! features a rejuvenated Shorter and showcases Peréz's considerable talents. In a scene that overvalues the past and is quick to look past the present, Peréz represents the future.