Jazz Articles about Michel Camilo

Michel Camilo: Rhapsody in Blue

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
February 21, 2006

As we settle into the new century, Gunther Schuller's Third Stream concept remains alive and well. Another example of this jazz/classical crossover is Rhapsody in Blue, where Michel Camilo plays “classical" George Gershwin with the Barcelona Symphony. It's a terrific CD, but is it jazz?

You bet. For one thing, Gershwin was basically a jazz guy, responsible for any number of enduring standards, and the jazzy elements of his writing are inescapable. For another, although Camilo was “playing the ink" ...

Michel Camilo: Solo

by C. Michael Bailey
February 1, 2005

Michel Camilo's last recording, Live at the Blue Note, won a Best Latin Jazz Grammy® in 2003. His followup is a solo offering that fairly surveys his various influences and interests, including Camilo's Latin-tinged, impressionistic original compositions; the music of Brazil, particularly that of Jobim; and the Great American Songbook.

This disc is reminiscent of McCoy Tyner's 1990s solo recordings. Michel Camilo has an expansive palette comparable to Tyner's with an infinitely more acute Latin sensibility. He readily ...

Michel Camilo: Solo

by Terrell Kent Holmes
January 24, 2005

Piano virtuoso Michel Camilo has plied his trade in various settings--trios mostly, but in duos and big bands as well--so the time must have seemed right for him to put out a solo work which, while not necessarily completing his discography, would certainly deepen it. Solo , a diverse blend of originals and standards, bears Camilo's unmistakable stamp and is a welcome addition to his already impressive oeuvre. Camilo introduces the listener to his fluid technique with his ...

Michel Camilo: Solo

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
January 5, 2005

You get the truest measure of a pianist when s/he plays alone, completely responsible for keeping time and the listener's interest; it's the most personal, revealing canvas of all. On Solo, Michel Camilo's vibrant colors appear in new shadings, reflecting this uniquely intimate setting.

The Grammy-winning pianist's first solo album is designed as a trilogy: equal parts Brazilian tunes, jazz standards, and Camilo originals, it represents for him “the three worlds that are closest to my heart." Heartfelt ...

Thunder in the Hall: Michel Camilo at Lincoln Center

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
October 4, 2004

Michel Camilo's Grammy-winning Live at the Blue Note has already been thoughtfully reviewed by two of my AAJ colleagues ( Franz Matzner and Joel Roberts ). Both of them note Camilo's virtuosity and classical roots, using words like “dazzling" and “astound[ing]" to describe his performance. In concert, all of this applies, with added dimensions of personal warmth and visible energy, as well as material that did not appear on the CD.

On September 29, 2004, this included the ...

Michel Camilo: Pianist for a Golden Era

by R.J. DeLuke
March 1, 2004

Michel Camilo has emerged over the last decade or so as one of the virtuoso piano players of jazz, amassing a strong and loyal following. He's classically trained, with monstrous technique and a fertile musical imagination. Naturally, because he hails from the Dominican Republic, his playing is tinged with Latin elements. It may be that the jazz world has another virtuoso to thank for Camilo choosing jazz over other musical pursuits --the legendary Art Tatum. “The first time ...

Michel Camilo: Live at the Blue Note

by Joel Roberts
February 19, 2004

It's easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer virtuosity Michel Camilo displays at the piano. His level of playing is so high, his technique so flawless, his musical vocabulary so broad, that you can lose sight of what truly sets him apart from the pack of simply proficient pianists; namely his ability to transcend mere notes to convey real emotion. Although he's ventured into classical, world beat and film music in the past, Camilo is a jazz ...