Jen Martinez-Bre is a physically disabled Cuban/Peruvian-American percussionist, disability advocate, composer, and festival curator currently based in South Florida.
Born in Miami, Jen seeks to pay homage to her Cuban and Peruvian roots and the local melting pot of sounds around her.
“The Baroness of Latin Jazz,” as dubbed by Percussive Notes editor Gloria Yehilevsky, her performance style and initiatives have been commended by organizations such as the Gold Coast Jazz Society and the Percussive Arts Society in the form of scholarships and grants to continue her pursuits. In her handful of years performing, Jen has been on the bandstand with and/or been mentored by jazz luminaries such as Stefon Harris, Bria Skonberg, and NEA Jazz Masters Dee Dee Bridgewater and Regina Carter.
Besides performing, Jen has curated two virtual festivals – “Vibe Fest”, the first and only women in jazz vibraphone festival to date, and “Mallets+Voice Fest”, currently the only online/live streamed showcase of singing mallet percussionists. Aside from that, Jen has also led and/or participated on panels for the Jazz Education Network, Percussive Arts Society, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), and Modern Marimba on the subject of disability and being a disabled musician/performer.
Learn more about Jen at: malletmamacita.com