Mariano Morales & Pikante

Mariano Morales and Pikante is a 7 piece Latin Jazz Ensemble that features Maestro Mariano Morales' original music and arrangements of standard tunes. The presentation is a full hour and a half explosive and unique experience. Distinguished Latin musicians such as Paoli Mejias Latin Grammy nominee Paoli Mejias (master percussionist from Puerto Rico) and Josmel Montejo (Cuban Bassist) share the stage with Mariano Morales. Piano, violin, bass, brass and percussion.
For some presentations, Mariano Morales performs his Big Band Arrangements with local Big Bands. Available for Concerts within the US and Europe.

Dr. Mariano Morales

The artistic life of Puerto Rican composer/arranger/music director and instrumentalist Dr. Mariano Morales encompasses a wide spectrum of genres:

As a composer, Morales has received numerous commissions and his works have been performed by distinguished ensembles amongst which are: the Royal Symphony Orchestra of Seville, the Netherlands Wind Ensemble, the Houston Symphony and the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. Commissions include a work for orchestra (“Ilusiones”) performed on April 2011 at Central Park in New York. Performances of his compositions include Music in the Mountains Festival in Durango (Summer 2010), the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Salsa Sinfónica Concert, (November 13, 2010) and the Arturo Somohano Philarmonic Orchestra “Octavitas” performance in Puerto Rico, (January, 2011). The Houston Symphony Orchestra performed two of his works during their September 11, 2011 Concert.

As a performer and recording artist (violin and piano), Mariano Morales has worked with leading pop artists such as: Andrea Bocelli, Marc Anthony, Franco D’ Vita, Ricardo Arjona, and Tego Calderón, among others. Morales has directed and performed internationally with numerous Latin Jazz ensembles with guest artists such as Tito Puente, Dave Valentín, Giovanni Hidalgo, David Sánchez, and Luis “Perico” Ortíz. Mariano has also performed as guest pianist with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and the Arturo Somohano Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a performer and arranger in the tropical music scene Morales’ work can be heard in recordings of artists such as Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tito Nieves, Olga Tañón, Oscar de León, Cheo Feliciano, and Víctor Manuelle, amongst others. His work can be found in Grammy winning productions such as Marc Anthony’s “Contra la Corriente”, and El Gran Combo's "Arroz con Habichuelas”.

Dr. Morales has offered lectures, workshops and Master Classes in composition, jazz composition and arranging in prestigious institutions such as: Indiana University, Purdue University, University of Michigan, Cincinnati University, Northern State University in South Dakota, the University of New Mexico and as part of the American Composers Orchestra Festivals. He has served on juries and panels for various competitions sponsored by The Indiana Arts Commission, the Bloomington Area Arts Council in Indiana, The Puerto Rican Institute of Culture and the American Composer’s Orchestra Forum in New York.

Dr. Mariano Morales has also worked as a professor at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, the University of Puerto Rico, the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, and at Northern New Mexico College. He has been a Faculty Member at the Escuela Libre de Música for the Department of Education of Puerto Rico for over 14 years.

Morales holds a Bachelor Degree in Music in Jazz Composition and Arranging from Berklee College of Music and a Masters and a Doctoral Degree in Music Composition from Indiana University.