Bassist Eddie Gomez Awarded Honorary Berklee Doctorate in Spain

Legendary jazz bassist and Grammy Award-winner Eddie Gómez was awarded an honorary doctor of music degree by Berklee College of Music in Valencia. Gomez is a native of Puerto Rico who was raised in New York City. This was the first-ever honorary doctorate granted at the college's new international campus in Spain. The award was presented by Larry Simpson, Berklee senior vice president for academic affairs, at a celebratory concert at the Teatro Martin i Soler in the Palau de les Arts, home of the college's Valencia campus.

The concert starred Gómez performing alongside faculty and student musicians from Boston and Valencia. These included flutist and composer Matt Marvuglio, dean of Berklee's performance division; saxophonist Marco Pignataro, managing director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute; bassist Steve Bailey, chair of the college's bass department; guitarist and bandleader Dave Fiuczynski, professor of guitar; and vibraphonist and composer Victor Mendoza, director of the college's master's program in contemporary studio performance. The concert was produced by Marvuglio and Mendoza.

Gomez is a native of Puerto Rico who was raised in New York City and graduated from Julliard. His impressive resumé includes performances and recordings with jazz giants such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, and Benny Goodman. Gomez's unique sound and style can be heard on many Grammy winning records as well as on hundreds of recordings spanning the worlds of jazz, classical, Latin jazz, R&B, pop and contemporary music.