Francisco Torres

Francisco Torres

Jazz Trombone

Office: UMC-C304

Francisco Torres is a well-respected trombonist, bass trombonist, educator, composer and arranger who hails from Hermosillo, Sonora. Born in 1974, Francisco didn’t start his musical training until 15 years old, playing alto saxophone then switching to tuba and euphonium. By accident, he discovered jazz trombone while watching the jazz band practice before school. He was hooked.

After graduating from high school, he went on to study with Dr. Tony Mazzaferro and Dr. Greg Woll at Fullerton College, where he played in the jazz band, symphonic band and the symphony orchestra. While at Fullerton, he was a featured soloist with the symphonic band, performing Carnival Of Venice on euphonium and later in the year, Bolero with the Fullerton College symphony. After transferring to Cal State Long Beach, he was again a featured soloist with the symphonic band, performing Carnival of Venice on euphonium and Bolero with the Cal State Long Beach symphony.

Francisco has emerged as a first-class arranger and composer, particularly in the field of Latin jazz. He has served as musical director, producer and arranger for the Grammy-winning percussionist Poncho Sanchez for 12 years. He is also a member of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, John Beasley’s Monkestra, Bill Cunliffe’s Bachannalia, and has performed or recorded with Arturo Sandoval, Bill Holman, Manhattan Transfer, Joey Defrancesco, Natalie Cole, Doc Severinsen, Sammy Nestico, and Terence Blanchard, as well as Santana, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Mathis, Robbie Williams, and many others. For eight seasons he was first-call sub with the Dancing With the Stars Orchestra, and has appeared with different artists on the Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, The Late Late Show, and Jimmy Kimmel.

Being known primarily as a studio and jazz trombonist, he has also excelled in the field of classical music. He can be heard as trombonist, bass trombonist and valve trombonist for Michael Giacchino on the Pixar film Coco. Some of his most recent films credits are The Secret Life of Pets, Ice Age 4, Penguins of Madagascar, and Straight Outta Compton. On TV he can be heard on The Simpsons, Elena of Avalor, Sofia The First, and The Get Down, as well as many others. He regularly records trombone for orchestra shows and parades for Shanghai Disney, Tokyo Disney, Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and has recorded a multitude of musically diverse albums with major music stars including Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Dr. Dre, Michael Bublé, Frank Ocean, Pitbull, All American Rejects, Spoon, Angelique Kidjo, Ry Cooder, Brian Setzer, and Los Lobos.