New album, coming summer of 2025!!!!!!!!! On Soundset Recordings, the album includes new compositions by Latin American composers such as Nur SLim, Jorge Sosa, Leonardo Egúrbida, Rubén Santiago, Alexis Rivera, and Edwin Guevara, amongst many others.

Puerta-Vázquez Duo

The Puerta-Vázquez Duo has established itself individually as educators and as promoters of guitar chamber music. Embodied by José Luis Puerta and Alfredo Vázquez, the duo was formed in 2020 after a decade of collaborating and performing in different ensemble settings, such as guitar orchestras and quartets. Their debut album, Appunti was released in 2022 under the label Constrates Records. They are alumni of the University of Arizona, where they studied under the legendary Sérgio and Odair Assad. This mentorship profoundly shaped their artistic voice, fostering a refined sense of ensemble playing and interpretive insight. As part of their commitment to expanding the guitar duo repertoire, this album is the result of a two-year project that involved commissioning duo pieces by new composers from Latin America. The album also includes premier recordings from the late guitarist-composer Leonardo Egúrbida. The album Intercambio is named after one of his pieces as an homage. The duo maintains an active concert schedule across the southwestern United States and Latin America, captivating audiences with their artistry and with the unique synergy of their musical partnership.

In 2022, they released their debut album, “Appunti,” which brings to life an often-ignored masterwork for the guitar by the renowned composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Appunti (Preludi e Studi facili per Chitarra). The composer intended to create a series of books for the “young guitarist”.  Unfortunately, the composer passed away before he could complete the series.  Quaderno Secondo – i ritmi, the second book of the series, is in three parts: Renaissance and Baroque dances, Nineteenth-Century dances, and Twentieth-Century dances written for solo guitar.  One of the difficulties of the composition is that it is almost impossible to carry out Tedesco's intention regarding the tempo markings. Guitarists who have performed them on solo guitar have no option but to slow down significantly. Former California State University, Fullerton professor David Grimes proposes a setting for two guitars for the Renaissance and Baroque dances.  He presented the arrangement to Tedesco, who welcomed the arrangement but not the publishing. With Tedesco in attendance, Grimes premiered Fuga Elegiaca and Romancero Gitano in the USA. Tedesco mentioned that he approves of the performance of these pieces in a setting for two guitars. With permission from the Tedesco estate, we took the endeavor of recording this great masterpiece of the guitar.

Puerta-Vazquez Duo is a Contrates Records artist; their debut CD was released in 2022.

  • Alfredo Vázquez

    Alfredo Vázquez is an Associate Faculty at Cochise Community College, Lead Guitar Regional Director for Southern Arizona, and he is pursuing is Doctor of Music Arts degree at Arizona State University.

    Alfredo Vázquez has won and placed in numerous guitar competitions such as the William Wolf Award Recital, Thomas Schaffer Guitar Competition, Maricopa County Artist of Promise competitions, and, most recently, the Memphis International Competition. As well as performing and participating in competitions, Mr. Vázquez has been a dedicated educator for a decade. During his time at Glendale Community College under the tutelage of Charles Hulihan, he served as a section leader for guitar ensembles. During his degree at the University of Arizona, Mr. Vázquez studied under Prof. Thomas Patterson and Dr. Renato Serrano and had the opportunity to have lessons with artists in residence and Grammy award winners David Russell and Sergio, and Odair Assad. Mr. Vázquez won First Place in the William Wolf Award Recital (2014), with the prize being a concert guitar by renowned luthier Jeremy Cooper. During his Master's degree at Oklahoma City University, he studied with Matt Denman, Dr. Stephan Lochbaum, and Dr. Lynn McGrath, and he became passionate about music education. As a researcher, he contributed to creating and developing a local guitar curriculum for high school programs in Oklahoma City, as well as being involved with curriculum development for the American String Teacher Association. Mr. Vázquez developed and instructed a “technique boot camp” for the undergraduate class, as well as conducted the OCU Freshmen Guitar Ensemble. Alfredo Vázquez currently resides in Tucson, Arizona, and is an associate faculty member of guitar at Cochise Community College and the Regional Director for Lead Guitar.

  • José Luis Puerta

    Dr. José Luis Puerta is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Arizona, School of Music. As well as the conductor for the Tucson Guitar Society Orchestra.

    José Luis Puerta received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in guitar with a minor in Ethnomusicology from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor's in guitar performance from the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico. He also graduated from the prestigious Escuela Libre de Música Ernesto Ramos Antonini in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dr. José Luis Puerta currently serves as an Associate Professor of Music at the School of Music at the University of Arizona, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Latin American Music. He also serves as the president of the Tucson Guitar Society and the conductor of the Tucson Guitar Society Orchestra. He has been invited to international festivals such as the Art Llobet 2020 and the Universidad Sergio Arboleda in Colombia, Puerto Rico, Festival Alfonso Ortiz Tirado in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. He has been invited to perform for the Treasure Coast Guitar Society and the Sundays in the Garden concert series at Tohono Chul Park on numerous occasions as a duo, ensemble, and conductor. He is a founding member of Grupo Riken, a Tucson ensemble specializing in folkloric music from the Caribbean and Latin America.