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NAÍMA ACUÑA: A NEW VOICE THROUGH SOME HANDS
NAÍMA ACUÑA: A NEW VOICE THROUGH SOME HANDS
Naíma Acuña is a renowned musical percussionist with a distinctive versatility and personal style of performance. Her exceptional skill has led her to be requested to participate and record in prestigious projects in a variety of musical styles.
Recognitions and Publications
Her talent has been recognized by international magazines such as Jazzwise Magazine and Jazzmagazine, as well as by renowned musicians such as Greg Osby or Mulgrew Miller. She has been praised for her dexterity and stage presence in several publications.
Featured Performances and Festivals
Naíma has participated in important jazz festivals and musical events around the world. From the LangnauJazz Nights International Jazz Festival in Switzerland with the project of saxophonist Greg Osby, which also includes renowned names such as Matt Brewer, Marquis Hill, to concerts at the Philharmonie de Luxembourg, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Kolner Philharmonie with the project of accordionist Joäo Barradas, which also includes saxophonist Mark Turner.
High Level Collaborations
Throughout her career, Acuña has collaborated with an impressive list of renowned musicians including Pablo Held, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Jasper Hoiby, Matt Brewer, Marquis Hill, Greg Osby, Mark Turner, Joel Ross, Joao Barradas, Abe Rábade, Jorge Pardo and many more. Her versatility and ability to adapt to a variety of musical styles has made her a sought after choice for numerous projects and recordings including collaborating with artists such as C. Tangana.
We hope you all can enjoy the interview she has done with us!!!
In&OutJazz: When and how did music first appear in your life? What memory do you have of your first contact with music?
Naíma Acuña: It appeared when I was just a baby. My parents took me to see Miles Davis at the Royal Festival Hall in London when I was only a few months old, in a little wicker basket.
My first contact with music was with the guitarist Ike Isaacks, mentor of guitarists like Martin Taylor and my father, José A. Acuña, who is also a guitarist. From a very young age, I would watch them as Ike and my father played together at home, and I would try to imitate them with a small toy guitar or a keyboard.
When did jazz enter your life? What does jazz and improvised music mean to you?
From a very young age, jazz was always playing in my home. I specifically remember an album that was played repeatedly: Eastern Rebellion 3 by Cedar Walton, among others.
Jazz is an artistic expression, a fascinating universal language endowed with creativity, freedom, and personal expression. It is a dynamic sound space where the musician explores, connects, and communicates. Improvisation adds an element of surprise and spontaneity, which is one of the many things that make it so special.
Of all the collaborations you’ve had with renowned artists, which ones would you highlight? What have you learned from those artists? What do you think they’ve learned from you?
I would highlight all of them because they were all very special: Mark Turner, Jasper Høiby, Greg Osby, Pablo Held, Mulgrew Miller, Joel Ross, Matt Brewer, Wolfgang Muthspiel…
Very briefly, there is a common factor: discipline, high standards, professionalism, and absolute respect for music. They are deeply conscious of the «why» and «what for» behind what they are playing at any given moment—whether they are truly contributing something to the music and to the connection with the musicians they are playing with.
What do you think they’ve learned from you?
Rather than them learning from me, I think I’ve offered them a different perspective on how to perform musically and take care of the sound on the drums.
Do you compose and write music? If so, what is your composition process like?
It’s a fusion of complex yet accessible melodies with intricate and sophisticated harmonies, combined with a variety of rhythms that range from the most subtle to the most energetic, influenced by many different types of music.
What would you say are your strengths when it comes to performing and composing?
I think they are creativity, musical interaction, versatility, rhythm, and sound.
You have many admirers and followers. Many of them say you have a very distinct style with a strong identity. Who are your biggest influences? Could you recommend an album? And one that features yourself?
From Ali Jackson, Brian Blade, Karriem Riggins, Georges Spanky Mcurdy to Tyshawn Sorey, Eric Harland, Rodney Green, Richard Spaven and Jojo Mayer.
I would recommend the album Echolocation by Ben Solomon.
For one that features me, I’d say the most recent one: Reflexividad by my admired saxophonist Daniel Juárez.
Why do you make music? What purpose or search is behind your music-making and being?
Music is a fundamental part of my life, a form of personal catharsis that allows me to release emotions I sometimes find difficult to communicate with words. It is an artistic process that enables me to experiment, create, and simultaneously connect and inspire, which, for me, is one of the most beautiful aspects of being a musician.
Este artículo se publica simultáneamente en las siguientes revistas europeas, en el marco de «Groovin’ High», una operación para destacar a las jóvenes músicas de jazz y blues : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) y Donos Kulturalny (PL).
This article is co-published simultaneously in the following European magazines, as part of « Groovin’ High » an operation to highlight young jazz and blues female musicians : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) and Donos Kulturalny (PL).
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