Elmer Ernesto Ferrer Orsini is a talented Cuban rock and jazz guitarist. He was born on August 23, 1973, in the province of Santi Spíritus. At the age of 12, he began his classical guitar studies at the Elementary Music School in his hometown. Four years later, he was accepted to continue his specialty at the National School of Art (ENA) (120th Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana).

During his student years, while learning Bach, Leo Brower and Héctor Villalobos as part of the school’s official program, he dedicated his free time to teaching himself the electric guitar, listening to cassettes of guitarists such as Pat Metheny, Joe Satriani, John Scofield, Steve Vai, Robben Ford, among others.

After eight years of classical guitar studies, he graduated at the age of 20, but even before that, he was already playing the electric guitar professionally with prestigious artists. A year after his graduation, the first electric guitar teaching department in Cuba was opened at ENA (120th Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana). A year later, Elmer became a professor there.

In 1991, he joined Anabel López’s group; a year later, he formed the group Estado de Ánimo until 1997. He later joined the group Temperamento, and from 2000 to 2005, he was a member of the Habana Ensemble.

Among his main national and international performances are: International Jazz Festivals in Cuba with Estado de Ánimo (1993); several presentations in Spain with Estado de Ánimo, Santiago Feliú and Pável y Gema (1994); with Santiago Feliú and Estado de Ánimo in Argentina (1995); with Estado de Ánimo in Germany and at International Jazz Festivals in Cuba, with Estado de Ánimo and Bobby Carcassés (1996); with Santiago Feliú and the trio “E-mail” (Elmer Ferrer, Ruy López-Nussa and Felipe Cabrera) in Spain and Jazz Plaza Festival in Havana with Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento, and with Estado de Ánimo (1997).

Elmer Ferrer has performed in Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay with Santiago Feliú and in Spain with Habana Abierta, as well as at the Cuban International Jazz Festivals with Ernán López-Nussa and Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento (1998); he has performed in Colombia with Roberto Fonseca and Temperamento, in Costa Rica with Ramsés Baralt, Spain with Santiago Feliú and participated in the Live Concert at the Karl Marx Theater in Havana, where he played with the Cubans X Alfonso and Santiago Feliú, and with the Americans Me´Shell Ndegé Ocello and Beth Nielsen Chappman (1999); with Santiago Feliú he performed in Argentina and Bolivia (2000).

In 2001, he performed in Argentina and Ecuador again with Santiago Feliú; in Brazil with the Habana Ensemble, giving a special appearance at the Alfa Theater in Sao Paulo with Chucho Valdés and Ed Motta. He was present at the Unique Concert at El Zócalo, Mexico, for the CD “Encuentros en La Habana” with Ismael Serrano, Víctor Manuel, and many other internationally acclaimed artists.

In 2002, he performed in San Martín and South Africa with Habana Ensemble and in Chile and Mexico with Santiago Feliú. A year later, he performed in Ecuador and Mexico with the same singer-songwriter.

He visited Japan in 2004 with the Habana Ensemble, and performed recordings and live concerts in Havana and Tokyo with Pío Leyva and the musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club for Wim Wenders’ production “Música cubana: los hijos de Cuba.” Since that year, he has been the main figure of the Elmer Ferrer Band (EFB), a group that combines genres such as jazz, blues, and rock and roll, thus becoming one of Cuba’s finest bands.

EFB made his international debut at the Cisco System Ottawa Bluesfest in 2005, opening for American rock star Kid Rock. In 2006, he was a guest at Orlando Valle “Maraca”‘s one-off concert at the Lac-Leamy Casino Theatre in Quebec City.

The following year, he participated in the “King of Dalkey” Festival in Dublin, Ireland. He traveled to several European countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Italy, with William Vivanco. He also performed in the Dominican Republic with Carlos Varela. He was invited by Chucho Valdés to the opening concert of the Varadero Jazz Festival.

Elmer Ferrer alternates his work with the EFB with the various invitations he receives to perform live at concerts or special events, or to record as a guest artist. He is undoubtedly one of the most active session musicians in our country. He has participated in more than sixty productions as a guest on electric or acoustic guitar, a number that continues to grow. Some of the names with whom he frequently collaborates include the renowned Silvio Rodríguez, Carlos Varela, Santiago Feliú, Chucho Valdés, Juan Formell, Orlando Valle “Maraca,” among many others.

Elmer Ferrer’s film recordings include: “Música cubana: los hijos de Cuba,” a Wim Wenders production (Cuba, Germany) in 2004; “Habana Blues” (Cuba, Spain), winner of the Goya Award for Best Original Score in 2005; and “El Benny” (Cuba), nominated for the 2006 Academy Awards.

His solo discography includes “Metrópoli,” winner of the 2003 Cubadisco Award in the Debut Feature category, produced by the Unicornio label. It’s a piece that brings together the sounds of cities. Featuring music by Ferrer himself and orchestrations shared with pianist Alexis Bosch, it’s part jazz, but also embraces other genres such as flamenco and folk. His other production, “Fango Dance,” was released on the Band Johnston Records label in 2005.

He has received awards such as: Winner of the Best DVD of the Year Award at the 2006 Cubadisco International Fair with “Jazz Cuba Today” (Roberto Carcassés, Alexander Brown, and Elmer Ferrer). He is currently a member of the prestigious Cuban project Interactivo.

Elmer Ferrer has established a consistent career not only as a guitarist, both live and in the studio, but also as a talented arranger, composer, and music producer.