Roberto Verástegui is a Monterrey, México native and is a graduate of the University of North Texas famed jazz program, where he was a member of the One O’clock Lab Band. He has worked with the likes of Bob Belden, Bill Laswell, Ralph Alessi, Jason Thomas, Tommy Campbell, Jeff Coffin, Linda Oh and Ganavya Doraiswamy to name a few, and has won awards like the Downbeat Student Award and the second place at the Phillips Jazz Piano Competition. Roberto was the artistic director and conductor of the Orquesta Nacional de Jazz de México from 2016 to 2018, and has performed in Mexico, USA, England, Portugal, Spain, Iran, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Japan and China.
Roberto started playing the piano at age 6 by ear, learning melodies from his father (Roberto Verástegui Rodríguez) who plays guitar by ear as well. He then explored the pop and classical worlds in the Monterrey scene, studying for several years with private instructors, and at Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey, as well as participating in musicals and other popular music activities in Prepa Tec. He quickly bursted into the scene and by age 16 was already playing gigs and concerts with the professional jazz musicians in the area. He then was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of North Texas as a jazz piano major, where he studied under Dan Haerle, Stefan Karlsson and Steve Harlos. Roberto also kept himself busy as a performer in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, playing a variety of jazz, salsa and pop/rock situations.
During this years, Roberto released his first album as a leader, ‘Meeting Point'(2011, Armored Records) with Jason Thomas and Matt Young on drums, Jacob Smith on electric and acoustic bass, Quamon Fowler on tenor sax, and Li Xiaochuan on trumpet. After graduating from UNT, he was picked up by jazz legend and fellow UNT grad Bob Belden for his band ‘Animation’, with whom he toured around the world and recorded the albums ‘Transparent Heart'(2012, Rarenoise Records) and ‘Machine Language'(2015, Rarenoise Records).
Currently established in Mexico City, he is one of the country’s busiest musicians, performing, writing and recording regularly as a session musician for artists like Silvana Estrada, Paté de Fuá, Sly5thave, Alex Ferreira, Augusto Bracho, Caloncho, Juan Pablo Vega, Ximena Sariñana, Menny Flores, Fon Román, Pasión Vega and others. In the mexican jazz scene, he has performed with the likes of Agustín Bernal, Hernán Hecht, Luri Molina, Diego Franco, Francisco Lelo de Larrea, Guillermo Perata, Gustavo Nandayapa, Andrés Márquez, Emiliano Coronel, Juan Ale Sáenz, Israel Cupich, Jahaziel Arrocha, Fer Ruvel, and many others.
Roberto is also a faculty member at Universidad Panamericana where he teaches piano and jazz ensembles, as well as performing his own music in many different situations, from solo piano, to large ensembles. He recently released the debut album of his band Bahía de Ascenso(2020, Ropeadope Sur) and is constantly moving forward creatively. Roberto is releasing in January 27, alongside musical partner Sly5thAve ‘Tie Break’, the first single their new project ‘Agua de Jamaica’.
Listen to ‘Tie Break’:
Purchase ‘Meeting Point’:
Purchase ‘Bahía de Ascenso’: