HERMANN LARA

Based in San Francisco, saxophonist and woodwind player, Hermann Lara holds a Bachelor's of Music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA (1996) and a few notches earned in the bandstand as well.

Hermann is a fiery alto saxophonist inspired by Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderley, Michael Brecker, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane and such great latin bands as Los Van Van, Tito Rodriguez, Tito Puente, Ruben Blades and Ray Barreto. In addition to alto saxophone, he teaches and performs on flute and clarinet. Born into a musical family and raised in the vibrant and rhythmically pulsing Mission District of the 1970’s, Hermann absorbed the Latin rhythms of his Salvadoran family and the American jazz and R&B supplied by his barrió. His father, a respected singer and guitarist, filled his household with great Latin American songs of the 1920’s and 1930’s, however, it was his next door neighbor, Art Sato, longtime KPFA jazz stalwart, who fruitfully altered his course by filling his ear with jazz early on. It was the music of Miles Davis, Junior Walker & Bird which kept him up late at night with a Walkman glued to both ears. By age 15, Hermann was performing with other young, local jazz musicians in the Bright Moments’ Music Lovers Club directed by the late bass legend Herbie Lewis.

In addition to studying with Herbie Lewis, Hermann studied at Capp Street’s Community Music Center with Ken Rosen and Lisa Pollard. Studies at music center led Hermann to the Berklee College of Music on scholarship and to study with world renowned reed masters Joseph Viola, Billy Pierce, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi and Matt Marvuglio.

Hermann has performed with such music greats as Paquito Guzman, Pedro Arroyo, Giovanni Hidalgo and grammy winner Lalo Rodriguez. He’s recently recorded Fito Reinoso's Ritmo y Armonia, Tito y Su Son De Cuba and singer/songwriter’s JL Stiles and Amelia Ray.

Hermann is currently a faculty member at the New Mozart School of Music in Palo Alto, CA teaching all the woodwinds and performance studies. He also is a licensed registered investment advisor and has worked in the investment arena for the past decade.

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