Celebrate Luis Hernandez for his achievements and accolades while serving in the Navy
Senior Chief Musician Luis Hernandez is a Miami native who has served in the navy for 26 years as part of the Navy Band Commodores jazz ensemble. He celebrated his retirement from the Navy on June 17, having spent nearly three decades as part of the institution, progressing from a tenor saxophonist in 1996 to the Senior Chief Musician.
Who is Luis Hernandez?
Hernandez is a professional jazz musician who attended the University of North Texas and went on to receive a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies. During his civilian years, he has shared the stage with some of the most well-known and well-respected artists in the world, and even won a Latin Grammy in 2008 for having the best Latin Jazz Album of the year. His Latin Grammy was shared with the Afro-Bop Alliance.
Additionally, he has also performed with the Brecker Brothers, Jon Hendricks, Louie Bellson, and Gerry Mulligan, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Loston Harris, Keter Betts, Dave Samuels, Poncho Sanchez, Arturo O’Farrill, the Temptations, Vanessa Ruben, Mary Wilson, the Richmond Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony featuring Ray LaMontagne, and the Washington Symphony Orchestra featuring Leslie Uggams.
20 years ago, in 2002, he was a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition and remains one of their top performers to date.
There’s no denying what a passionate and talented individual Luis Hernandez is, making this celebration all the more incredible.
More about the retirement ceremony
Hernandez has decided to retire after 26 years of service, and a small ceremony was hosted for family and fellow Commodores members. He was presented with the Meritorious Service Medal to mark 26 years of outstanding service by Capt. Kenneth Collins, commanding officer of the United States Navy Band. It was intimate, well-thought-out, and the perfect sendoff.
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