Julio Bagué

Julio Bagué (born January 17, 1968, in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a producer, arranger and music executive. Bagué has received multiple Latin Grammy Award nominations, and won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album for his work with Jon Secada featuring The Charlie Sepúlveda Big Band on the recording To Beny Moré with Love. Bagué is also known for signing, developing and promoting Latin music artists internationally in his capacity as a vice president of US Latin East Coast and Puerto Rico for peermusic. Bagué has been with this independent, multi-national music publishing firm for nearly two decades.

Early life Bagué began his music career at the age of seven, perfecting his violin playing and making early attempts at composing. He was later mentored by maestro Carlos Varela, a graduate from the Juilliard School of Music who worked as an arranger/orchestrator in the jazz, Latin and classical fields with artists such as Louie Armstrong, Count Basie and Arturo Toscanini. By 1993, Bagué had been songwriting and arranging with Miami-based jazz musician, Laura Bradley, and collaborating with Néstor Torres, Exposé and Tito Puente.

He later went on to compose music for theater and ballet, receiving excellent reviews in venues including Coconut Grove Playhouse, The Colony Theater and Juegos del Arte Dance Ensemble. With music culled from these works, Bagué creating two albums as a recording artist (Origin and Caribbean Dream) on the Alcione Music label. Origin received great acceptance in France, as the title track was used as the official song celebrating the eclipse of 1999. The song "Ceiba" from Caribbean Dream was the theme song for the television series "En Ruta Por..." in Puerto Rico, and was also utilized as the promotional campaign spot for the island's "Jardin Botanico de Caguas" botanical garden.

From 1996-1999, Bague worked with internationally renowned composer/producer Alejandro Jaen as arranger, songwriter and producer. His first foray into music publishing was assisting Jaen as a song plugger when he created the Ventura Music publishing company. During this time with Jaen, he worked on artist projects such as Menudo/MDO, Ommar Hernandez, and Flamenco icon Peret. In 2003, Bagué was promoted to newly created position of East Coast Creative Director of peermusic's U.S. Latin division, and assigned to handle creative affairs for Puerto Rico. As Creative Director, his skills led him to develop talent such as the duo "Bacha,” composed of members Jorge Luis Chacin and Juliana Barrios. Bagué produced and arranged their self-titled album which was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award in 2005. In 2006, Bagué served on the judging panel for peermusic's third annual Latin Scholarship for original Latin songs and instrumental compositions, which was awarded to Berklee College of Music student, Marco A. Godoy. Additionally, the recording was awarded a cultural patronage of Puerto Rico by UNESCO.

In 2014, Bagué was promoted to Vice President of peermusic's Latin Division, for the East Coast and Puerto Rico. Three years later, Bagué won a Latin Grammy Award for his work as producer of the album To Beny Moré with Love, a tribute by Jon Secada featuring the Charlie Sepúlveda Big Band to the legendary Cuban singer and bandleader, Beny Moré.

During his career, Bagué has been responsible for signing top artist/songwriters, including Grammy Award-winning artist Gilberto Santa Rosa. He also added his personal touch as a producer/arranger on projects including Salsa superstar Carolina La O; Puerto Rican Merengue diva, Melina León; Latin Jazz trumpet virtuoso Charlie Sepúlveda and Reggaeton/Urban artist, Naldo. Bagué currently serves on the advisory boards for Musicians on Call, The Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and St. Martha-Yamaha Concert Series.

Awards and honors In 2019, Julio Bagué win the Latin Grammy for Best Tropical album with ¨Tiempo Al Tiempo¨ from Luis Enrique and C4 Trio for his work as producer and the Grammy nomination in 2020 for this album, also is named by the Billboard magazine as Latin Power Player.

In 2017, Bagué won a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Best Traditional Tropical Album for his work as a producer on the album To Beny Moré with Love. A homage piece to the late great Cuban bandleader singer-songwriter Beny Moré, it was interpreted by Grammy award winner Jon Secada, featuring the Charlie Sepúlveda Big Band.

As album producer for Cofresí: Rafael Hernández, Bagué received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album in 2013.

Bagué received three 2012 Latin Grammy nominations for his work with Colombian recording artists, ChocQuibTown. Bagué produced Eso Es Lo Que Hay, which was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Alternative Music Album, including the song "Calentura," nominated for Record Of The Year.

Bagué produced and arranged the self-titled album for the duo of Jorge Luis Chacín and Juliana Barrios, known as "Bachá." The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Contemporary Tropical Album in 2005.

Other ventures

Philanthropy and Community Julio Bagué is a board member of nonprofit organization, The Miami Foundation for a Greater Miami. Established in 1967, the Foundation manages $360 million in donor assets and has awarded almost $300 million in grants towards programs designed to enhance the quality of life in Miami. Additionally, Bagué currently serves on the advisory board for Musicians on Call and on the board of governors for St. Martha-Yamaha Concert Series. He is Board Member of the Recording Academy for the Florida Chapter and Chairman in the Advocacy Comite and also He is part of the Latin Hall Of Fame comite.

Public speaking In June 2014, Bagué was the feature guest speaker at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, where he spoke about his career in the music industry and the state of Latin music at that time. Bagué has also spoken at several Music Business and Songwriting panels for the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami campus and was a guest Songwriting panelist at Miami Dade Community College.

Discography Selected List of Credits

YearArtistTitleLabelRole2018 Manu Manzo Intermedio Peer Southern Productions Producer, Executive Producer, Arranger Marger Sola Sony Music Latin Producer Marger Baby, Baby Sony Music Latin Producer Charlie Sepúlveda Big Band & The Turnaround Songs for Nat High Note Records Producer Jorge Luis Chacín Contento DNR Music, Inc. Producer, Arranger2017 Nestor Torres Del Caribe, Soy! Latin American Flute Music Naxos Producer, Executive Producer Jon Secada featuring Charlie Sepúlveda & The Turnaround To Beny Moré with Love Peer Southern Productions, BMG Soundstage Producer, Executive Producer Charlie Sepúlveda Big Band & The Turnaround Mr. EP: A Tribute to Eddie Palmieri Highnote Records Producer Various performers The Roots of Popular Music: The Ralph S. Peer Story Sony Music Producer Kerreke Kerreke Kerreke Music Producer, Executive Producer, Arranger MDO MDO Sony International Arranger, Engineer2013 Various performers The Golden Age of Cuba: La Era Dorada Sony Music Compilation Producer, Liner Notes Rafael Dávila, Elaine Ortíz-Arándes, Roselín Pabón & The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra Rafael Hernández's operetta, Cofresí Peer Southern Productions Producer, Executive Producer 2012 Tito Puente Quatro: The Definitive Collection Sony Music Liner Notes, Quotation Author 2011 ChocQuibTown Eso Es Lo Que Hay Peer Southern Productions, Sony Music Producer, Executive Producer 2010 Melina León Dos Caras Peer Southern Productions Producer, Executive Producer, Arranger Carolina La O En Vivo Peer Southern Productions Producer, Executive Producer2009 Carolina La O y Los Gemelos Reencuentro Con los Gemelos Peer Southern Productions Producer, Executive Producer2007 Melina León Vas a Pagar y Sus Exitos Sony Music Distribution Executive Producer 2004 Bachá Bachá Sony Music Distribution Producer, Arranger 2001 Bagué Caribbean Dream Alcione Music Recording Artist, Producer 1999 Bagué Origin Alcione Music Recording Artist 2017To Beny Moré with Love, Jon Secada! Producer, Self Documentary directed by Peter M. Robles