| Gonzalo Rubalcaba — Suite Caminos |
Gonzalo Rubalcaba — Suite Caminos
• Basically brilliant album. What else would we expect from the double Grammy Awards? A Grammy Award–winning Cuban jazz pianist and composer. A gifted Cuban jazz pianist with amazing technique who filters various influences through the lense of his heritage.
• Havana–born master Gonzalo Rubalcaba has integrated huge swaths of the European classical and jazz traditions, while maintaining bone–deep ties to the rhythmic currents of Cuba. Rubalcaba quickly gained fame on the American scene through the efforts of famed bassist Charlie Haden, distinguishing himself with his bravura technique and hair–raising rhythmic prowess.
Birth name: Julio Gonzalo González Fonseca
Born: May 27, 1963
Location: La Habana, Cuba ~~ República Dominicana ~~ Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Album release: May 23rd, 2015
Record Label: 5Passion
Duration: 83:44
Tracks:
01. Sendero De Aliento 9:08
02. El Hijo Mensajero 9:21
03. Destino Sin Fin 10:00
04. Sendero De Espuma 14:45
05. Santa Meta 10:58
06. Alameda De Vientos (Feat. John Mclaughlin) 9:25
07. Via Prodigiosa 6:31
08. Ronda De Suerte 13:37
Description:
• Gonzalo Julio Gonzalez Fonseca was born in post–revolutionary Havana into a musical family rich in the traditions of the country’s artistic past. During his childhood, in addition to the standard fare of elementary schools, Gonzalo absorbed the Cuban musical heritage of his nascent environment through personal contacts within his family, notably his father, pianist Guillermo Rubalcaba and his two brothers (pianist and bassist) as well as from leading musicians who were frequent houseguests: Frank Emilio, Peruchin, Felipe Dulzaides and others. He also assimilated, through scarce and treasured recordings, the tunes and styles of 40's — 70's US jazz masters: Thelonius Monk, Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson among pianists; and instrumentalists Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey. Gonzalo loved drumming and early in his career studied both piano and drums. Despite the diversity of his background, Gonzalo’s initial formal musical training was entirely classical. He began his training at Manuel Saumell Conservatory at age 9, where he finally chose the piano as his main instrument. He moved up to middle–school at Amadeo Roldan Conservatory and finally earned his degree in music composition from Havana’s Institute of Fine Arts in 1983.
• By that time he was already playing in clubs and music halls in Havana. He toured France and Africa with Orquesta Aragon in 1980 and introduced his own Grupo Projecto to the North Sea and Berlin Festivals in 1985. Egrem Studios of Havana was the first to record his music during the early and mid ’80's and these discs, Inicio, an album of piano solos and Concierto Negro, are still available. Beginning in 1986 Gonzalo began recording for Messidor of Frankfurt, Germany and put out three highly acclaimed albums for that label with his Cuban Quartet entitled Mi Gran Pasion, Live in Havana, and Giraldilla. On the strength of these works Gonzalo began attracting international attention and in 1986 a chance meeting in Havana with bassist Charlie Haden brought him to the attention of Blue Note Records‘ president, Bruce Lundvall, and thus began an association first withToshiba/EMI of Japan and later with Blue Note in the US which resulted in 14 discs being released. (See the Discography page for a complete listing.) In July 1990, he appeared as a surprise guest in an historic performance, available on the CD Discovery with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian (ex Bill Evans trio members) at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland.
• Further works eventually brought Gonzalo both a Latin Grammy for Jazz Album of the Year, Supernova, as well as a Grammy for co–production with Charlie Haden on Nocturne, a Verve release of Cuban and Mexican boleros and ballads. Gonzalo has to his credit 15 Grammy nominations, including five for Jazz Album of the Year, Rapsodia in 1995, Antiguoand Inner Voyage in 1999, Supernova in 2002, Avatar in 2008. Among recent honors, in June 2001 Gonzalo received the SFJAZZ Leaders Circle Laureate Award and in 2002 he performed as Artist–in–Residence at the Montreal Jazz Festival together with Chucho Valdez. Gonzalo has performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Ignacio Berroa, Chick Corea, Al DiMeola, Herbie Hancock,Charlie Haden, Katia Labeque, Richard Galliano, Francisco Cepsedes, Tony Martinez, Issac Delgado, Juan Luis Guerra, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Eric Harland, Dennis Chambers, Brian Bromberg, Ron Carter, Yosvany Terry, Matt Brewer, Mike Rodriguez, Marcus Gilmore, Pat Martino, Giovanni Hidalgo, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Joao Bosco, Eric Harland , Ivan Linz and many others.
