Young musicians in today’s Latin Jazz scene are playing by a different set of standards that push the music in completely new directions. They live in a world that exists without Machito, Puente, or Gillespie. They’ve studied the impact of these musicians and connected with their legacies, integrating the important aspects of their styles into a new performance technique. They realize that these musicians built the future where we now live and they boldly look forward while paying their respects to the past. They’re surrounded by a new musical aesthetic that reflects a shrinking world that has blurred the distinctions between genres. They freely access music from around the world and in many cases, they connect personally with global artists. Many of these musicians have had the luxury of a collegiate education, allowing them to explore musical worlds in details. They hold an understanding of Caribbean and South American music, but they also relate to jazz, classical music, and the avant-garde. Their technical control over their instruments reflects their years of study, and they apply it with a controlled musicality. Modern musicians simply have a lot of history to build upon, a wealth of techniques to employ, and amazing access to musical information, allowing them to create stunning variations upon the genre.

Pianist Aruán Ortiz sits among the current generation of Latin Jazz musicians presenting the genre from a very different viewpoint. Born in Santiago de Cuba in 1973, Ortiz received an intensive musical training in the Cuban educational system. His initial training focused upon classical repertoire on the viola, taking him to both the Escuela Vocacional de Arte in Santiago de Cuba and the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, Cuba. He integrated the piano into his musical vocabulary and once again dived into classical studies at the Esteban Salas Conservatory in Santiago de Cuba. In 1995, Ortiz won an award for Best Cuban Composition at the Symposium of Cuban Music in Jamaica, drawing the attention of a Spanish music label. The label encouraged a move to Spain and Ortiz agreed. Once settled, he took part in the recording La Isla de la Musica and garnered many awards. Ortiz jumped to New York in 2003, sending his jazz career into high gear. He earned a good deal of attention and in 2005 he recorded Junjo with Esperanza Spalding and Notes on Canvas with Arturo Stable. Ortiz also recorded his first album as a leader in 2005, fronting a trio on the dynamic date Vol. 1. As his jazz star continued to rise, Ortiz caught the attention of trumpet player Wallace Roney, earning a permanent spot in Roney’s band. The group toured consistently and recorded a live set at New York’s Iridium on If Only for One Night. Ortiz recorded his second album as a leader in 2009, releasing Alameda, a quartet recording featuring saxophonist Antoine Roney. In 2010 Ortiz helped create one of flautist Mark Weinstein’s most dynamic and thrilling albums, Timbasa, a modern Cuban look at standard Latin Jazz repertoire. With every project that Ortiz approaches, he places his undeniably personal stamp onto the music and stretches the limits of our imagination.

The brave exploration of new musical horizons remains an important part of Ortiz’s artistic vision, as he and his generation carefully shapes the future of Latin Jazz. In tribute to the creative work being done by Ortiz, today’s Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix is dedicated to his unique musical personality. In three clips from a 2004 trio performance, Ortiz leads the group through three original compositions that encompass a wide stylistic gamut. It’s a bold new vision of the music, held down by Ortiz’s amazing piano skills - enjoy!

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Aruán Ortiz Trio Performing “Alameda”

Aruán Ortiz Trio Performing “Recapitulacion”

Aruán Ortiz Trio Performing “Etude No. 6, Op. 10″

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Want to hear more from Aruán Ortiz? Check out these albums:

Aruan Ortiz Trio: Vol. 1

Mark Weinstein: Timbasa

Esperanza Spalding: Junjo

Wallace Roney: If Only for One Night

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Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in - it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans - let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Album Of The Week: Timbasa, Mark Weinstein
Album Of The Week: Call, Arturo Stable Quintet
Latin Jazz Conversations: Mark Weinstein (Part 4)
Latin Jazz In The 2000s: A New Generation

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