Gina Benalcázar López is an Ecuadorian-Honduran-American composer and low brass specialist. Influenced by straight-ahead jazz, Latin jazz, and popular Latin American music, Gina has performed with, arranged, and composed for bands of various sizes, spanning styles from Classical Chamber music to Jazz Big Band and Salsa.
Gina has worked with some of the world's most prolific band leaders and can be found playing with The Sinfonietta, The Roy Hargrove Big Band, Etienne Charles’ Creole Soul, The Rufus Reid Big Band, The Dee Dee Bridgewater Big Band, Ulysses Owens Jr.’s New Century Big Band, Helen Sung’s Big Band, Ted Nash’s Big Band, Lulada Club, and made her Broadway debut in Huey Lewis’ “The Heart of Rock and Roll.” Gina’s discography is expansive, with credits as both a soloist and arranger/composer, as well as a side-person.
As a band leader Gina was selected as a recipient of Chamber Music America’s Performance Plus Grant which helped her record her debut album, “The BOUNCE” featuring her original compositions. She now performs with her band “La Orquestra Esa” featuring her original music and compelling arrangements that range in style from mambo, swing, Afro-Cuba, calypso, tango, cumbia, and beyond! Taking the form of a quartet, 10-piece band, or Big Band, La Orquesta Esa has made a name for itself as a dynamic dance ensemble with an ever-expanding book.
Gina is a Yamaha Artist and plays exclusively on Yamaha instruments.
