First group in which he participated “All Skaleno”

Manuel “Pancho” Montanez. (Caracas, 1978), at the age of 14 he began to study drums privately with Professor José Antonio Mato. From 1996 to 2005 he studied drums with Professor Andrés Briceño.

In 1998 he began his studies at the “Escuela Superior de Música José Ángel Lamas” where he completed the first two years of Theory and Solfeggio and the first and second year of Academic Percussion under the tutelage of Professor Jorge Dayoub; also in the same year he entered the School of Arts of the Universidad Central de Venezuela, studying at that institution until 2000. In this date he was accepted at the University Institute of Musical Studies (IUDEM, currently UNEARTE), to study academic percussion at the university level under the direction of Professor Edgar Saume and in 2006 he developed in more depth the studies of the drums in the chair of Jazz at the same institution.

Manuel "Pancho" Montañez. (Caracas, 1978) — Pancho Montañez Drummer and Jazz Professor

As a performer he has made several presentations in most of the national territory and abroad (Argentina, England, Mexico, Aruba, Germany, Japan, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Holland, Belgium) accompanying bands, singers and musicians in general of different genres (Victor Castillo, Nene Quintero, Biela da Costa, Natalia Barahona, Desorden Público, Mágica Mystery Band, Gonzalo Micó, etc.), and is a permanent member of the groups Jungla Boulevard and El Arca.

He teaches Academic Percussion and Drums at the Sistema de Orquestas Infantiles y Juveniles de Venezuela (San Antonio de los Altos), where he also founded the San Antonio Big Band Jazz, with young people between 9 and 17 years old with the intention of generating a seedbed of young jazz players.

In 2015 he published his first album titled IMPROVISTO. He is accompanied in this recording by Heriberto Rojas (Bass), Jesús Azócar (Piano) and Juanma Trujillo (Guitar), and has the special participation of the master Gerry Weil (Fender Rhodes) in the song “Problemas Paralelos”; together with Horacio Blanco they make “Moscas”, an original song by Desorden Público and with José Alejandro Delgado he performs a duet of voice and drums on a poem entitled “Mi nombre es…”.

In 1998 he began his studies at the "Escuela Superior de Música José Ángel Lamas" where he completed the first two years of Theory and Solfeggio and the first and second years of Academic Percussion. — Pancho Montañez Drummer and Jazz Professor

He is currently pursuing his PhD studies at the University of Valencia, after having completed his Master’s studies at Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus, in the “Master in Contemporary Performance” program, in Valencia, Spain.

Discography

2001 – Horacero – Superllanero – Radiopirata Records

2003 – Desorden Público – Aniversario 18 años (live), Teatro Teresa Carreño, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2006 – Horacero – Fusil – Radio Pirata Records

2006 – Horacero – Unplugged – New Bands Foundation

2007 – Jungla Boulevard – Jungla Boulevard – Independiente

2008 – El Arca – Buen Viaje – Independent

2008 – Horacero – Desde Cero (1998-2008) – Sonico Subte Record

2009 – Jungla Boulevard – SurRealistas Productions

2011 – Andres Lasso – Sin Otro Sentido – Sonografica

2011 – Samuel Nexans – Samuel Nexans – BabyMusic

2012 – Various – My Independence a Flower – Cendis