" (...) This is glorious music from end to end and heralds something fresh
and new on the so called “Latin Jazz” horizon."
Raul da Gama, Latin Jazz Network (Canada) >> see all review (LatinJazz Network)
ABOUT ANDRES ORTIZ - PIANIST & COMPOSER
Andrés Ortiz Villalba is born in Bogotà, Colombia, in 1978. At a very young age he approaches folkloric music through learning to play the organ. He pursues his studies on the piano, at first privately with Maestro Betancourt, later through professional studies at the Universidad El Bosque of Bogotà. In 2001 he resettles to Barcelona, Spain, in order to specialise in jazz performance at the Aula del Conservatori del Liceu, affiliated to the Berklee College of Music, Boston. He participates in various composition and improvisation workshops held by Bebo Valdés, Chick Corea and Bobby Mc Ferrin. The time spent in Spain allows him to experiment in composition in numerous musical genres, achieving original compoositions for theatre and bands. He performs in all best-known clubs (Jamboree Jazz Club, Bel-Luna Jazz Club, Cova del Drac, Sidecar, etc.) and is featured by the Festival de la Mercé, Festival de Jazz de Barcelona, Festival de musicas del mundo de Vic. He collaborates closely with diverse theatre companies, as well as with the famed Catalan stage director Manel Barceló, for whom he composes original music and performs at renown festivals such as the Festival del Grec 2003 with the play Animalmusic.
Working as composer, arranger and keyboardist of the latin band Raspa, he wins the 2007 Diversons competition of the Obra Social Fundación La Caixa, holding a tour all over Spain and Portugal.
The same year his composition “Cabeza de ratón” for the rock band La Fe wins the prize for best soundtrack at the Festival de Ovalle, Chile, where it is featured in director Klich Lopez’s short film Collar de Perlas.
Next to his activity as pianist and composer he founds and directs various festivals, such as the Street Artist Festival in various communities of the province of Barcelona, during five consecutive years.
In 2008 he moves to Switzerland, founding and running the Smac, Scuola di Musica e Arti Creative (School of Music and Creative Arts), where he also teaches.
Over the past few years he has been developing his personal musical project, exploring the composition of music in the jazz idiom, coupled with traditional Colombian and South American rhythms: Andrés Ortiz Trio (2011-2016) y Andrés Ortiz 5et (2016-2019).
2023 - new project release > HIMNO A LA VIDA
These are some of the singles that have been released. They will be part of the album HIMNO A LA VIDA, which will be released in full in June 2023.
2011-2015
2016-2019
The sound of the Andrés Ortiz Trio instinctively reminisces latin music, drawing from folkloric rhythms of various South American regions: cumbia, pasillo, bambuco, samba and bolero melt into an original and highly flammable synergy with jazz music, obtaining a sound both true to tradition and, by reinterpreting syncopated rhythms and metres, utterly contemporary.
Through the chance encounter with two musicians long active in Switzerland, Rino Rossi, double bass, and Brian Quinn, drums, the Trio is founded in 2009. Actually Antonio Cervellino (from Italy) is the new entry on double bass playing. The band prepares to reveal itself to the public through the recording of their first album - Inesperado - at the first months of 2011. The recording of the promotional album has already taken place in March at the renown Studio 2 of the Swiss national radio in Lugano, arousing much interest from the radio editors. During the months to come, the Andrés Ortiz Trio will be featured by various jazz clubs in Southern Switzerland and Italy. The official showcase of the project is scheduled at Sonvico in Jazz 2010, during the festival's sixth edition.
After its initial launch as a solo artist in the previous Trio jazz, with the album produced by the Swiss Network RSI Rete Due "Recordando", and defined by the Latin Jazz Network as "glorious music from beginning to the end", the pianist and composer Andrés Ortiz presents its new music project which he describes as "a tank full of determination" which highlights his musical journey, from classical to latin and jazz.
On the new album "LIBRE" Andrès Ortiz closes the circle making us appreciate not only its new and original compositions, but also his thoughts, which for the first time explicitly in words. In his texts he highlights ironically the political, social and daily life that we can find anywhere in the world.
Voice and piano are accompanied this time not only by bass and drums, but also trumpet and trombone, which still emphasize more the intention of orchestrating his musical thoughts.
A project "explosive" therefore, rich piano cues, fast-paced and ironic cheer!
OTHER PROJECTS (2003-2010)
Autumn 2010:
Soundtrack arrangements and piano performance for Mohammed Soudani's new film "Lionel"(Switzerland). Music director: Diego Ricco.
Soundtrack composer for theatre and shortfilms:
"Animalmusic", Manel Barceló, Festival Grec Barcelone 2003 (Spain);
"Herederos de la tierra", Film director: Antoine Passerat, production: Zindara (Barcelone) 2004 >> view documental!
"Hotel Anjou", Compañia JAJA, Barcelone 2006 (Spain);
"Antonia", Compañia JAJA, Barcelone 2007 (Spain).
LA FE
Rock latino: composition and keybords. With Amos Piñeros (Ultrageno, Tequendama), Pol Moreno, Sebastian Cardozo. He performs in Apolo Club Bcn, Sidecar Club Bcn, with Aterciopelados in City Hall Club Bcn. With the song "Cabeza de Raton" wins the prize for best soundtrack at the Festival de Ovalle, Chile, where it is featured in director Klich Lopez’s short film Collar de Perlas.
RASPA
Folklore colombiano: compositions and keybord. He wins the 2007 Diversons competition of the Obra Social Fundación La Caixa, holding a tour all over Spain and Portugal, Festival de la Mercé Bcn 2007, Festival de musicas del mundo Vic 2007.