Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Encyclopedia
Gonzalo Rubalcaba is a Grammy Award
-winning Cuban jazz
pianist and composer.
Gonzalo Julio Gonzalez Fonseca was born in Havana, Cuba, May 27, 1963, 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 was absorbing his Cuban musical heritage through personal contacts within his family, notably his father, pianist Guillermo Rubalcaba, and leading musicians who were frequent houseguests: Frank Emilio
, Pedro "Peruchin" Justiz, Felipe Dulzaides
and others. He also assimilated through scarce and treasured recordings the tunes and styles of 40’s – 70’s US jazz masters: Thelonious Monk
, Bud Powell
, Oscar Peterson
among pianists; and instrumentalists Charlie Parker
, Dizzy Gillespie
and Art Blakey
.
Initially he studied both piano and drums. He began his classical musical training at Manuel Saumell Conservatory at age 9, where he had to choose piano; 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.
Gonzalo Rubalcaba has received 14 Grammy nominations (wining 2 Grammys for Nocturne and Land of the Sun, and 2 Latin Grammys for Solo and Supernova) including four for Jazz Album of the Year (Rapsodia in 1995, Antiguo and Inner Voyage in 1999, and Supernova in 2002).
He received the Palme d'Or from the Music Academy in Paris in 1991. He also received 2 "Best Performer" awards for "Suite 4y20" and "Rapsodia" in 1992 and 1993 respectively. In 2008, Gonzalo was awarded the "Vanguard Award" by The ASCAP Foundation for "charting new directions in Jazz".
Gonzalo has performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie
, Ignacio Berroa
, Chick Corea
, Al DiMeola, Herbie Hancock
, Charlie Haden
, Katia Labèque, Richard Galliano
, Francisco Céspedes
, 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 Lins
and many others.
Egrem Studios of Havana was the first to record his music during the early and mid ‘80’s, and these discs are still being released (recently Inicio, an album of piano solos, and Concierto Negro.) With Orquesta Aragon he toured France and Africa in 1980. He introduced his own Grupo Projecto to the North Sea and Berlin Festivals in l985. Beginning in 1986 Gonzalo began recording for Messidor of Frandfurt, Germany, and put out three albums for that label with his Cuban Quartet, Mi Gran Pasion, Live in Havana, and Giraldilla.
In 1986 he had a chance meeting in Havana with bassist Charlie Haden. Through Charlie Haden he came to the attention of Bruce Lundvall president of Blue Note Records, and thus began an association, first with Toshiba/EMI of Japan, and later with Blue Note in the US, which has resulted in the release of eleven discs. In July 1990 he appeared as a surprise guest with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian at the Montreux Festival, Switzerland, released on the CD titled 'Discovery'). In June 2001 Gonzalo received the SFJAZZ Leaders Circle Laureate Award, and in 2002 he performed as Artist in Residence at Montreal Jazz Festival together with Chucho Valdez.
In 2002, these collaborations brought him both a Latin Grammy for Jazz Album of the Year, Supernova, as well as a joint-Grammy with Charlie Haden for co-production of Nocturne, a Verve release of Cuban and Mexican boleros and ballads.
In 2010, Gonzalo founded his own record label entitled 5Passion with music enthusiast Gary Galimidi. He released his first independent offering on the label entitled "Fé" in November 2010. Gonzalo is presently preparing to record a Trio Album featuring Matt Brewer on Bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums. The sessions will be filmed by Toronto based video producer Original Spin in co-operation with 5Passion for eventual DVD/BluRay release in late 2011. Gonzalo continues to tour the world as a solo pianist, and as band leader.
Gonzalo married in November 1986, and he and Maria now have three children, ages 14, 17 and 20. The family moved to Santo Domingo in 1992, and then to the US in November 1996. All members of his family are U.S. Citizens, Gonzalo and Maria becoming citizens in December 2003.
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning Cuban jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist and composer.
