Carlos Emilio Llerena
With the release last year of “Cemi”, his first self­titled EP as an electronic music
producer and Dj, Peruvian saxophonist and producer Carlos Emilio Llerena crystallized
his idea of combining analog synths and creative sampling with quirky downtempo
rhythms and jazz harmonies.
As leader and co­founder of the funk band Big Pollo, Llerena composed and produced 3
albums, touring in Peru and U.S.A. Then in 2010, when he was 17, he got a scholarship
to study Jazz Performance at Berklee College of Music. While in Boston, he also
recorded one album as “Doja Gardens”, documenting his work in experimental
electronic music.
Back in Lima, he continued his music career, performing and recording with Peru's most
important artists as well as leading several projects. In 2014, he forms "NASSA" an
electronic music ensemble with which he played in several jazz and electronic music
festivals in Peru. In 2015 he joined the faculty of the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias
Aplicadas (Peruvian University of Applied Sciences) as a Jazz Ensemble and
saxophone teacher. Shortly after, he also starts his career as an electronic music
producer and DJ under the name "Cemi", producing music for singers, hip hop artists
and corporate events.
“As a saxophonist, I’m always exploring different ways of composing and improvising,
and that has lead me to play different styles throughout my career, from Afro­Peruvian
music, post­bop, and free jazz to fusion and R&B,” he says. “As a producer, I try to
humanize electronic music by giving it a more organic, natural and imperfect sound.”
Llerena is currently pursuing a Master's degree at Berklee College of Music at Valencia,
Spain. where he will continue to explore with both Jazz and Electronic Music