Jazz Articles about Luis Mario Ochoa

Hilario Duran: Cry Me A River

by Pierre Giroux
September 27, 2023

Hilario Durán is a renowned Cuban-Canadian jazz pianist and composer known for contributing to Latin jazz. He does not release big band efforts often, but with the release of Cry Me A River, he has reconstituted his Latin Jazz Big Band to take us on an extraordinary musical journey, effortlessly blending myriad genres into his singular style. Durán's Afro-Caribbean cultural attachment informs the nine works of both originals and covers in this outing, resulting in a unique tapestry of sound. ...

Luis Mario Ochoa Quintet: Momentos Cubanos

by Jerry D'Souza
June 20, 2008

Guitarist/vocalist Luis Mario Ochoa showcases his new acoustic quintet on his fourth recording. It's a departure from Cimarron, the nine-piece ensemble he calls a Cuban dance band with a jazz sound. Ochoa continues to find the groove as a composer and arranger as he mines Cuban and Peruvian music with all their attributes for thoroughly enjoyable listening.

Ochoa sets the mood with the sparkling “Simbiosis." The melody is catchy and Ochoa rides it on the guitar with round, ...

Luis Mario Ochoa & Friends: Cimarron

by Eric J. Iannelli
June 12, 2006

Cimarrón (meaning “free spirit") is the nonet that Havana-born guitarist and composer Luis Mario Ochoa assembled shortly after moving to Canada back in 1990. This eponymous release is not just the ensemble's third album, but also a celebration of its fifteen years of happy existence. Musical guests such as Paquito D'Rivera, Guido Basso, and Ochoa's father, Luis Ochoa, Sr., were invited to take part in the fiesta.

And what a free spirited celebration it is. “Como Penélope," a song about ...