DATE: THURSDAY, december 6
TIME: 8:00 P.M.
TICKETS: $25 ($20 for students & seniors)

This special evening presents two sides of the exciting, Cuban-bred Aruán Ortiz, as improving pianist and as composer of chamber music. The night’s first half features Aruán solo, plus alongside a special guest to be announced. About Cub(an)ism, Aruán’s recent Intakt album of solo piano, The Guardian said: “Aruán Ortiz is a rising piano star with a sweeping contemporary technique – and enough imagination and keyboard-power, fueled by deep awareness of Cuba’s traditions, to be an enthralling one-man band, too… Ortiz fuses hard-driving hooks, free jazz, harp-like effects, thudding drum sounds and lyrical reflections on dissonance and intervals, uniting all of it with a creativity of pacing that constantly grips the attention.” The concert’s second half will consist of two chamber pieces: Living in the Midst of a Twisted Globe, to be performed by the trio of violinist Mary Rowell, cellist Jeffrey Zeigler & pianist Geoffrey Burleson; and Ogguere (when the soul of the earth, dances around spectral motions), to be played by the brass quintet of Daniel Blankinship and Nate Wooley (trumpets), Ryan Keberle (trombone), Vincent Chancey (French horn) & José Dávila (tuba). About Aruán’s ambitions as a composer, JazzTimes said: “He well aware of his roots but has no intention of being confined by them.”