Hilton’s Last Note
Hilton Ruiz
Hilton Ruiz Music Corporation
Even after a lifetime of artistic dedication, a Latin Jazz artist holds very little control over their legacy; after they pass, we often remember small sound bits about an artist and forget about the bigger picture. Cultural icons grow into massive pieces of the musical landscape after their death, as the general public confuses their sociological influence with artistic impact. Sometimes talented musicians become overblown figures of unlimited genius while the public forgets about their true contributions and affords them legendary status. Many times the music audience becomes concerned with the events surrounding a musician’s death and overlooks their actual artistic output. People recall diverse musicians with a limited viewpoint, calling attention to only their most influential aspects and disregarding their other strengths. On the saddest of occasions, the greater population forgets a musician completely, leaving their memory in the hands of a select few. When the public misplaces their focus, they dishonor the musician’s work and forget the value of their musical contributions. We often loose the true essence of a musician once they leave our world, and sometimes we need a concrete reminder to put their legacy into perspective. Their accepted catalog of recordings keep their memory alive, but new discoveries snap their total contributions into perspective for us. Pianist Hilton Ruiz left the Latin Jazz world much too soon, leaving an influential body of recordings that captured a snapshot of his legacy; Hilton’s Last Note, a collection of unreleased recordings and tribute tracks, expands the picture of Ruiz’s musicianship, bringing us closer to a fuller view of his contributions.

A Number Of Unreleased Recordings
Several tracks feature Ruiz’s unreleased recordings, created in the process of developing a New Orleans themed album. After a ferocious unison percussion break, cuatro player Yomo Toro makes a bold statement over a swaggering groove that touches upon both plena and funk on “Goin’ Back To New Orleans,” before the horn players introduce a bluesy melody. The song opens to a series of strong soloists as Toro tears over the steady groove with quick runs and saxophonist Sweet Sue Terry passionately drives screeching repeated rhythmic figures over the band. Trumpet player Lou Soloff pushes the band into a frenzy with sweltering high notes and virtuosic flights before trombone player Dick Griffin uses fluttering notes, steps outside the changes, and forced rhythms to build his idea. Once Ruiz takes center stage, his pronounced musical personality stands tall over the proceedings as he travels through an extended improvisation with jazz finesse, blues-tinged licks, quick runs, and brief steps around the chord structure. The group steps outside the Latin genre with a sultry slow blues swing on “Crescent City Blues,” carving a space for Terry to turn a melody into a smoldering fire. Ruiz shows the influence of the great blues piano players with an improvisation full of classic lines until Griffin applies his distinctively dirty sound to a captivating chorus. Soloff creates an immediate contrast with his crisp clear tone that reaches into the upper reaches of his instrument’s register, giving way to Toro’s combination of blues guitar and Puerto Rican flavor. “Hilton’s Last Note; Michael’s Mambo” picks up mid-performance with a screaming improvisation from Ruiz and an introductory statement from Ruiz’s daughter Aida. Toro takes an extended improvisation filled with rhythmic intensity and a strong forward motion that inspires ample response from the rhythm section. Ruiz displays the magical sense of phrasing that made him a Latin Jazz legend on a long statement that resonates with a rich handle on the jazz vocabulary and a healthy dose of rhythmic tension. As Ruiz brings his improvisation to a close, he bursts into a driving montuno as percussionist Reynato Thomas and drummer Dafnis Prieto take short solos. Two tracks also feature the group on outtakes from a famous Ruiz composition, “Home Cookin’,” giving another glimpse of untold possibilities. These tracks sparkle with the inherent musicality that lived in every Ruiz performance and the lost possibility that sat in his uncompleted album.

A Well Deserved Tribute To Ruiz
A number of Ruiz’s colleagues perform on the remaining tracks, creating a well-deserved tribute to the pianist. Flautist Carlos Jimenez and vibraphonist Jay Hoggard introduce “Descarga Espiritual” with a unison rhythmic vamp before bassist Ruben Rodriguez kicks the jam session into high gear with a powerful bass line. Jimenez powerfully floats over the rhythm section’s assertive momentum, blending long graceful runs and repeated rhythmic ideas into a potent mixture. Hoggard turns on the heat with a short but searing solo that finds his mallets flying over the bars with a fiery intensity, throwing in bits of montunos for good measure. In a reflectively tender moment, Jimenez and Hoggard fall into a duet on “Hilton’s Melody,” capturing a classic bit of Ruiz lyricism. The rich tone of Hoggard’s vibes shimmer against Jimenez’s dark flute sound as the musicians soulfully interpret the short but meaningful melody. Drummer Vince Cherico explodes into “Samba for Hilton & Danny” with an aggressive fill before the band settles into a relaxed Brazilian groove behind Jimenez’s memorable melody. Hoggard leaps into an energetic improvisation, playing upon the song’s rich harmonic basis with a combination of running melodies and syncopated rhythms. Jimenez captures Hoggard’s enthusiasm and flies through several choruses with a keen sense of melody fueled by a passionate inertia. The group remembers Ruiz well with a spirited collection of pieces that reveal the respect and fondness that the musicians shared for their lost musical peer.

Looking At Ruiz’s Legacy From Multiple Perspectives
Hilton’s Last Note provides multiple perspectives upon Ruiz’s influence, providing a look at his body of work performed both by himself and his fellow musicians. Ruiz brings the recording to life with his typically energetic and insightful performance, digging deep into both jazz and Latin traditions with an authentic flair. At the same time, Ruiz emerges as a highly perceptive artist, tapping into the soul of New Orleans without loosing the essence of his Nuyorican sound. The bridge that Ruiz builds between New Orleans and New York reveals his kind heart and great appreciation for the music world; these recordings were created as a reaction to the horrible Katrina incident in an attempt to help rebuild the city’s music scene. The inclusion of Toro adds a special element to these tracks, furthering the cultural connection into the Caribbean and showing New Orleans as a true musical melting pot. The tracks without Ruiz display his colleague’s appreciation for the pianist, and the artistic impact that he left upon the Latin Jazz world. Cherico, Rodriguez, and Martinez attack the music with the aggressive and knowledgeable approach that always fueled Ruiz’s work. Jimenez fronts the group with confidence and strength displaying a noticeable presence as a lead instrument. Hoggard’s performance adds a powerful voice to the recording, bringing a jazz authority to the proceedings while emerging as a strong Latin performer. The tracks from both ensembles paint a full picture on Hilton’s Last Note, reminding us that there’s a large body of depth to Ruiz’s legacy that needs to be explored from every angle to honestly understand the vast reaches of his musicality.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Revisiting Latin Jazz Classics: Manhattan Mambo, Hilton Ruiz
David Sanchez Tenor Sax Solo On Home Cookin’
Remembering Ralph Mercado (1941 - 2009): Tropijazz All-Stars On Video
Revisiting Latin Jazz Classics: Ya Yo Me Cure, Jerry Gonzalez

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