Meet Antonio Grande Espina

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Antonio Grande Espina. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Antonio below.

Antonio, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Music is my lifestyle. I started playing the piano when I was 5 years old and I am 30 years old now, so that mean I have been playing the piano for more than 25 years. The piano is totally inherent in my life. I think my albums will be my legacy and also I am presenting my albums doing concerts.
I will release an album called ‘’Heaven’’ soon. In this album I am playing with my couple Sol Escobar (Singer) and also with Félix Rossy (Trumpet), Jaume Ferrer (Tenor Sax) Juan Pablo Eguskiza (Double Bass the first day), Manuel Luque (Double Bass the second day), Luis ‘’Chul’’ Miranda (Drums) and Víctor de Diego (Tenor Sax) like special guest. I record it at Underpool Studio, with Sergi Felipe, who did an amazing work. In Barcelona, Spain, the city where I lived for 8 years and where I did my Piano Jazz Undergraduate program at Liceu’s Conservatory with tutors like Albert Bover and Roger Mas and amazing profesors like Horacio Fumero, Jordi Bonell, Marco Mezquida, Toni Vaquer, Iñaki Sandoval, Dani Pérez, Giulia Valle, David Mengual, Víctor de Diego, Llibert Fortuny… among others.
In this album, ‘’Heaven’’, most of the songs are originals songs I composed at The New School, where I just finish a Performer-Composer Masters Degree with a 53% Scholarship and where I had tutors like George Cables, David Kikoski, Gadi Lehavi and Brian Marsella. Also I had amazing profesors like Keller Coker (Jazz Department’s Dean), Bobby Sanabria, Dave Douglas, Kamala Sankaram and many others. I also love to play Jazz Standards and in ‘’Heaven’’ we will have 3 of them.
The philosophy of ‘’Heaven’’ is similar to the philosophy of ‘’Olimpo’’, my first album.
I recorded ‘’Olimpo’’ in Málaga, Spain, the city where I was born in December 2020, it was released in Summer 2021. You can listen ‘’Olimpo’’ at Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube, the band name is Antonio Grande Ensemble. I did it with amazing musicians like Enrique Oliver (Tenor Sax), Daniel Torres (Tenor Sax), Fernando Brox (Flute), Alejandro Escalera (Flute), Dimitri Skidanov (Double Bass) and Rajiv Jayaweera (Drums). In this album we have originals songs and also Jazz Standards.
When I chose ‘’Olimpo’’ name I was thinking in the Greek Mithology, Olimpo was where the Gods lived, and this musicians I chose are some of the best musicians in Málaga and also they are really close friends. Also is the name of my favorite gym in the world.
With ‘’Heaven’’ I am thinking in the paradise because Barcelona was the city where I met my couple and a lot of friends like Félix Rossy and Jaume Ferrer and I had many amazing experiences in Barcelona.
Also, I had the chance to make another album, ‘’Sunny Brooklyn’’ with Nico Bond (Double bass), Rex Lycan (Drums) and Jesse Sattler (Sound engineer) thanks to Matt Wilson, our profesor at The New School. This album is dedicated to Sol, my couple, and to my neighborhood, Brooklyn. This one is only available in BandCamp.
I really want to do another album that will be called ‘’Valhalla’’ in New York.
All this albums and the chance to play live music in venues like Jamboree, Clarence, Milano, Robadors 23, Jazzsi, The Hall, La polivalente, New Old Rock Deli, Ornithology and the Rizoma’s festivals among others make my creativity alive.
Also I have been studying in many different music schools, conservatorys and colleges because before start playing Jazz piano I did 10 years of the classical piano career in Málaga, and also I was at ‘’Ateneo’’ Music school doing the Yamaha method, that was the begining, thanks to my parents who took me there and have always helped me a lot.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I was talking about my albums and my education in the previous question. This is a fundamental part. Now in New York I have several projects. One is Heaven, which I would like to present with my partner Sol Escobar singing, Eric Alexander, Ben Solomon, Aaron Djuan Burnett or George Garzone on tenor sax, Jason Clotter on double bass and Eviatar Slivnik on drums. I also know other musicians with whom I want to play. On the other hand, my partner Sol Escobar is about to release an album called ‘’De padres soñadora’’ in which I am also present. My next dates are at The Delancey with Sol Escobar, Nico Bond on bass and John McNamara on drums. We play on Thursday December 12th, original songs of mine from ‘’Olimpo’’ and ‘’Sunny Brooklyn’’, Standards and a song by Sol called ‘’The Lion is Out’’. I will also be presenting my album ‘’Heaven’’ as a trio at ‘’Ornithology’’ on February 17, 2025 with Jason Clotter, Eviatar Slivnik and with Sol Escobar as a special guest. I will also be in Malaga this Christmas and I have a tour in which I will be lucky enough to play with my great friend Félix Rossy on trumpet at La Polivalente on December 19, also Josias Pedrosa on double bass and Adri Jiménez on drums are also coming, with the same band we play at The Hall on the 20th. On the 21st I am lucky enough to play at a Rizoma Festival in Algeciras with Félix Rossy, Ilya Alabuzhev on double bass and Rajiv Jayaweera on drums, presenting ‘’Heaven’’. On December 27th I will be at Clarence Jazz Club with my great friend Daniel Torres on tenor sax and also with Ilya and Raj presenting ‘’Heaven’’. In January I will be at Speakeasy with my partner Sol, my great friend Peru Peñafiel on double bass and also with Daniel Torres and Adri Jiménez. And the last date of the tour is at ‘’Road House’’ opening a Jam Session in Málaga also with Daniel Torres, Peru Peñafiel and Adri Jiménez. Finally, I have the song ‘’Valhalla’’ ready for the next album and I will have to compose more originals and arrange some standards.
‘’Olimpo’’ and ‘’Sunny Brooklyn’’ are available at BandCamp like digital versión. ‘’Heaven’’ will be there soon.
Also I can send the album ‘’Olimpo’’, you can contact me on instagram, @antoniograndemusic
‘’Heaven’’ will be ready soon.

Thank you very much

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I am very demanding with myself and the others musicians. Also I am patient and responsable.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

The Real books. (All of them)
Thelonious Monk book by Chris Higgins.
Chorals for 4 voices by Bach. (Very good for voice leading)

Contact Info:

• Instagram: antoniograndemusic
• Facebook: Antonio Grande Espina
• Youtube: Antonio Grande Espina
• Other: BandCamp: Antonio Grande

Image Credits

Jorge Lolo Rodríguez