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Michel Camilo

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Michel Camilo
Michel Camilo in concert (2015)
Michel Camilo in concert (2015)
Background information
Born (1954-04-04) April 4, 1954 (age 70)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
GenresJazz, Latin, classical
OccupationMusician
InstrumentPiano
Years active1970s–present
Websitewww.michelcamilo.com

Michel Camilo (born April 4, 1954) is a Dominican pianist and composer. He specializes in jazz, Latin and classical piano work.

Background and career

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Camilo was born into a musical family and as a young child showed aptitude for the accordion that his parents gave him. Although he enjoyed the accordion, it was his grandparents' piano that sparked his interest the most, so at the age of 9 he asked his parents to buy him one. Their response was to first send him to the Elementary Music School, part of the National Conservatory, and then a year later to grant his wish.

The formal system of the music school taught Camilo to play in the classical style, and by age 16 he was playing with the National Symphony Orchestra of the Dominican Republic.[1] Camilo comments on his first encounter with the sounds of jazz, in an interview[2] with the All About Jazz website:

"The first time I heard jazz was when I was 14 and a half. I heard the great Art Tatum on the radio playing his solo piano rendition of 'Tea for Two.' That immediately caught my ear. I just wanted to soak it in, to learn to play that style. Then I found out it was jazz."

Camilo studied for 13 years at the National Conservatory, and whilst developing his strong classical abilities was also heavily influenced by the bebop tradition, and by the contemporary jazz of Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea and Amilton Godoy (Zimbo Trio's pianist). His influences at this time also included Horace Silver, Erroll Garner, and the ragtime music of Scott Joplin.

When the Harvard University Jazz Band visited the Dominican Republic and heard Camilo at a jam session, the bandleader encouraged him, 'You should be in the States', and so the idea was planted. In 1979, Camilo moved to New York to study at Mannes College and at The Juilliard School, and broke onto the international stage in 1983 when Tito Puente's pianist was unable to make a concert at the Montreal Jazz Festival. On a recommendation, without hearing him, Puente asked Camilo to play. Cuban reedman Paquito D'Rivera was in the audience and offered him a place in his band. For four years, Camilo toured internationally with D'Rivera and recorded two albums with him.

Camilo's emergence as a star in his own right began around 1985, the year he debuted with his trio at Carnegie Hall.[1] In that same year he toured Europe with Paquito D’Rivera's quintet, and recorded his first album, Why Not?, for Japan's King label. His album Suntan/In Trio had a trio with Anthony Jackson on the bass and Dave Weckl on the drums. In 1988, Camilo debuted on a major record label, Sony, with the release of Michel Camilo, which became a bestseller and held the top jazz album spot for ten consecutive weeks. Special guests joined in with Camilo, such as percussionist Sammy Figueroa and tap dancer Raul. Other bestselling albums followed and so did the accolades, including a Grammy and an Emmy. Camilo's collaborative 2000 album with flamenco guitarist Tomatito Spain won Best Latin Jazz Album in the first Latin Grammy Awards.

As well as being an outstanding performer, Camilo is a talented composer and has written scores for several Spanish language films including Los peores años de nuestra vida and the award-winning Amo tu cama rica.

Camilo tours extensively, and lectures in Europe, the US, and in the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. He holds several honorary degrees, a Visiting Professorship and a Doctorate at Berklee College of Music, and has been honored in his home country by being named a Knight of the Heraldic Order of Christopher Columbus, and being awarded the Silver Cross of the Order of Duarte, Sanchez & Mella.

Association with other musicians

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Camilo's regular trio lineup for many years had his long-term friends Anthony Jackson on contrabass guitar and Cliff Almond on drums. Charles Flores has occupied the trio's bass seat since their Grammy-winning album Live at the Blue Note. Lately Camilo has drummer Dafnis Prieto as part of his trio. This new trio released the album Spirit of the Moment in April 2007.

