Magos & Limón Biography

2013

Magos Herrera is the Cassandra Wilson of Latin America. There are similarities in their warm, sultry tone, their bluesy feeling and strong command of the jazz language. Herrera is without a doubt the best jazz singer out of Mexico, and with México Azul

she is establishing herself among the best singers in jazz. Jazz Times

The Limón touch. The producer who is involved in every success.

Rolling Stone

Seven-time Latin Grammy Award winner Javier Limón has earned a reputation as one of the most sought-after musicians in Spain. The guitarist, composer, and producer and amassed an impressive oeuvre that includes credits on major albums by such renowned artists such as Paco de Lucía, Bebo Valdés, El Cigala, Enrique Morente, Wynton Marsalis, and the famously successful breakout recording by acclaimed Spanish singer Concha Buika. In 2009, Limón won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for Juntos Para Siempre, a collaboration with Bebo Valdés. He co-produced the acclaimed Lágrimas Negras by Bebo Valdes, and Diego el Cigala; which earned the Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. In addition to touring and recording, Limón currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Berklee College of Music's Mediterranean Music Institute, which operates in Valencia, Spain and Boston, Massachusetts. Mexican songstress Magos Herrera is considered one of the most beautiful voices in contemporary Latin American jazz. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and English, her repertoire is filled with the yearning romance, intimacy and enchantment. Endearingly referred to as the “Cassandra Wilson of Latin America,” (Jazz Times) Herrera is known for her beguiling rhythmic scatting and deeply captivating vocals. Her notoriety among jazz cognoscenti has placed her in several of the world’s most prestigious venues and festivals; Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Millennium Park in Chicago, the International Jazz Festival Barcelona, International Jazz Festival Montreal, Teatro de la Ciudad in Mexico and Sala Galileo Galilei in Madrid. Herrera has eight full length albums to her name, including Distancia (2009) which became #1 in the iTunes jazz category and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. The acclaimed México Azul followed in 2011, paying tribute to Mexican composers from the golden cinema in the 30’s and 40’s. In the same year, US magazine Siempre Mujer featured Herrera alongside first lady Michelle Obama as one of the Top 10 Women in for her outstanding work as a musical ambassador for Mexican contemporary music; she has produced and hosted two multi-season television shows to promote artists within the genre, and hosts her own radio show, La Vuelta a La Manzana, where she shares her joy for music and talks with the best artists from today’s jazz scene. Herrera is also an active spokesperson for the UN campaign, UNITE, to stop violence against women. The pairing of Magos & Limón was borne out of a riveting duo performance in New York City; a tribute to the legendary Chavela Vargas that Time Out New York called, “Spellbinding […] Herrera’s passionate performance thrived on manipulating her technique and choosing exactly the right moments to let loose […] the singer continued her expressive vocalization while fluidly moving her body, like a sitting flamenco dancer stuck in slow motion.” Herrera’s smoky, emotional vocals envelop the sobering, intense spirit of Limón’s flamenco guitar to produce a melodic sophistication that is altogether haunting. There is a palpable and moving symbiosis that occurs when the two take the stage together. Paying homage to masters like Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Caetano Veloso, Rosa Passos and Bill Evans who have permeated our musical world, these skilled musicians present seminal pieces and contemporary arrangement in a manner altogether unique. Magos & Limón’s first major label recording, Almost Blue, is scheduled for release in 2014. Predominantly guitar and vocals, the album also integrates Arabic violin, Indian vocals, trumpet, bass, and will feature several guest appearances by contemporary artists popular in the jazz and world music scenes. Almost blue celebrates the American songbook with such classics as Blue in Green by Miles Davis and Almost Blue by Elvis Costello.