Gonzalo Julio Gonzalez Fonseca was born in Havana, Cuba, May 27, 1963, 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 was absorbing his Cuban musical heritage through personal contacts within his family, notably his father, pianist Guillermo Rubalcaba, and leading musicians who were frequent houseguests: Frank Emilio
Frank Emilio
Frank A. Emilio is an American politician who represented the 3rd Essex district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1981–1991. Prior to serving in the House, he spent six years as a Haverhill City Councilor.Emilio was defeated by Haverhill City Councilor Brian Dempsey in the 1990...
, Pedro "Peruchin" Justiz, Felipe Dulzaides
Felipe Dulzaides
Felipe Dulzaides is a Cuban-American artist.Felipe Dulzaides’ is an artist whose work includes video, installations, photography, assemblages, neon, performance-actions, drawings, social sculptures and concept based public art projects...
and others. He also assimilated through scarce and treasured recordings the tunes and styles of 40’s – 70’s US jazz masters: Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
, Bud Powell
Bud Powell
Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell was an American Jazz pianist. Powell has been described as one of "the two most significant pianists of the style of modern jazz that came to be known as bop", the other being his friend and contemporary Thelonious Monk...
, Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
among pianists; and instrumentalists Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
, Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
and Art Blakey
Art Blakey
Arthur "Art" Blakey , known later as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina, was an American Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer and bandleader. He was a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community....
.
Initially he studied both piano and drums. He began his classical musical training at Manuel Saumell Conservatory at age 9, where he had to choose piano; 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.
Gonzalo Rubalcaba has received 14 Grammy nominations (wining 2 Grammys for Nocturne and Land of the Sun, and 2 Latin Grammys for Solo and Supernova) including four for Jazz Album of the Year (Rapsodia in 1995, Antiguo and Inner Voyage in 1999, and Supernova in 2002).
He received the Palme d'Or from the Music Academy in Paris in 1991. He also received 2 "Best Performer" awards for "Suite 4y20" and "Rapsodia" in 1992 and 1993 respectively. In 2008, Gonzalo was awarded the "Vanguard Award" by The ASCAP Foundation for "charting new directions in Jazz".
Gonzalo has performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, Ignacio Berroa
Ignacio Berroa
Ignacio Berroa is a jazz drummer.In 1980 Ignacio left his country during the Mariel Boatlift, moved to New York and joined Dizzy Gillespie’s quartet in 1981 becoming the drummer of all the important bands Gillespie formed until his death in 1993.Ignacio Berroa has been recognized by many as one of...
, Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
, Al DiMeola, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Charlie Haden
Charlie Haden
Charles Edward Haden is an American jazz musician. He is a double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman...
, Katia Labèque, Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano is a French accordionist.-Biography:He was drawn to music at an early age, starting with the accordion at 4, influenced by his father Lucien, an accordionist originally from Italy, living in Nice.After a long and intense period of study Richard Galliano (born December 12, 1950,...
, Francisco Céspedes
Francisco Céspedes
Francisco Fabián Céspedes Rodríguez, also known as Pancho Céspedes, is a Latin American singer, musician, and songwriter born in Santa Clara, Cuba. Céspedes is currently a naturalized Mexican...
, Tony Martinez
Tony Martínez
.Gabriel Antonio Martínez Díaz was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played for four seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1963 to 1966, playing in 73 career games.-External links:...
, Issac Delgado
Issac Delgado
This article is about the musician; for the New Orleans philanthropist with a similar name, see Isaac DelgadoIssac Delgado is one of the founders of the band NG La Banda and is a popular salsa and timba performer.-Early life and family:His father, Luis Delgado, was a tailor and his mother,...
, Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra is a singer, songwriter and producer from the Dominican Republic who has sold over 30 million records, and won numerous awards including 12 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards...
, Dave Holland
Dave Holland
Dave Holland is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for 40 years....
