Happy birthday, Michel Camilo, born on this day in 1954.

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

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.

Michel Camilo comments on his first encounter with the sounds of jazz, in an interview 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.

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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, Michel 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 reed man 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.

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, Michel 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.

Michel Camilo tours extensively, and lectures in Europe, the US, and in the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.

He holds numerous 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.

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.

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

Michel Camilo Discography (on Wikipedia)

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Michel Camilo: Official Website

TODOS LOS COLORES DEL PIANO Michel Camilo | Documental (2014)

“Desde niño he tenido mucha sensibilidad con la naturaleza, uno, no ve un verde, ve muchos verdes, todos esos tonos diferentes existen en el sonido y simplemente lo que tiene uno es que tratar de darse cuenta, hasta donde está la amplitud de un color, donde está el brillo, donde está lo más tenue, ahí uno empieza a bregar con la luz, con el color, y la luz y el color se puede traducir todo en música, eso es lo que yo trato de hacer en el piano”

“Michel Camilo: todos los colores del piano. ” No podía haber un título más adecuado para este documental que protagoniza el pianista y compositor nacido en la República Dominicana. Y es que Camilo, en cada concierto, o nuevo proyecto discográfico, siempre sorprende a todo el mundo con una asombrosa capacidad para extraer del piano la más amplia gama de colores, texturas y sonidos.

Su vertiente latina, por su origen caribeño, está presente la mayoría de sus composiciones, como el mismo afirma: “Mucha gente no entiende los colores ultra brillantes que existen en mi música, pero se olvidan de que yo vengo del Caribe y en el Caribe hay huracanes, hay una pasión fuerte en la vida…”

“Cuando toco el piano, a veces, me dicen que parece que las teclas van a salir por los aires…”

Michel Camilo es como una “fuerza de la naturaleza”, como un huracán. Es célebre por su técnica brillante y espectacular, su sentido del ritmo, y el virtuosismo en el piano, pero, también, es un músico muy delicado, que puede tocar baladas maravillosas o suaves melodías, escritas por él mismo, o por los grandes compositores del jazz y la música clásica.

Acompañamos a Michel Camilo en sus giras que son vertiginosas y polifacéticas. Camilo compagina una auténtica “jam session” con su trío, en un club de jazz, una noche y al día siguiente ofrece un concierto junto a una orquesta sinfónica en un gran Auditorio o bien se presenta en un Festival a dúo con el guitarrista español “Tomatito”.

Para Camilo, en la música se “rompieron ya las barreras”: siempre señala que Gershwin se encargó de “poner un traje de frac” al jazz, es decir “sacarlo de los clubs” y llevarlo a las grandes salas de conciertos.

Pues bien, como podemos ver en este documental, y siguiendo con la misma metáfora, parece que Camilo se ha propuesto introducir la “camisa típica de músico de jazz latino” en los más “distinguidos” escenarios y junto a las más célebres orquestas de repertorio clásico. Siempre al final de los conciertos le piden un “bis” o “propina”, y él aprovecha para interpretar sus propios temas o clásicos del jazz con improvisaciones, de una forma tan poco usual, que provoca auténticas pasiones entre las audiencias más tradicionales.

Pero además, con su eclecticismo y elegancia, Michel ha conseguido introducir ese “aroma” clásico suyo y muy personal, en los círculos o “refugios” de los incondicionales del jazz más selecto.

Camilo nos explica lo que para él es “Un lugar en el tiempo”, título de una de sus composiciones y que hace referencia a la “magia” del directo en los conciertos:

“El arte es el lenguaje más íntimo del alma“

“Al fin y al cabo, el arte es el lenguaje más íntimo del alma, que es poderosísimo, que es lo que hace que un público sonría, con los sonidos, y que se le acelera el pulso, que pueda llorar, que puedan recordarse a sus seres queridos, hay algo de misterio en todo esto…”

“Cuando te vuelves artista, ya no músico, si no artista, tratas de dominar ese lenguaje, que es el lenguaje que nos une a todos, y que hace que todo el mundo vibre.”

“Ese lugar en el tiempo, es una zona de encuentro, un aposento alto, donde todo el mundo entra, si logramos que se nos unan en ese momento, en base al sonido, que al fin y al cabo también es aire en movimiento, ahí se forma la magia, lo que llaman los gitanos el duende, o se aparece el ángel, y eso es lo que todo artista persigue, comunicar con su público, y que todo el mundo se vuelva uno solo, aunque, sea en ese momento y se encuentre en ese lugar en el tiempo.”

Michel Camilo nació en la República Dominicana, hace sesenta años, en una familia con una gran afición por la música. Camilo ha dedicado toda su vida a la música, desde que era muy pequeño, empezó sus primeros “pinitos” en la composición de piezas sencillas. Tras sus estudios en el Conservatorio, formó parte de la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de su país. Más tarde, se trasladó a Nueva York donde completó su formación musical en la prestigiosa “Julliard School”, trabajando a la vez en los “fosos” de los grandes musicales de Broadway y en los famosos clubes de jazz de la ciudad.

En 1985 debutó con su trío en el Carnegie Hall de Nueva York, un año más tarde aparece como líder en los carteles de los grandes Festivales de Jazz de toda Europa. Desde entonces, su carrera es imparable, cada temporada sus giras y presentaciones le llevan por los principales escenarios de todo el mundo, bien, en solitario, con su trío, o con una “big band”, o una gran orquesta. Además ese mismo año 1985 inicia una enorme carrera discográfica, con la que ha ganado varios premios Grammy, el último de ellos lo recibió el pasado año por su disco en solitario “Whats up”.

