Elio Villafranca
Born in the Pinar del Río province of Western Cuba, pianist and composer Elio Villafranca was classically trained in percussion and composition at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, Cuba. Since his arrival in the U.S. in late 1995, he has been involved in jazz and Latin jazz scenes on both the East and West Coasts. Based in New York City, he is resident professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Elio on Tour
Elio Villafranca is at the forefront of the latest generation of remarkable Cuban pianists, composers and bandleaders that for several years has been making major creative contributions to the international development of modern jazz. In the 2010 Grammy Awards he was nominated in Best Latin Jazz Album of the Year, for his performance, composition and coproduction in the album Things I Wanted To Do by Chembo Corniel.
He has released three albums as a bandleader that were each well received. His last album, The Source in Between, 2007, remained in the top 10 of the JazzWeek World Top 50 Chart for eleven weeks, and his first album, Incantations/Encantaciones, was ranked amongst the 50 best jazz albums of the year by JazzTimes magazine in 2003. In 2008 Elio Villafranca was also nominated by The Jazz Corner as pianist of the year and he received the Jazz Twirlie Nomination by Dick Crockett, of “The Voice” at 88.7FM, for his album The Source In Between.
That year, Mr. Villafranca was also honored by BMI with the BMI Jazz Guaranty Award and received the first NFA/Heineken Green Ribbon Master Artist Music Grant for the creation of his Concerto for Mariachi, for Afro-Cuban Percussion and Symphony Orchestra. Villafranca was also pianist in the CD La Guerra No by John Santos Y El Coro Folklorico Kindembo, which was nominated in the 2010 Grammy Awards as Best Traditional World Music Album. Over the years Elio Villafranca’s music has featured jazz master artists such as Pat Martino, Jane Bunnett, Terell Stafford, and Eric Alexander, among other notable instrumentalists.
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Album Review
- Cinque by Maurizio Zerbo
Radio & Podcasts
Catching Up With
New York Beat
Extended Analysis
Album Review
- Dos Y Mas by Dan Bilawsky
Interview
Album Review
- The Source In Between by Marcia Hillman
- Incantations Encantaciones by Javier AQ Ortiz
Interview
Read more articlesSeptember 30, 2021
Elio Villafranca & The Jass Syncopators - Oct. 13 - Chelsea Table +...
October 20, 2020
Cuban Pianist Elio Villafranca New Children's Book: Who Ate The Pie?
August 04, 2020
Eva Cortés New Release - Todas Las Voces - Features Christian McBride,...
December 28, 2019
2019 Grammy Nominee Elio Villafranca & The Jass Synopators Featuring...
October 09, 2019
Elio Villafranca Quintet Makes Their Debut At Smoke On October 24-27!
May 10, 2019
Elio Villafranca Free Concert In Da Bronx On May 28th At 6pm - Debuts...
December 07, 2018
Elio Villafranca's Cinque Nominated For 2019 Grammy Award As Best...
November 04, 2018
Elio Villafranca Continues Cinque World Tour To Mexico! November 6th...
August 03, 2018
Elio Villafranca Launches Cinque World Tour! Australia To Mexico
June 27, 2018
Elio Villafranca - 2018 Downbeat 2018 Critics Poll Winner "Rising Star...
Growing up next door to a local cultural center... surely help to develop his loaded, technically superior, sharp and romantic pianism. —JazzTimes
It is not difficult to sort out Villafranca’s musicality, brute force, effervescence, topicality, virtuosic independence, patience, candor, and brazen delicacy… This recording is a welcome relief among both recent jazz and Latin jazz releases and it makes one wonders where Villafranca will go next. Wherever he goes, one must follow. —All About Jazz
Villafranca is at the level of his countrymen, Chucho Valdes and Gonzalo Rubalcaba..
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Cinque + Narration 2 (Part 1)
From: CinqueBy Elio Villafranca