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Jazz Articles about Aruán Ortiz
Aruan Ortiz Trio with Eric Revis and Gerald Cleaver: Hidden Voices
by Karl Ackermann
Cuban born pianist and composer Aruán Ortiz is just now starting to broaden his long-overdue recognition after two decades as a leader or collaborator. More than ten years prior to his new trio release, Hidden Voices, he had drawn favorable comparisons to Chick Corea and Ornette Coleman with Aruán Ortiz Trio Vol. 1 (Pimienta Records, 2004). That outing featured an entirely different group but clearly set the groundwork for Ortiz' unique approach to creating and executing forward-looking music.
Continue ReadingAruan Ortiz Trio: Hidden Voices
by Dan McClenaghan
The jazz piano trio comes in a wide spectrum of approaches, from the traditional--Red Garland, Tommy Flanagan--to the way out there avant-garde, like Cecil Taylor. When the subject of “Cuban pianists" comes up, some of the first names that come to mind are probably those who work in a traditional vein: Chucho Valdes, perhaps, or maybe Gonzalo Rubalcaba, both of whom work the percolating beauty of Latin rhythms to the hilt. Aruan Ortiz--Cuban-born and now New York-based (after ...
Continue ReadingAruan Ortiz Quartet: Orbiting
by Steve Bryant
On an island known for its extensive array of virtuoso pianists, Cuban-born Aruan Ortiz distinguishes himself from the pack by a transcendent approach to his instrument, and an encyclopedic knowledge of styles ranging from traditional Afro- Cuban and classical to bop. He's also a prolific composer. Having roared into New York City and taken it by storm in a variety of settings, he now holds down the piano chair for the visionary Afro Horn MX group, composed a collection of ...
Continue ReadingTake Five with Aruan Ortiz
by AAJ Staff
Meet Aruan Ortiz: Named “the latest Cuban wunderkind to arrive in the United States" by BET Jazz, this classically trained violist and pianist from Santiago de Cuba, considers himself “a curious person who loves music," and portrays his music as an architectural structure of sounds, incorporating contemporary classical music, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and improvisation as primary material for his compositions. He has received a number of awards such as Latin Jazz Corner's Arranger of the Year 2011 for his contribution on ...
Continue ReadingFrancisco Mora Catlett: Francisco Mora Catlett: Afro Horn MX
by Steve Bryant
When Afro-Mexican Drummer Francisco Mora Catlett first came to this country in the1970s, he dreamed of playing drums for the Sun Ra Arkestra. Not only did Mora achieve his dream, he also forged a lifelong relationship with drum legend Max Roach, which resulted in his performing in Roach's seminal drum ensemble, M'Boom. As a composer and bandleader in Detroit, Mora focused on creating Music of “The Afro-Americas," a vision which encompassed fusing the music of Cuba, Brazil with American modern ...
Continue ReadingAruán Ortiz: Alameda
by AAJ Italy Staff
Il pianista cubano Aruán Ortiz pubblica per la collana New Talent della etichetta spagnola Fresh Sound Alameda, lavoro - registrato nel settembre 2006 - nel quale si avvale della presenza del saxofonista Antoine Roney, amico e mentore che si distingue per gli efficacissimi interventi in tre delle otto tracce proposte. Tutti originali, tranne l'elegante rivisitazione di “Etude No.6 Op.10" di Frederic Chopin, che propongono un jazz spigoloso, a tratti velatamente free, anche se incanalato in strutture molto ben architettate, dove ...
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