, Chris Potter
Chris Potter
Christopher or Chris Potter may refer to:*Chris Potter *Christopher Potter *Chris Potter *Chris Potter *Christopher Potter, English academic and clergyman*Chris Potter , Dean of St Asaph...
, Eric Harland
Eric Harland
Eric Harland is an American jazz drummer.Besides leading his own group Harland has performed with many renowned artists, including Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Joshua Redman, Ravi Coltrane, Kenny Garrett, Dave Holland, Charles Lloyd, Michael Brecker, Terence Blanchard, Walter Smith...
, Dennis Chambers
Dennis Chambers
Dennis Chambers is an American drummer who has recorded and performed with John Scofield, George Duke, Brecker Brothers, Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John McLaughlin, Niacin, Mike Stern, Greg Howe, and many others. Despite a lack of formal training, Chambers has become well known among...
, Brian Bromberg
Brian Bromberg
Brian Bromberg is an American jazz bassist and record producer who performs on both electric and acoustic instruments...
, Ron Carter
Ron Carter
Ron Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
, Yosvany Terry, Matt Brewer, Mike Rodriguez, Marcus Gilmore, Pat Martino
Pat Martino
Pat Martino is an Italian-American jazz guitarist and composer within the post bop, fusion, mainstream jazz, soul jazz and hard bop idioms.-Biography:...
, Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo a.k.a. "Mañenguito" is an educator and percussionist associated with Latin jazz.-Early years:Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico where he received his primary education. His grandfather had also been a musician as well as his father, José Manuel Hidalgo "Mañengue", who was...
, John Patitucci
John Patitucci
John Patitucci is an American Grammy-winning jazz double bass and jazz fusion electric bass player.-Biography:Patitucci is of Italian descent and was born in Brooklyn, New York, where he began playing the electric bass at age ten, composing and performing at age 12, as well as the acoustic bass at...
, Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. He is one of the most influential jazz drummers of the 20th century, due to extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians like Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett and Sonny...
, Joao Bosco
João Bosco
João Bosco de Freitas Mucci, better known as João Bosco is a noted Brazilian singer-songwriter with a distinctive style as a guitarist...
, Eric Harland
Eric Harland
Eric Harland is an American jazz drummer.Besides leading his own group Harland has performed with many renowned artists, including Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Joshua Redman, Ravi Coltrane, Kenny Garrett, Dave Holland, Charles Lloyd, Michael Brecker, Terence Blanchard, Walter Smith...
, Ivan Lins
Ivan Lins
Ivan Guimarães Lins is a Latin Grammy winning Brazilian musician. He has been an active performer and songwriter of Brazilian popular music and jazz for over 30 years. His first hit, Madalena, was recorded by Elis Regina in 1970. Beyond his own performance of his compositions, Simone is his most...
and many others.
Egrem Studios of Havana was the first to record his music during the early and mid ‘80’s, and these discs are still being released (recently Inicio, an album of piano solos, and Concierto Negro.) With Orquesta Aragon he toured France and Africa in 1980. He introduced his own Grupo Projecto to the North Sea and Berlin Festivals in l985. Beginning in 1986 Gonzalo began recording for Messidor of Frandfurt, Germany, and put out three albums for that label with his Cuban Quartet, Mi Gran Pasion, Live in Havana, and Giraldilla.
In 1986 he had a chance meeting in Havana with bassist Charlie Haden. Through Charlie Haden he came to the attention of Bruce Lundvall president of Blue Note Records, and thus began an association, first with Toshiba/EMI of Japan, and later with Blue Note in the US, which has resulted in the release of eleven discs. In July 1990 he appeared as a surprise guest with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian at the Montreux Festival, Switzerland, released on the CD titled 'Discovery'). In June 2001 Gonzalo received the SFJAZZ Leaders Circle Laureate Award, and in 2002 he performed as Artist in Residence at Montreal Jazz Festival together with Chucho Valdez.