Artist Biography by Steve Huey
• One of the most important figures to emerge from Afro–Cuban jazz in the '90s, Gonzalo Rubalcaba is an extraordinarily versatile pianist able to blend disparate strands of Cuban and American jazz tradition into a fresh, modern whole. Born into a musical family in Havana on May 27, 1963, Rubalcaba began studying classical piano at age eight, honing his technique in that area for the next 12 years while playing around Havana by night. In 1983, he toured France and Africa with Cuba's longstanding Orquesta Aragon, and formed his own band, Grupo Proyecto, in 1985, the same year he was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie. In 1986, Rubalcaba played the Havana Jazz Festival with the American rhythm section of Charlie Haden and Paul Motian, and with Haden's support soon appeared at major international festivals like Montreal and Montreux.
• Rubalcaba’s early dates for Blue Note — 1990’s Discovery: Live at Montreux and the following year's The Blessing — were instant classics, breaking him among American jazz audiences and showcasing his virtuosic technique and dense improvisations. Rubalcaba was finally able to play for American audiences beginning in 1993, including a star–making appearance at Lincoln Center, and soon emigrated from Cuba (though not to the U.S. right away; he eventually settled in South Florida in 1996). Rubalcaba recorded for several labels, including Blue Note, which was home to much of his best later work, including 1999’s introspective Inner Voyage, 2001’s Grammy–winning Supernova, 2004’s Paseo, which offered new interpretations of old songs, and 2005's aptly named Solo. In 2002 Rubalcaba shared the title of Artist in Residence at the Montreal Jazz Festival with fellow pianist Chucho Valdés, and in 2003, as part of the Bele Bele Jazz Club series, issued Straight Ahead, re–releases of three separate recording sessions between 1986 and 1987.
As leader:
• Concierto Negro (1987)
• Mi Gran Pasion (1987)
• Live in Havana (1989)
• Giraldilla (1990)
• Discovery: Live at Montreux (1990)
• The Blessing (1991)
• Images: Live at Mt. Fuji (1991)
• Suite 4 y 20 (1992)
• Rapsodia (1992)
• Imagine (1993)
• Diz (1993)
• Concatenacion (1995)
• Flying Colors (1997) with Joe Lovano
• Antiguo (1998)
• Inner Voyage (1999) with Michael Brecker
• Supernova (2001)
• Inicio (2001)
• Nocturne (2001) with Charlie Haden
• Paseo (2004)
• Land of the Sun (2004) with Charlie Haden
• Solo (2006)
• Avatar (2008)
• Fé (2010)
• XXI Century (2011)
• Volcan (2013)
• Live Faith (2014)
• Suite Caminos (2015)
Blog: http://www.g-rubalcaba.com/blog/
SFJazz Festival, June 2015: http://www.sfjazz.org/events/festival/2015/0621/ernesto-lecuona-tribute
Website: http://www.g-rubalcaba.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GRubalcaba
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gonzalo-Rubalcaba-Official-Fan-Page/101984599854612?ref=ts
_____________________________________________________________
| Gonzalo Rubalcaba — Suite Caminos |
• Havana–born master Gonzalo Rubalcaba has integrated huge swaths of the European classical and jazz traditions, while maintaining bone–deep ties to the rhythmic currents of Cuba. Rubalcaba quickly gained fame on the American scene through the efforts of famed bassist Charlie Haden, distinguishing himself with his bravura technique and hair–raising rhythmic prowess.
Birth name: Julio Gonzalo González Fonseca
Born: May 27, 1963
Location: La Habana, Cuba ~~ República Dominicana ~~ Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Album release: May 23rd, 2015
Record Label: 5Passion
Duration: 83:44
Tracks:
01. Sendero De Aliento 9:08
02. El Hijo Mensajero 9:21
03. Destino Sin Fin 10:00
04. Sendero De Espuma 14:45
05. Santa Meta 10:58
06. Alameda De Vientos (Feat. John Mclaughlin) 9:25
07. Via Prodigiosa 6:31
08. Ronda De Suerte 13:37
Description:
• Gonzalo Julio Gonzalez Fonseca was born in post–revolutionary Havana into a musical family rich in the traditions of the country’s artistic past. During his childhood, in addition to the standard fare of elementary schools, Gonzalo absorbed the Cuban musical heritage of his nascent environment through personal contacts within his family, notably his father, pianist Guillermo Rubalcaba and his two brothers (pianist and bassist) as well as from leading musicians who were frequent houseguests: Frank Emilio, Peruchin, Felipe Dulzaides and others. He also assimilated, through scarce and treasured recordings, the tunes and styles of 40's — 70's US jazz masters: Thelonius Monk, Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson among pianists; and instrumentalists Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey. Gonzalo loved drumming and early in his career studied both piano and drums. Despite the diversity of his background, Gonzalo’s initial formal musical training was entirely classical. He began his training at Manuel Saumell Conservatory at age 9, where he finally chose the piano as his main instrument. He moved up to middle–school at Amadeo Roldan Conservatory and finally earned his degree in music composition from Havana’s Institute of Fine Arts in 1983.
