Music

Abel Boquera is a Hammond organist, pianist, keyboardist and producer based in Barcelona. Born in Vilanova i la Geltrú, his relationship with music began in a self-taught way at the piano, surrounded by the first rock and heavy metal bands of his hometown — where he also picked up some guitar. In those early years, the electric energy of Jon Lord’s organ in Deep Purple was one of his first great influences, before his curiosity gradually drew him towards more sophisticated musical languages.

His musical training took a decisive turn at Frequencies, the music school in Vilanova i la Geltrú, where he met Carles Arista and began to go deeper into jazz, harmony and improvisation. Later he continued his studies at Músics, in El Vendrell, where he arrived on Arista’s recommendation and met Josep Maria Domènech, his jazz piano teacher. Domènech also became a key figure in his first steps as a teacher: he trusted Abel with some harmony classes in Tarragona, an experience that opened a path which, over time, would become an essential part of his musical life.

The first jam sessions soon followed, along with gigs in restaurants, small clubs and projects such as El Profesor Bacterio. Through Pinyu Martí, Abel recorded his first professional album with Quim Vila, an experience that opened the door to a more active musical period and, eventually, to his move to Barcelona.

Based in Barcelona since 2006, Boquera settled into the local scene as a pianist, organist and keyboard player. He has been a regular call from guitarists such as Andreu Zaragoza, Dave Mitchell, Albert Vila, Dave Wilkinson and Johnny Branchizio, and has led his own projects, including The Boat — a piano trio with original compositions — and Bender vs Flexo, an experimental contemporary jazz outfit.

His Barcelona years include a chapter strongly tied to Brazilian music, R&B and soul, both with Cumbuca and as a keyboard player in Sara Pi’s group, with whom he performed on international stages including Austin / SXSW and Brazil. Later he developed a funk/soul period with Mothergroove, the project led by Gianni Scianname, with whom he recorded several albums. He was also the driving force behind Superfly Party, a weekly night in the Gràcia neighbourhood linked to the city’s soul/funk scene. That journey would gradually lead him into a deeper relationship with the Hammond B3, the Leslie speaker and the world of soul-jazz, blues, funk and R&B.

For more than fifteen years he has been part of The Shu Shu’s, an organ trio with guitarist Dave Wilkinson and drummer Caspar St. Charles, developing a sound centred on soul-jazz, funk, blues and boogaloo. Together with US singer Gisele Jackson, The Shu Shu’s have performed at festivals and theatres in Spain and abroad, bringing a repertoire of soul, blues and gospel to the stage with the energy of a real band — no backing tracks, no shortcuts.

He is also part of the musical world of saxophonist Muriel Grossmann, recording and touring with her as Hammond B3 organist, appearing on albums released by labels such as Third Man Records and RR Gems and performing on international stages including Jazz à la Villette at the Philharmonie de Paris. His Hammond playing combines groove, analog warmth, melodic sense and a strong connection to the tradition of spiritual jazz, soul-jazz and improvised music.

His activity has taken him to festivals and venues such as Benicàssim, Sónar, SXSW, Festival de Jazz de Barcelona, Festival Jazz Terrassa, Mas i Mas, Ezcaray and Vijazz, as well as to countries including Denmark, the United States, Brazil, Germany, France, Ireland and Switzerland. His ongoing relationship with rooms such as Nova Jazz Cava and the wider Jazz Terrassa circuit reflects his steady presence within the Catalan jazz scene. He has also worked in stage and audiovisual contexts, including collaborations linked to television and music for theatre and performance.

From Amigó 42 Studios, his recording and production space in Barcelona, Abel develops an intense activity as a producer, arranger, session musician and recording engineer. The room is built around real instruments — Hammond B3, Leslie, Rhodes, Clavinet and other vintage keys — and from there he records, produces and mixes both his own and other people’s projects, and offers remote Hammond and keyboard sessions for artists in different countries. His work as a composer and producer also extends to audiovisual projects, including the original song “Make You My Man”, written together with Sinead Savage and featured in the Mexican film “Tú eres mi problema”, by Álvaro Curiel.

In parallel he keeps a continuous teaching activity as a piano, modern harmony, improvisation, combo and Hammond organ teacher. He has led masterclasses dedicated to the Hammond, addressing both the history of the instrument and its playing techniques across jazz, soul, blues and gospel. His approach connects musical language, sound, groove, drawbar work, Leslie, volume pedal, left-hand bass and the expressive resources of the instrument, always from a practical perspective rooted in real stage and studio experience.

Featured projects and collaborations include The Shu Shu’s, Gisele Jackson & The Shu Shu’s, Muriel Grossmann Quartet, Sara Pi, Samuel Marthe Organ Trio, AB3 Organ Combo, Sinead Savage & The Flytones, Mothergroove, Cumbuca, MT Pockets Jam Band, Scaramanga, Víctor de Diego Organic, Gorka Benítez Quartet and other groups linked to jazz, soul, blues, funk and improvised music.