Aruán Ortiz, “the latest Cuban wunderkind to arrive in the United States” (BET Jazz), hit the ground running when he came on the American jazz scene in 2003.
A former classically trained violist and 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 as by traditional Afro Cuban sounds and jazz greats Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Thelonious Monk.
Aruán’s jazz career took off in Europe after being recipient of various awards including Best Jazz Interpretation, Festival de Jazz in Vic, Spain (2000) and Semifinalist, Jas Hennessy Piano Solo Competition, Montreux, Switzerland (2001). He soon became a first‐call pianist in Barcelona and Paris. Since arriving in the US, he has played steadily with Wallace Roney, Antoine Roney, Terri Lyne Carrington, Greg Osby, and Cindy Blackman. He has also played or recorded with Esperanza Spalding, Gary Thomas, Wayne Krantz, Rasheed Ali, Stefon Harris, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, Giovanni Hidalgo, George Garzone, Jane Bunnett, and Jerry Bergonzi among other great jazz artists.
Aruán considers himself “a curious person who loves music”, and portrays his music as an architectural structure of sounds, incorporating contemporary classical music, Afro‐Cuban rhythms and improvisation as primary material in his compositions. This is evident in his recordings Impresión Tropical, Universal 1996; Aruán Ortiz Trio Vol. 1, Ayva/Pimienta/ Universal, 2004; and Alameda, Fresh Sound New Talent, 2009, which received 4 stars in Jazzwise magazine (U.K.) which named it one of the top ten jazz CDs of the year.
Aruán’s ability to subtly incorporate world music elements into avant‐garde jazz makes his sense of creativity unique and recognizable in different styles. This musical vision led him to be featured on dozens of albums such as the Flamenco influenced recording ‘Evocación’ by Raynald Colom (Ad Lib Arts/Harmonia Mundi 2009), Esperanza Spalding’s “Junjo,” (Ayva Música, 2005), Arturo Stable’s “Notes on Canvas” (Origen Records, 2005), Wallace Roney’s “If Only for One Night” (High Note, 2010), The Afro-Horn Project by Francisco Mora Catlett (AACE, 2012), Steve Turre’s “Woody’s Delight” (High Note, 2012), among many others.
He was invited by flutist Mark Weinstein to produce, arrange and perform on the CD “El Cumbanchero” (Jazzheads 2010), inspired by the traditional music of Cuba for string quintet, flute, piano and percussion. This album was nominated as one of the best albums of 2011 by numerous music publications, and Aruán won Latin Jazz Corner’s “Arranger of the Year 2011” for his contribution on this album.
The music of his upcoming CD Santiarican Blues Suite (Sunnyside Records, 2012), was commissioned by the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre for the 25th anniversary of the company 2010. The choreography Pagan or Not by Jose Mateo based in the music of this Suite, was selected one of the best ballet performances in New England in 2011.
Aruán Ortiz is a critically acclaimed and recognized performer, composer, producer and educator, not only on the New York City scene, but around the globe as well.
