Drums Masterclass with Iago Fernández

A regular presence at the most important jazz festivals and jazz cycles in Spain and Europe, drummer Iago Fernandez will share some of his techniques with students and other participants. The topics of study and practice covered in this masterclass focus on some points considered essential: the different roles of each instrument within a group, the importance of the groove and how to work on it, "play the room" - understanding what volume is needed and how to adapt it to each space, more specific topics on compound bars (5, 7. 9,...), rhythm changes and polyrhythms (interposed rhythms), the latter part adapted to the level of the participants.

Iago Fernández

Iago Fernández is a jazz drummer and composer from Cangas, Galicia (1987). He began his musical studies in classical percussion at the conservatory in his hometown with professor Luís Carballo. His first contact with jazz was in the "Orquestra de jazz do Morrazo" (conducted by Luis Carballo) and also in the "Seminário Permanente de Jazz de Pontevedra (SPJP)" directed by Abe Rábade and Paco Charlín, where he studied for four years including master classes and concerts with international artists. In 2005 and 2006 he attended the "Tavira Workshop" (Portugal) with Tony Moreno, John O'Gallagher, Allan Ferber, Dave Phillips, Rez Abasi, Russ Johnson and Russ Lossing. In August 2009 he attended the "Begues Jazz Camp" to learn with Ben Street, Mark Turner, Jorge Rossy, Ben Monder and Michael Kanan. After four intense years, in 2011 he graduated with honors from the "Centro Superior de Música del País Vasco, Musikene" (jazz drum performance) where he had lessons with great masters such as Jorge Rossy, Perico Sambeat, Jo Krause, Albert Sanz, Guillermo Klein and Chris Kase among others. Since the age of 18 Iago has performed regularly in the best Jazz Festivals and clubs in Spain and Portugal. in Ecuador, Brazil, Denmark, Holland, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Poland, Switzerland, France and Italy with well-known musicians such as Steve Nelson, Avishai Cohen (trumpet), Omer Avital, John Hébert, David Virelles, Logan Richardson Perico Sambeat, Jesse van Ruller, Joris R oelofs, Ben Van Gelder, Greg Tardy, Masa Kamaguchi, Javier Colina, Albert Sanz, Jorge Rossy, Jeff Williams, Román Filiú, Andrzej Olejniczak, John O'Gallagher, and Petros Klampanis, among many others. In addition to having recorded around forty works as a sideman, Iago has three albums as a leader and composer: 'Agromando' (2011), 'Acougo' (2015) and 'Brisa' (2016). In 2017 he obtained the 'Martín Códax' award as the best jazz project of the year in Galicia. Recently, in 2018-2019 Iago was selected for the prestigious Focusyear (school of excellence) program at the Jazzcampus in Basel (Switzerland), to learn and perform with amazing artists such as Dave Liebman, Norma Winston, Wolfgang Muthspiel (artistic director), Jim Black, Ambrose Akinmusire, Seamus Blake, Marilyn Mazur, Django Bates, Billy Childs, Julian Lage, John Hollenbeck and Guillermo Klein. There he could also connect with Lionel Loueke, Larry Grenadier, Mark Turner, and Jeff Ballard.