In 2002, these collaborations brought him both a Latin Grammy for Jazz Album of the Year, Supernova, as well as a joint-Grammy with Charlie Haden for co-production of Nocturne, a Verve release of Cuban and Mexican boleros and ballads.
In 2010, Gonzalo founded his own record label entitled 5Passion with music enthusiast Gary Galimidi. He released his first independent offering on the label entitled "Fé" in November 2010. Gonzalo is presently preparing to record a Trio Album featuring Matt Brewer on Bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums. The sessions will be filmed by Toronto based video producer Original Spin in co-operation with 5Passion for eventual DVD/BluRay release in late 2011. Gonzalo continues to tour the world as a solo pianist, and as band leader.
Gonzalo married in November 1986, and he and Maria now have three children, ages 14, 17 and 20. The family moved to Santo Domingo in 1992, and then to the US in November 1996. All members of his family are U.S. Citizens, Gonzalo and Maria becoming citizens in December 2003.
Discography
- Concierto Negro (1987)
- Mi Gran Pasion (1987)
- Live in Havana (1989)
- Giraldilla (1990)
- Discovery: Live at MontreuxMontreuxMontreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
(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 LovanoJoe LovanoJoseph Salvatore "Joe" Lovano is a post bop jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer. Since the late 1980s, Lovano has been one of the world's premiere tenor saxophone players, earning a Grammy award and several nods on Down Beat magazine's critics' and readers' polls...
- Antiguo (1998)
- Inner Voyage (1999) with Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
- Supernova (2001)
- Inicio (2001)
- Nocturne (2001) with Charlie HadenCharlie HadenCharles Edward Haden is an American jazz musician. He is a double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman...
- Paseo (2004)
- Land Of The Sun (2004) with Charlie HadenCharlie HadenCharles Edward Haden is an American jazz musician. He is a double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman...
- Solo (2006)
- Avatar (2008)
- Fé (2010)
Appears on
- Habana Vive (Tony MartinezTony Martínez.Gabriel Antonio Martínez Díaz was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played for four seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1963 to 1966, playing in 73 career games.-External links:...
) - Mafarefun (Tony MartinezTony Martínez.Gabriel Antonio Martínez Díaz was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played for four seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1963 to 1966, playing in 73 career games.-External links:...
) - Rendezvous in New York (Chick CoreaChick CoreaArmando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
) - Think Tank (Pat MartinoPat MartinoPat Martino is an Italian-American jazz guitarist and composer within the post bop, fusion, mainstream jazz, soul jazz and hard bop idioms.-Biography:...
) - Mr. Bow-tie (Ron CarterRon CarterRon Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
) - Codes (Ignacio BerroaIgnacio BerroaIgnacio Berroa is a jazz drummer.In 1980 Ignacio left his country during the Mariel Boatlift, moved to New York and joined Dizzy Gillespie’s quartet in 1981 becoming the drummer of all the important bands Gillespie formed until his death in 1993.Ignacio Berroa has been recognized by many as one of...
) - Con El Permiso de Bola (Francisco CéspedesFrancisco CéspedesFrancisco Fabián Céspedes Rodríguez, also known as Pancho Céspedes, is a Latin American singer, musician, and songwriter born in Santa Clara, Cuba. Céspedes is currently a naturalized Mexican...
) - Shape of My Heart (Katia Labèque)
- Love Day (Richard GallianoRichard GallianoRichard Galliano is a French accordionist.-Biography:He was drawn to music at an early age, starting with the accordion at 4, influenced by his father Lucien, an accordionist originally from Italy, living in Nice.After a long and intense period of study Richard Galliano (born December 12, 1950,...
) - Flesh On Flesh (Al Di MeolaAl Di MeolaAl Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date...
) - Pursuit of Radical Rapsody (Al Di MeolaAl Di MeolaAl Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date...
)
External links
- Gonzalo Rubalcaba Official Website
- RadioRuba! Official Internet Radio Station
- 5Passion Official Label Website
- 5Passion Artist Blog Official Label Website