Other musicians he has played with include Tito Puente, Paquito D'Rivera, Dizzy Gillespie, Katia Labèque, Toots Thielemans, Airto Moreira, Chuck Mangione, Stanley Turrentine, Claudio Roditi, Nancy Alvarez, Mongo Santamaría, George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Jon Faddis, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Lew Soloff, Tania Maria, Jaco Pastorius, Patato, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Chuck Loeb, Giovanni Hidalgo, Guarionex Aquino, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Valentin, Flora Purim, Delfeayo Marsalis, Chucho Valdés, Joe Lovano, Herbie Hancock, Tomatito, John Patitucci, David Sanchez, Hiromi Uehara, Cachao, Marco Rizo, Marcus Roberts, Steve Gadd, Danilo Perez, Gary Burton, Billy Taylor, Dave Weckl, Hilton Ruiz, Roy Hargrove, Romero Lubambo, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Leny Andrade, Bireli Lagrene, Marian McPartland, Leonard Slatkin, Arturo Sandoval, Frank Colón, Aisha Syed Castro, Béla Fleck, Lou Marini, Cliff Almond, Juan Luis Guerra 4.40, Mark Walker.

Camilo is one of the ambassadors to Music Traveler GmbH, together with Billy Joel, Hans Zimmer, John Malkovich, Sean Lennon, Adrien Brody.

Discography

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As leader/co-leader

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Year recorded Title Label Notes
1984 French Toast Electric Bird As French Toast
1985 Why Not? Electric Bird With Lew Soloff (trumpet), Chris Hunter (alto sax, tenor sax), Anthony Jackson (bass), Dave Weckl (drums), Guarionex Aquino and Sammy Figueroa (percussion)
1986 Suntan/In Trio Electric Bird With Anthony Jackson (bass), Dave Weckl and Joel Rosenblatt (drums)
1988 Michel Camilo CBS Portrait With Marc Johnson, Lincoln Goines and Marcus "Benjy" Johnson (bass), Joel Rosenblatt and Dave Weckl (drums), Mongo Santamaría (conga)
1989 On Fire Portrait With Marc Johnson and Michael Bowie (bass), Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Joel Rosenblatt and Dave Weckl (drums), Sammy Figueroa (conga)
1990 On the Other Hand Epic With Chris Hunter and Ralph Bowen (alto sax), Michael Mossman (trumpet), Michael Bowie (bass), Cliff Almond (drums), D.K. Dyson (vocals), Sammy Figueroa (percussion, congas)
1991 Amo Tu Cama Rica Soundtrack
1993 Rendezvous Columbia With Anthony Jackson (bass), Dave Weckl (drums)
1994 One More Once Columbia With big band
1996 Two Much soundtrack
1997 Thru My Eyes TropiJazz/RMM With Anthony Jackson, Lincoln Goines and John Patitucci (bass), Cliff Almond and Horacio Hernández (drums)
2000 Spain Verve Duo, with Tomatito (guitar)
2001 Calle 54 Soundtrack
2001 Piano Concerto, Suite & Caribe Decca BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin
2002 Triangulo Telarc With Anthony Jackson, Horacio Hernández (drums)
2003 Live at the Blue Note Telarc With Chuck Flores (bass), Horacio Hernández (drums); in concert
2004 Solo Telarc Solo piano
2006 Rhapsody in Blue Telarc With Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
2006 Spain Again Emarcy Duo, with Tomatito (guitar)
2006 Spirit of the Moment Telarc Trio, with Dafnis Prieto (drums), Charles Flores (bass)
2009 Caribe - Michel Camilo Big Band DVD/CD
2011 Mano a Mano Emarcy Trio, with Charles Flores (bass), Giovanni Hidalgo (percussion)
2013 What's Up? Okeh Solo piano
2016 Spain Forever Universal Duo, with Tomatito (guitar)
2017 Live in London Redondo Music Solo piano; in concert
2019 Essence Sony Music Labels, Inc. Big Band; studio recording

As sideman

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Year recorded Leader Title Label
1985 Gerry Niewood Share My Dream
1996 Giovanni Hidalgo Hands of Rhythm

References

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  1. ^ a b "Michel Camilo: Biography". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 2010-11-28. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  2. ^ De Luke, R J (2004-03-01). "Michel Camilo: Pianist for a Golden Era". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
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