Rocky Yera (saxophone)
Award winning, Cuban born tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger Rocky Yera began his musical journey at the age of twelve. Since his early years, Rocky received his main influences and musical guidance from multi-Grammy Award winning producer Richard Aspinwall. Rocky's other significant musical influences include Cannonball Adderley, Ed Calle, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Jeff Coffin, Lenny Pickett, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Edward Van Halen.
Throughout his career, Rocky has performed with many well regarded musicians including: Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, Roy Hargrove, Eldar Djangirov, Howard Levy and many others. Rocky has had the opportunity to perform in various prestigious venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center (New York), The House of Blues (Chicago), Dizzy's Club Coca Cola (New York), Minton's Playhouse (New York), The Green Mill (Chicago), The Jazz Showcase (Chicago), Andy's Jazz Club (Chicago), and Arturo Sandoval’s Jazz Club (Miami), among others.
Rocky is currently performing actively in the Chicago area, where he can be heard at jazz clubs, festivals, and city events, as he continues to share his music.
Rocky's debut album “Just Practice”, released May 30, 2018, features all original compositions and arrangements of his, including several compositions that feature Rocky's use of guitar effects pedals with his saxophone. Rocky's use of guitar effects with the sax were influenced by multi-Grammy award winning producer, Richard Aspinwall, who produced the album, as well as by the music of multi-Grammy winning saxophone superstar, Jeff Coffin of Dave Matthews Band, who is featured on one of the tracks on the album.