Javier Flores and the Jazz Fest Student Quartet

The non-profit organization Jazzfest Foundation aims to support, foment, and sponsor jazz education, as well as contribute to the attraction of new audiences. Through its program, Jazzfest, Seminario & Encuentro Internacional de Jazz, it is also committed to promote the ever-growing Mexican and Latin American jazz scene, bands and soloists, who hav contributed with performances and recordings to the growth of this art form.

The first Jazzfest Foundation's Ensemble consists of four talented young musicians from different parts of our country.

Juan Alejandro Saenz, one of the most active young drummers in the jazz scene in Mexico, began his musical education at age 5. He has been International Jazz Seminar's student for the last four editions, studying with Yoron Israel, Antonio Sanchez, and Vince Cherico, and to date has shared the stage with some of the most important musicians of the jazz scene in Mexico, such as Agustin Bernal, Rodrigo Castelán, Diego Maroto, Mark Aanderud, Pancho Lelo de Larrea, Luri Molina, Cristian Mendoza, and Gabriel Hernandez among others. He is currently a Jazzfest Foundation fellow.

Oscar Gonzalez, started his double bass studies at the age of 15 and is a student at the DIM music school in Mexico city. He has participated as bassist of the Youth Orchestra of Tlalpan, Youth Orchestra of Mexico City. In the National Conference of Orchestras, he has been a student of Ophelia Stoll. He has participated in several editions of the International Jazz Seminar, and is a Jazzfest Foundation fellow.

Ramon Gomez was born in Pachuca and began studying the guitar at an early age at the Escuela Superior de Música in México City. Heparticipated in three editions of the International Jazz Seminar, studying with masters such as Bruce Saunders, Eddie Gomez Bernardo Hernandez, Gilad Gekselman, Antonio Sanchez, and Rufus Reid, among others. He has performed with musicians such as Israel Cupich, Nicolas Santella, Luri Molina, and Cristian Mendoza. He he is currently a Jazzfest Foundation fellow.

Dannah Garay is a young Mexican singer with a style attached to the roots of jazz, swing, bossa, and soul. Garay has participated in the last three editions of the International Jazz Seminar, studying with Iraida Noriega, Oscar Stagnaro, Enrique Nery, Matt Marvuglio, and Bernardo Hernandez. Garay has performed with Enrique Nery, Tyler Mitchell, Oscar Stagnaro, Roberto Arballo "Betuco" Victor Patron, Tino Contreras, Cristian Mendoza, and Roberto Aymes, among others. In '08 and '09, Garay participated as vocalist of the International Jazz Seminar's Big Band under the direction of Bernardo Hernandez and Rufus Reid respectively, and is a Jazzfest Foundation fellow.