Aruán Ortiz’s latest album Hidden Voices has something for everyone and yet is still uncompromising. Something for everyone in terms of influences: Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, classical music, avant-garde and Ortiz’s own youth in Cuba are all present. Uncompromising because he uses these influences to create something completely his own, merging them into a new, dynamic whole. In Ortiz’ work, several worlds collide but that comes as no surprise. The pianist-composer-violinist grew up in Santiago de Cuba and since 2008 he has lived in Brooklyn, New York, the birthplace of countless jazz legends. DownBeat Magazine described Ortiz (1973) as “one of the most versatile and exciting pianists of his generation,” and his collection of awards is growing rapidly. He likes to improvise and experiment when performing live with his super trio to push the boundaries even further. Ortis describes his latest album as a circle with no beginning and no end.