“Yo creo que tuve la ventaja de cómo tocaba tan desde niño, desde los cuatro años y medio, y la familia siempre te celebraba… todos me celebraban desde niño… pues uno le pierde el miedo escénico, siempre tocaba delante de alguien. Y cuando me siento delante de un público no hay nervios, fíjate que ni me tiemblan los dedos, al contrario, me siento y conecto con la música y lo importante, ponerte al servicio de la música y de manera que no haya el ego, el ego es lo más difícil para un artista, si comienzas a pensar en otras cosas, ahí se pierde el hilo musical y el discurso musical, el mensaje del compositor.”

In English:

‘Michel Camilo: all the colours of the piano. ‘There could not be a more appropriate title for this documentary starring the pianist and composer born in the Dominican Republic. Camilo, in each concert, or new recording project, always surprises everyone with an amazing ability to extract from the piano the widest range of colors, textures and sounds.

His Latin side, due to his Caribbean origin, is present in most of his compositions, as he himself states: ‘Many people do not understand the ultra-bright colors that exist in my music, but they forget that I come from the Caribbean and in the Caribbean there are hurricanes, there is a strong passion in life…’

Michel Camilo is like a ‘force of nature’, like a hurricane. He is famous for his brilliant and spectacular technique, his sense of rhythm, and virtuosity on the piano, but he is also a very delicate musician, who can play wonderful ballads or soft melodies, written by himself, or by the great composers of jazz and classical music.

We accompany Michel Camilo on his tours that are dizzying and multifaceted. Camilo combines an authentic ‘jam session’ with his trio, in a jazz club, one night and the next day he gives a concert with a symphony orchestra in a large auditorium or performs at a Festival in duo with the Spanish guitarist ‘Tomatito’.

For Camilo, in music ‘the barriers have already been broken’: he always points out that Gershwin was in charge of ‘putting a tailcoat suit’ on jazz, that is, ‘taking it out of the clubs’ and taking it to the big concert halls.

Well, as we can see in this documentary, and continuing with the same metaphor, it seems that Camilo has set out to introduce the ‘typical shirt of a Latin jazz musician’ on the most ‘distinguished’ stages and with the most famous orchestras of classical repertoire. Always at the end of the concerts they ask him for an ‘encore’ or ‘tip’, and he takes the opportunity to interpret his own songs or jazz classics with improvisations, in such an unusual way, that it provokes real passions among the most traditional audiences.

But in addition, with his eclecticism and elegance, Michel has managed to introduce that classic and very personal ‘aroma’ of his, in the circles or ‘refuges’ of the most select jazz stalwarts.

‘Since I was a child I have had a lot of sensitivity to nature, you don’t see a green, you see a lot of greens, all those different tones exist in the sound and simply what you have is to try to realize, how far is the amplitude of a color, where is the brightness, where is the dimtest, there you begin to struggle with light, With color, and light and color you can translate everything into music, that’s what I try to do on the piano.’

‘When I play the piano, sometimes, they tell me that it seems that the keys are going to go up in the air…’

Camilo explains to us what for him is ‘Un lugar en el tiempo’, the title of one of his compositions and which refers to the ‘magic’ of live performances in concerts:

‘Art is the most intimate language of the soul’

‘After all, art is the most intimate language of the soul, which is very powerful, which is what makes an audience smile, with the sounds, and that their pulse quickens, that they can cry, that they can remember their loved ones, there is something of mystery in all this…’

‘When you become an artist, no longer a musician, but an artist, you try to master that language, which is the language that unites us all, and that makes the whole world vibrate.’

‘That place in time, is a meeting area, an upper room, where everyone enters, if we manage to get them to join us at that moment, based on the sound, which after all is also air in movement, that’s where the magic is formed, what the gypsies call the duende, or the angel appears, And that is what every artist pursues, to communicate with his audience, and for everyone to become one, even if it is at that moment and is in that place in time.’

Michel Camilo was born in the Dominican Republic, sixty years ago, into a family with a great fondness for music. Camilo has dedicated his whole life to music, since he was very young, he began his first ‘steps’ in the composition of simple pieces. After his studies at the Conservatory, he was part of the National Symphony Orchestra of his country. Later, he moved to New York where he completed his musical training at the prestigious ‘Julliard School’, working both in the ‘pits’ of the great Broadway musicals and in the famous jazz clubs of the city.

In 1985 he made his debut with his trio at Carnegie Hall in New York, a year later he appeared as a leader in the posters of the major Jazz Festivals throughout Europe. Since then, his career has been unstoppable, every season his tours and presentations take him to the main stages around the world, either alone, with his trio, or with a ‘big band’, or a large orchestra. In addition, that same year 1985 he began a huge recording career, with which he has won several Grammy awards, the last of which he received last year for his solo album ‘Whats up’.

‘I think I had the advantage of how I played so much since I was a child, since I was four and a half years old, and the family always celebrated you… everyone celebrated me since I was a child… because you lose your stage fright, he always played in front of someone. And when I sit in front of an audience there are no nerves, notice that my fingers don’t even tremble, on the contrary, I sit down and connect with the music and the important thing, to put yourself at the service of the music and so that there is no ego, ego is the most difficult thing for an artist, if you start thinking about other things, there the musical thread and the musical discourse, the message of the composer, is lost.’

MICHEL CAMILO . TOMATITO JAZZ VITORIA 2024 #jazz #flamenco