CartJUN 7–18 | 40TH ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO JAZZ FESTIVAL
Jun 13, 2023
Joe Henderson Lab
The virtuoso Cuban pianist best known for his lengthy associations with Buena Vista Social Club and Omara Portuondo returns for his first SFJAZZ appearance in 10 years, joined by renowned bassist Jose Armando Gola (Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Arturo Sandoval) and percussion master Yaroldy Abreu (Chucho Valdés).
Winner of the 2007 Montreux Jazz Festival Piano Competition, Luna is a true musical polyglot versed equally in classical music, traditional Cuban styles, and modern jazz whose remarkable ascendance from fledgling artist to work with Cuban vocal legend Portuondo took just three years. Among the most in-demand pianists in Cuban music, Luna has appeared on over 200 albums in the last two decades and toured internationally with major Cuban artists Issac Delgado and Pablo Milanés as well as the renowned French-Lebanese quarter-tone trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf.
His 2001 debut EP En la Luna won a Cubadisco award (the Cuban equivalent of the GRAMMYs), and he’s issued a string of accomplished releases including collaborative efforts with bass genius Gastón Joya and Spanish accordion maestro Kepa Junkera.
His latest is the solo piano session Rolando’s Faces, and for this return to the Joe Henderson Lab he performs with a revelatory trio featuring bassist Gola and percussionist Abreu, Luna’s bandmate in the popular collective El Comité.
The virtuoso Cuban pianist best known for his lengthy associations with Buena Vista Social Club and Omara Portuondo returns for his first SFJAZZ appearance in 10 years.
Rolando is an example of creativity and imagination, with great elegance and freshness in his playing.
Chucho Valdés
Rolando is an example of creativity and imagination, with great elegance and freshness in his playing.
Chucho Valdés
Personnel
Rolando Luna piano
Yaroldy Abreu percussion
Rolando Luna’s piano playing …[is] full of energy and clarity
The New York Times
Personnel
Rolando Luna piano
Yaroldy Abreu percussion
Rolando Luna’s piano playing …[is] full of energy and clarity
The New York Times
Watch & Listen
Rolando Luna
Alucinaciones
Rolando Luna
Guarina
Rolando Luna
Alucinaciones
Rolando Luna
Guarina