BIO

​

Marel Hidalgo is a sixteen-year-old guitarist and bandleader from New Jersey, .

 

He began studying music at the age of four, under the instruction of guitar teacher Jerry Franklin at a local music school within a few months, he had his first presentation as a special guest of local reggae artist Tim P-Dub. Less than two years later, at the age of six, Marel formed his first band, working with professional musicians from the area, performing a wide variety of musical genres. After his band’s debut in a jam-packed local venue, Marel started building a name in the New Jersey scene. During this period, he performed in numerous festival and venues such as the Convention Hall, Stone Pony, Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, Camden Connect the Dots Music Fest, Colts Neck Rock Fest, South Mountain International Blues Festival, and later on, he began traveling outside the state with his band, to places such as The Denver Day Of Rock and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, while at the same time being featured on National TV on the Harry Connick Jr. Show, and multiple press articles in publications such as USA Today and Scholastic.​​ 

​

Twelve years after he picked up his first guitar, Marel continues performing, mainly on the East Coast jazz scene. With a unique combination of straight-ahead jazz and Caribbean jazz influences, his guitar playing stems from guitar greats such as Ernest Ranglin, Joe Pass, Jimmy Ponder, Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow and Pat Martino. As put by the Exit Zero Jazz Festival "In his solo set, Hidalgo travels from burning jazz jam staples like “Cherokee” and “How High the Moon” to more intimate fare like the oft-covered ballads “Lullaby of the Leaves,” “Tenderly” and Thelonious Monk’s “‘Round Midnight.” With his quartet the music can range from uptempo swingers to lowdown blues and songs from the Jamaican Songbook inspired by Jamaican guitar great Ernest Ranglin".​

 

Marel has performed at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the City Winery in Pittsburgh, the Count Basie Vogel Theater, and has shared the stage with the greats Roger Humphries, Dwayne Dolphin, Tony Campbell, Gary Mazzaroppi, Radam Schwartz, G. Earl Grice, Jerry Weldon, Johnny Walker, Julius Tolentino, David O`Rourke, and Don Aliquo Sr. to name some, and has opened shows for Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Charlap, Nat Adderley Jr., Josh Groban and Tony Danza.

​

 

​

​

​