• By that time he was already playing in clubs and music halls in Havana. He toured France and Africa with Orquesta Aragon in 1980 and introduced his own Grupo Projecto to the North Sea and Berlin Festivals in 1985. Egrem Studios of Havana was the first to record his music during the early and mid ’80's and these discs, Inicio, an album of piano solos and Concierto Negro, are still available. Beginning in 1986 Gonzalo began recording for Messidor of Frankfurt, Germany and put out three highly acclaimed albums for that label with his Cuban Quartet entitled Mi Gran Pasion, Live in Havana, and Giraldilla. On the strength of these works Gonzalo began attracting international attention and in 1986 a chance meeting in Havana with bassist Charlie Haden brought him to the attention of Blue Note Records‘ president, Bruce Lundvall, and thus began an association first withToshiba/EMI of Japan and later with Blue Note in the US which resulted in 14 discs being released. (See the Discography page for a complete listing.) In July 1990, he appeared as a surprise guest in an historic performance, available on the CD Discovery with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian (ex Bill Evans trio members) at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland.
• Further works eventually brought Gonzalo both a Latin Grammy for Jazz Album of the Year, Supernova, as well as a Grammy for co–production with Charlie Haden on Nocturne, a Verve release of Cuban and Mexican boleros and ballads. Gonzalo has to his credit 15 Grammy nominations, including five for Jazz Album of the Year, Rapsodia in 1995, Antiguoand Inner Voyage in 1999, Supernova in 2002, Avatar in 2008. Among recent honors, in June 2001 Gonzalo received the SFJAZZ Leaders Circle Laureate Award and in 2002 he performed as Artist–in–Residence at the Montreal Jazz Festival together with Chucho Valdez. Gonzalo has performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Ignacio Berroa, Chick Corea, Al DiMeola, Herbie Hancock,Charlie Haden, Katia Labeque, Richard Galliano, Francisco Cepsedes, Tony Martinez, Issac Delgado, Juan Luis Guerra, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Eric Harland, Dennis Chambers, Brian Bromberg, Ron Carter, Yosvany Terry, Matt Brewer, Mike Rodriguez, Marcus Gilmore, Pat Martino, Giovanni Hidalgo, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Joao Bosco, Eric Harland , Ivan Linz and many others.
Artist Biography by Steve Huey
• One of the most important figures to emerge from Afro–Cuban jazz in the '90s, Gonzalo Rubalcaba is an extraordinarily versatile pianist able to blend disparate strands of Cuban and American jazz tradition into a fresh, modern whole. Born into a musical family in Havana on May 27, 1963, Rubalcaba began studying classical piano at age eight, honing his technique in that area for the next 12 years while playing around Havana by night. In 1983, he toured France and Africa with Cuba's longstanding Orquesta Aragon, and formed his own band, Grupo Proyecto, in 1985, the same year he was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie. In 1986, Rubalcaba played the Havana Jazz Festival with the American rhythm section of Charlie Haden and Paul Motian, and with Haden's support soon appeared at major international festivals like Montreal and Montreux.
• Rubalcaba’s early dates for Blue Note — 1990’s Discovery: Live at Montreux and the following year's The Blessing — were instant classics, breaking him among American jazz audiences and showcasing his virtuosic technique and dense improvisations. Rubalcaba was finally able to play for American audiences beginning in 1993, including a star–making appearance at Lincoln Center, and soon emigrated from Cuba (though not to the U.S. right away; he eventually settled in South Florida in 1996). Rubalcaba recorded for several labels, including Blue Note, which was home to much of his best later work, including 1999’s introspective Inner Voyage, 2001’s Grammy–winning Supernova, 2004’s Paseo, which offered new interpretations of old songs, and 2005's aptly named Solo. In 2002 Rubalcaba shared the title of Artist in Residence at the Montreal Jazz Festival with fellow pianist Chucho Valdés, and in 2003, as part of the Bele Bele Jazz Club series, issued Straight Ahead, re–releases of three separate recording sessions between 1986 and 1987.
As leader:
• Concierto Negro (1987)
• Mi Gran Pasion (1987)
• Live in Havana (1989)
• Giraldilla (1990)
• Discovery: Live at Montreux (1990)
• The Blessing (1991)
• Images: Live at Mt. Fuji (1991)
• Suite 4 y 20 (1992)
• Rapsodia (1992)
• Imagine (1993)
• Diz (1993)
• Concatenacion (1995)
• Flying Colors (1997) with Joe Lovano
• Antiguo (1998)
• Inner Voyage (1999) with Michael Brecker
• Supernova (2001)
• Inicio (2001)
• Nocturne (2001) with Charlie Haden
• Paseo (2004)
• Land of the Sun (2004) with Charlie Haden
• Solo (2006)
• Avatar (2008)
• Fé (2010)
• XXI Century (2011)
• Volcan (2013)
• Live Faith (2014)
• Suite Caminos (2015)
Blog: http://www.g-rubalcaba.com/blog/
SFJazz Festival, June 2015: http://www.sfjazz.org/events/festival/2015/0621/ernesto-lecuona-tribute
Website: http://www.g-rubalcaba.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GRubalcaba
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gonzalo-Rubalcaba-Official-Fan-Page/101984599854612?ref=ts
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