Popo Romano

Saxophonist Patricia López (b. 1985, Montevideo, Uruguay) began studying music in 1998 and was immediately drawn towards composition and improvisation. Her chosen instrument was the guitar but she switched to the saxophone in 2000 upon entering the Municipal Music Conservatory of Montevideo. In 2001 she also began studying the flute as her secondary instrument. In 2006 Patricia made the move to nearby Buenos Aires, Argentina, in order to study jazz and broaden her musical horizons. Once settled, she participated in a jazz workshop led by saxophonist Ricardo Cavalli, also, in a jazz ensemble led by saxophonist Carlos Lastra and began studying harmony with pianist Miguel Marengo as well as studying saxophone and improvisation with saxophonists Ramiro Flores, Martin Pantyer and Ada Rave. In 2010 Patricia was accepted as a student at the Manuel de Falla Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires, subsequently completing a degree, Superior Technique in Jazz, in 2014. During her studies, she was involved in several projects as both saxophonist and flutist, including the Big Band Saxopaths, Chicago Big Band, Manuel de Falla Conservatory Big Band as well as the conservatory's nonet which performed the music of Miles Davis' Birth of the cool. Notable activities during this period include performances at the Banfield Theatre, Sha Theatre, ND Ateneo Theater, Hard Rock, The Southern Auditorium, Malba, Jazz Festival at the Adan Buenos Ayres Cultural Centre, Boris Jazz Club, as well as several jam sessions at the Buenos Aires International Jazz Festival. As a session musician, she has performed with several musicians like Daniel Maza (Uruguay), Gunhild Carling (Switzerland), Sergio Dawi, Willy Crook, Alejandro Carbajal (Uruguay) and recording on several albums, DVD's, short films, theatre and productions. Upon completion of her studies, Patricia returned to her hometown of Montevideo where she continued studying flute with Pablo Somma. Since her return, she has had the opportunity to perform alongside several international acts and artists such as Popo Romano, Darwin Silva, Antonino Restuccia, the Memphis Jazz Band, Leo Vignola (Spain), Ben van den Dunguen (Holland), Luis Meira (Gal Costa Guitarist), Carlos Michelini (Argentina), at some of Uruguay's top venues, including Teatro Solis, Punta del Este International Jazz Festival, Teatro Maccio, Teatro La Colmena, Enjoy Conrad and Sala Zitarrosa. Working as a flutist, Patricia can be heard on the composition Rio de Lonjas performing the music of renowned Uruguayan composer Federico Costa, which received third prize from the Ministry of Culture in the Candombe Category. In 2015 and 2016 Patricia participated in several international workshops and masterclasses: Offices of Popular Brazilian Music (Curitiba, Brazil), Saxophone and Improvisation with Vittor Alcántara and Marcelo Martins (Brazil), Improvisation with Ben van den Dunguen, and received the FONAM scholarship which allowed her to attend the SIM workshop, held annually at the Brooklyn Conservatory in New York. After her experiences in New York, she renewed her focus and curiosity in exploring and working on her own compositions.