ARUAN ORTIZ, one of the most dynamic and talented pianists in jazz today, has been described by the New York Post as "a must see," and as "the latest Cuban wunderkind to arrive in the United States" by BETJazz.
Trained in classical piano and viola, the sound of this Santiago de Cuba native is is marked by the influence of twentieth century composers Maurice Ravel, Olivier Messiaen, Arnold Schoenberg, and Gustav Mahler. Apparent in his melodic phrases are influences of his background in Afro-Cuban rhythms, interwoven with references to the styles of Andrew Hill, Herbie Hancock and Phineas Newborn. His ability to incorporate elements of world music in the sound of avant-garde jazz can be heard throughout his collaborations with artists such as Wallace Roney, Terri Lyne Carrington, Wayne Krantz, Esperanza Spalding, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Cindy Blackman, Antoine Roney, Rusell Malone, Drew Gress, Eric McPherson among others.
COLOURS is the new band of four-octave voice virtuoso Gino Sitson and "the latest Cuban wunderkind to arrive in the United States", piano wizard Aruan Ortiz: a very fine and infectious Afro-Cuban World and Jazz ensemble. Award-winning, New York-based vocal virtuoso Gino Sitson is from the Bamileke region of Cameroon, Central Africa.
The COLOURS line-up features world-famous drummer Cindy Blackman, who has been touring with Lenny Kravitz since 1993 and has been seen with dozens of greats like Pharoah Sanders, Joe Henderson, Don Pullen, Sam Rivers, Cassandra Wilson, Angela Bofill, Bill Laswell, Buckethead and many more. Also featured is guitarist David Gilmore, best known for his work with Steve Coleman in the "M-Base Collective" as well as
with a number of world-class musicians, among them Trilok Gurtu, Wynton Marsalis and Jack DeJohnette. In the past few years he has been touring with singer Joss Stone.
