Walter Sax Academy
Training, passion, and excellence in the art of the saxophone
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Founded and directed by renowned saxophonist and educator Walter Geromet, the Walter Sax Academy has been active for over 15 years, establishing itself as a unique and long-standing educational project fully dedicated to the specialised study of the saxophone - across all ranges and styles — with a modern, personalized, and highly professional approach.
Based in Madrid, the academy has become a reference point for saxophonists of all ages and levels, attracting both beginners and advanced musicians seeking to refine their technique, expand their repertoire, or prepare for a professional career. The Walter Sax Academy combines academic rigor with a deep passion for live performance, integrating technical instruction with real on-stage experience. Students have the opportunity to participate in ensembles, combos, and big bands, including the prestigious Walter Sax Big Band, and perform in concerts, festivals, and multidisciplinary projects, turning their education into a true artistic launchpad. Walter Geromet’s teaching philosophy is rooted in a balance of warmth, discipline, and a holistic vision of the musician: from instrumental technique and classical repertoire to improvisation, jazz, funk, soul, and other contemporary genres. The Walter Sax Academy is more than a school — it’s a musical community where talent is nurtured, creativity thrives, and futures are built. |
Walter Sax Big Band
A vibrant, elegant, and timeless musical experience
PARQUE DE ATRACCIONES MADRID
RTVE - RADIO TELEVISIÓN ESPAÑOLA
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The Walter Sax Big Band is a grand orchestra composed of a carefully selected group of the finest students from the Walter Sax Academy, alongside renowned professional musicians. With over 15 years of experience, the band has become one of the most powerful and original acts in the Spanish jazz and swing scene. Its impressive wind section features 15 saxophones—from sopranos to baritones--and the lead vocalists Cris de la Osa, John O' Brien and Yaiza López, backed by a solid rhythm section of bass, drums, guitar, and piano. The band’s rich and dynamic sound is often further enhanced by additional percussion, backing vocalists, and guest artists.
Led by Italian saxophonist and musician Walter Geromet, the band has performed over 100 concerts in theaters, venues, and festivals across Madrid and other cities, earning the admiration of both audiences and critics. The Walter Sax Big Band repertoire spans from traditional jazz to funk, soul, blues, and rock ’n’ roll, paying tribute to the timeless classics of legendary artists such as Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Bublé, Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Peggy Lee, Dean Martin, Robbie Williams, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Nina Simone, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin. Their arrangements are inspired by the golden age of swing, drawing influence from greats like Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Quincy Jones, Duke Ellington, Henry Mancini, and Nelson Riddle, and include selections from iconic musicals such as Chicago, Porgy and Bess, and Cabaret. More than just a concert, a Walter Sax Big Band performance is a musical journey full of emotion, elegance, and contagious energy. Line up
Musical direction/saxophone: Walter Geromet
Vocals: Cris de la Osa, Yaiza López Vocals & Showman: John O' Brien Saxophones (15): Gabriel Palacios, Costanzo Laini, Jesús Sevilla, María Jiménez, José María Sánchez, Markus Reichmuth, Alberto Pérez, Alberto Mora, Mara Rozas, Maite Palmí, Daniel Dominguez, Frutos J. del Cerro, Juan Herández, Juan Luís López, José Francisco L. Vico Drums: Juan Luís Celada / Jaime Zapata Electric guitar: Luis Fernández Ortega Bass: Miguel Ángel Villafruela Piano: Luis Zamorano |
WS-3G BIG BAND
The young spirit of contemporary swing and soul
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The WS-3G Big Band is a large jazz/swing ensemble born from the educational project of the Walter Sax Academy, a saxophone school based in Madrid founded and directed by Italian saxophonist Walter Geromet. Since its creation, the band has established itself as a fresh, powerful and ever-evolving project, bringing together more than twenty musicians and students of different levels, all united by a shared passion for live music and the legacy of the great jazz orchestras.
With over five years of activity, WS-3G has brought its energy and sophistication to numerous venues and theaters across Madrid, becoming one of the most promising young jazz projects in the local music scene. The group emulates the style and sound of classic American big bands, featuring a powerful wind section with 15 saxophones in a variety of registers (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone), arranged in three rows, and supported by a solid rhythm section made up of bass, drums, piano, and guitar. Its repertoire blends timeless swing standards, vocal jazz, soul, funk, and R&B, reimagined with a modern twist that turns each performance into a vibrant, elegant, and moving experience. The band is led by Walter Geromet (also soprano saxophonist), with the musical collaboration of Costanzo Laini, and features invited musicians and solo vocalists such as rising jazz and soul singer Gabriela Carrallo and charismatic crooner Miguel Sánchez. |
WS-Z BIG BAND
A new generation of talent with the soul of the saxophone
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The WS-Z Big Band bursts onto the music scene as a vibrant jazz ensemble born within the Walter Sax Academy, under the artistic direction of Walter Geromet and Costanzo Laini. This newly formed big band brings together a young and talented generation of saxophonists, rhythm section musicians, and vocalists, hailing from both the Walter Sax Academy and other schools such as the Academia del Arte.
With a powerful wind section composed of 15 saxophones —from soprano to baritone— WS-Z delivers a rich, immersive sound experience full of energy and expression. Their musical repertoire travels from classic swing to contemporary jazz, while also exploring soul, blues, and funk, all through original arrangements that reinvent modern-day classics. At the forefront of the band stand two lead voices with strong stage presence: Anahid Panosian, a singer since the age of eight, trained in choirs and vocal groups, with a degree in Music Therapy, and currently a professional at the Fundación Musicoterapia y Salud. Diego Giadás, voice and guitar rooted in blues and jazz. Originally from Vigo, Galicia, he brings over a decade of live performance experience through solo projects, duos, bands, and big bands. The WS-Z Big Band’s repertoire blends the best of both worlds: from legendary tracks like “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple, to heartfelt tributes to Amy Winehouse, and electrifying nods to the unforgettable Blues Brothers. |
