Los Angeles, CA (Top40 Charts/ Emerson Bran Management) Emerson Bran Management (EBM) is pleased to announce the latest addition to their all-star Latin & Jazz roster: Cuban Pianist, Aruán Ortiz! Look out for the artist who BET Jazz calls, the latest "Cuban Wunderkind." Known in the New York scene and across the world - EBM is excited to share Aruán Ortiz with you. This colorful and transparent musician will be releasing two new albums in March and April 2012. Aruán Ortiz, is fresh, grounded and offers a beautiful and entertaining Latin Rhythms.
In 2008 Aruán Ortiz arrived in New York creating ripples and curiosity in the American jazz scene. "I've had the opportunity to be near my biggest idols and share how they apply their wisdom, ideas, and philosophies to music in a creative and enlightened way," said Cuban Pianist Aruán Ortiz. A classically trained pianist, this Santiago de Cuba native's sound is as marked by the influence of the contemporary classical composers such as Schoenberg, Ravel, and Copland. He's also been touched by Afro Cuban sounds and jazz greats Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Thelonious Monks.
Today his talent continues to delight and entertain within this musical genre - as he exposes the root of his music path shedding light on personal and professional experiences. Critics have nothing but wonderful things to say about him. "Original music that revealed an impressive approach to improvising and composing, giving positive meaning to the term intelligent design" (All About Jazz, New York). "Jazz fans applaud, and novices mark your calendars. Aruán Ortiz, critically acclaimed Cuban pianist is a 'must see'" (New York Post).
2012 is an exciting year in the jazz scene - Aruán will be releasing two albums and is scheduled for back to back performances in the U.S. and abroad. From his own quartet, Orbiting (Fresh Sound records) will be released on March 1st. Shortly after, Santiaracan Blues Suite (Sunnyside Records), commissioned by the Jose Mateo Ballet for its 25th anniversary which provides the essence of cultural developments in Cuba will be released in April. The entanglement and brilliance of modernistic classical and Afro-Cuban jazz rhythms in these albums is truly evident.
Don't miss this critically acclaimed pianist, as he will be promoting gems from his newest album compilations. Aruán Ortiz is scheduled to perform at his CD Release party February 16th at the Cornelia Street Café in New York, February 24th - 25th at Samurai Studios in New York, March 1st - 11th in Italy, and March 12th -17th in Spain, and March 31st at John Hopkins University in Maryland. For a more performance details, visit Aruán Ortiz's website at: http://www.aruanortíz.net
About Aruán Ortiz,
Aruán Ortiz was born and raised in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. His classical studies marked his predilection for twentieth century composers like Maurice Ravel, Olivier Messiaen, Arnold Schoënberg, Gustav Mahler, and Paul Hindemith. After being awarded a scholarship by the Generalitat de Catalunya and a grant from SGAE to develop his jazz studies abroad, he moved to
Boston to study at Berklee College of Music. Soon afterward he was asked to teach several workshops and clinics on Cuban music at Berklee College of Music, Longy Conservatory of Music, and Tanglewood
Music Camp for gifted students sponsored by
Boston University and the
Boston Symphony. During this period he toured in U.S. promoting his modern jazz effort Aruán Ortiz Trio, Vol. 1, (Ayva Musica/Universal, 2004) as well as a sideman with such distinguished jazz performers as Greg Osby, Wallace Roney and Ralph Peterson.
In 2005, he founded the Aruán Ortiz Quartet and composed and produced a CD called Alameda, (Fresh Sound New Talent), where he combined jazz, classical, and essences of Afro‐Cuban rhythms. The album received 4 stars in Jazzwise Magazine and was named one of the Top Ten Jazz CDs of the year. Aruán as a composer has collaborated with the Jose Mateo Ballet Theater on the occasion of it's 25th anniversary on a new score for ballet titled Pagano o No (Pagan or not). Ortíz has also composed and arranged an upcoming album of traditional Cuban music titled "ElCumbanchero" (JazzHeads) for flutist Mark Weinstein. Ortíz has performed, toured, or recorded with artists such as Horacio "El negro Hernandez",
Giovanni Hidalgo, Rasheed Ali, Joe Lovano, Wallace Roney, Greg Osby, Paquito d'Rivera, Mark Weinstein, Cindy Blackman, Esperanza Spalding, Terry Lyne Carrington, Scott Colley, Gary Thomas, and
David Gilmore, among many others. To learn more about Aruán Ortiz, please visit: http://www.aruanortíz.net
