Artist Name

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

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Album Releases

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2011 - XXI Century

2008 - Avatar

2006 - Solo

2004 - Land of the Sun

2004 - Paseo

2001 - Supernova

1999 - Inner Voyage

1998 - Antiguo

1995 - Imagine - Gonzalo Rubalcaba in the USA

1992 - Suite 4 Y 20

1991 - The Blessing

0 - Images

0 - Mi gran pasion

Members
1 Male

Popularity

33

Followers
31,566

Origin
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Havana, Cuba

Genre
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Jazz

Style
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Mood
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Born

1963

Active
---Present...

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Most Loved Tracks

Track	Last.FM Listens	Loves
Caravan	11,064	3 users
Contagio	10,127	3 users
Giant Steps	9,040	3 users
Here's That Rainy Day	15,807	3 users
Silencio (Silence)	10,390	3 users

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Artist Biography
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One of the most important figures to emerge from Afro-Cuban jazz in the '90s, Gonzalo Rubalcaba is an extraordinarily versatile pianist able to blend disparate strands of Cuban and American jazz tradition into a fresh, modern whole. Born into a musical family in Havana on May 27, 1963, Rubalcaba began studying classical piano at age eight, honing his technique in that area for the next 12 years while playing around Havana by night. In 1983, he toured France and Africa with Cuba's longstanding Orquesta Aragon, and formed his own band, Grupo Proyecto, in 1985, the same year he was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie. In 1986, Rubalcaba played the Havana Jazz Festival with the American rhythm section of Charlie Haden and Paul Motian, and with Haden's support soon appeared at major international festivals like Montreal and Montreux.

Rubalcaba's early dates for Blue Note -- 1990's Discovery: Live at Montreux and the following year's The Blessing -- were instant classics, breaking him among American jazz audiences and showcasing his virtuosic technique and dense improvisations. Rubalcaba was finally able to play for American audiences beginning in 1993, including a star-making appearance at Lincoln Center, and soon emigrated from Cuba (though not to the U.S. right away; he eventually settled in South Florida in 1996). Rubalcaba recorded for several labels, including Blue Note, which was home to much of his best later work, including 1999's introspective Inner Voyage, 2001's Grammy-winning Supernova, 2004's Paseo, which offered new interpretations of old songs, and 2005's aptly named Solo. In 2002 Rubalcaba shared the title of Artist in Residence at the Montreal Jazz Festival with fellow pianist Chucho Valdés, and in 2003, as part of the Bele Bele Jazz Club series, issued Straight Ahead, re-releases of three separate recording sessions between 1986 and 1987.