Alum

Javier Vercher

Position
Associate Professor

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Since 2016, Javier Vercher has worked as a professor of saxophone/clarinet/flute, harmony, and ensemble at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain.

Born in Madrid, he moved with his family at the age of 6 to the city of Gandía, Valencia, where he began to study music theory, piano, and clarinet under the guidance of his father. After finishing his classical clarinet studies at the conservatory in Gandía, he became interested in jazz and attended several seminars with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Perico Sambeat, and Jorge Pardo. 

In 1997, Berklee College of Music and the A.I.E. (Association of Performers and Executives) awarded Vercher a scholarship to study in Boston, where he graduated with a degree in performance in 2000. At Berklee, he studied with great masters of improvisation and contemporary harmony, such as George Garzone, Frank Tiberi, Dino Govoni, Ken Cervenka, and Andy McGhee.

In 2001, he moved to New York and started playing and recording albums with various musicians of the local jazz scene, including Lionel Loueke, Francisco Mela, Ferenc Nemeth, David Kikoski, Chris Higgins, Sam Yahel, and Robert Glasper. 

During this period, he freelanced on several recording projects and toured the U.S., U.K., and the Netherlands with the American folk duo Chip Taylor/Carrie Rodriguez. He also had the opportunity to play and record with guitarist Bill Frisell (Seven Angels on a Bicycle, EMI) and multi-Grammy awarded artist Alejandro Sanz, presenting the album Tren de los momentos (2006-Warner). 

In 2009, he moved to Spain and resumed his career as a solo musician, playing and recording in Europe and the U.S. with such artists as Jorge Rossy, Billy Hart, Kevin Hays, Lionel Loueke, Moises P. Sanchez, Sam Yahel, David Kikoski, Ben Monder, Perico Sambeat, Masa Kamaguchi, Albert Sanz, Pepi Taveira, and Roberto Gatto, among others.

Vercher has also contributed as a composer and producer to the documentary film soundtracks of The Architect of New York, Guastavino (2016, RTVE), Josep Renau: El arte en Peligro (2018, RTVE), Chicote, el barman de las estrellas (2019, RTVE), Bosch i Morata, Sempre els quatre (2019, A PUNT), Mujeres sin censura (2022, RTVE), and Javier Goerlich, El arquitectoque soñó con su ciudad (2023, A PUNT).

Career Highlights
  • Faculty at Berklee on the Road program, Gnaoua World Music Festival (Morocco, 2024)
  • Touring with pianist Moises Sanchez quartet “Dedication II” project (2022-present) 
  • Toured with South African band The Rainmakers, performing at multiple festivals around Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, and Senegal (2018-2024) 
  • Toured with drummer Roberto Gatto around Italy (2013-2016) 
  • Toured extensively in America and Europe with Grammy winner Alejandro Sanz on his Tren de los Momentos world tour (2007–2009)
  • Toured the U.S. and U.K. with Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez on saxophone and percussion (2003–2007)
  • Discography (as a leader) includes Realismo Magico with Rakalam Bob Moses (2022), Agricultural Wisdom (2021), As We See It with Masa Kamaguchi (2020), First Takes! (2017) with Billy Hart, Filantropía with Jorge Rossy (2016), Imaginary Realm with Ferenc Nemeth and David Kikoski (2011), Wish You Were Here with Lionel Loueke (2008), Infinita with the Perico Sambeat and Eric McPherson (2008), Wheel of Time with Lionel Loueke (2008), and Introducing the Javier Vercher Trio with special guest Robert Glasper (2003)
Awards
  • Awarded the Tete Montoliu Prize as part of the Spanish Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE) biennial Tete Montoliu jazz event
  • Awarded the Sociedad de Artistas Intérpretes o Ejecutantes de España (AIE) full scholarship to study overseas (1997–2000)
  • Awarded a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music (1997–2000)
Education
  • School Name
    Berklee College of Music
    State or Province
    Massachusetts
    Degree
    Bachelor of Music (BM)
    Field of Study
    Performance
  • School Name
    Conservatorio Superior de Música de Valencia
    Country
    Spain
    Degree
    Professional Studies Certification (PSC)
    Field of Study
    Clarinet Performance
In Their Own Words

“When I play music, the first thing I reach for is the sound, looking for a deeper and wider understanding of music. By having a strong concept of sound, the student starts to develop his/her own way of conveying emotions and experiences into music [as an] art form. That’s a great starting point.”

“Studying harmony and technique is also an important area of my teaching, as well as basic piano-playing skills. This is important to establish fundamental aspects of sound and chord progressions for composition and improvisation.”

“It’s crucial to find out what each student is going for; everyone is different. Once that’s set, I develop different exercises within his/her musical realm. That could be writing a composition, establishing proficiency in the instrument, or improvisation techniques.”

“The essential thing to me is to nurture the musical devotion of the student so he/she can be in shape for the always demanding professional and artistic world.”