José Guzmán Borrero is a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico. He holds an undergraduate degree from the Puerto Rico Conservatory in Jazz Guitar and Afro-Caribbean Music, a master’s degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Theory and Composition, and a doctorate degree (DMA) from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in Jazz Guitar Performance with a minor in Composition. Guzmán has participated in several music festivals and conferences such as the CU Jazz Festival, Southern Illinois Music Festival, Jazz Educators Network Conference, and has worked as an artist in residence as a classical and jazz guitarist at the Caroga Lake Music Festival. As a jazz guitarist, he recorded on Dimijtre Vasiljevic’s Accidental Nomad, released on Rope a Dope Records, and the Iron Post Jazz Orchestra, set for release under Centaur Records. Guzmán leads the Latin jazz group, The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective, which has released an EP on several streaming platforms. As a composer, he scored music for short films that were presented in various film festivals, arranged music for Puerto Rican songwriter Ivelisse del Carmen’s album, Amor y Tierra: Ir para regresar. His composition for big band, The Bells of St. Augustine, was featured on the Iron Post Jazz Orchestra live album, pending release on Centaur Records. His composition for Latin Big Band, Holande’ Pa’ Uste’, is Guzman’s most recently published work by 3-2 Music Publishing.