Aruán Ortiz
Born in Santiago de Cuba, and resident of Brooklyn – pianist, violist, and composer, Aruán, has been an active figure in the progressive jazz and avant-garde scene in the US for more than 15 years. He has written music for jazz ensembles, orchestras, dance companies, chamber groups, and feature films, incorporating influences from contemporary classical music, Cuban Haitian rhythms, and avant-garde improvisation. Aruán consistently strives to break stylistic musical boundaries.
Aruán has played, toured, or recorded with jazz luminaries such as Wadada Leo Smith, Don Byron, Greg Osby, Wallace Roney, Nicole Mitchell, Cameron Brown, Michael Formanek, William Parker, Adam Rudolph, Andrew Cyrille, Henry Grimes, Marshall Allen, Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, Rufus Reid, Graham Haynes, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Nasheet Waits. He has also collaborated with choreographers José Mateo, Danis Mora, and Milena Zullo; filmmakers Ben Chace, Mariona Lloreta, and Mónica Rovira; poets Abiodun Oyewole from The Last Poets; writer/poet/filmmaker Mtume Gant; DJ Logic and Val Jeanty Inc.; and renowned German writers Angelika Hentschel and Anna Breitenbach.
He also performed on Grammy Award winning singer/bassist Esperanza Spalding’s trio debut album, "Junjo" (Ayva Música, 2006). All About Jazz said, “The trio has…splendid flashes of precision from pianist Aruán Ortiz who is excellent throughout.”
Cameron Brown
Cameron Langdon Brown is an American jazz double bassist best known for his association with the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet.
Cameron started studying music at age 10, first on piano, later on clarinet. But, drawn to the bass, he found himself playing a tin bass in a student dance band. As an exchange student in Europe, he worked with George Russell's Sextet and Big Band for one year and played with Don Cherry, Aldo Romano, Booker Ervin, and Donald Byrd. In 1966 he returned to graduate at Columbia College, Columbia University (1969, B.A. in Sociology)
In 1974, Brown met Sheila Jordan, gigged with free jazz pioneers Roswell Rudd and Beaver Harris, joined Archie Shepp's quintet in 1975, and recorded with Harris' and The 360 Degree Music Experience around that time.
The famous Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet, with him and drummer Dannie Richmond,developed into an intense and rewarding partnership which lasted during the 1980s. In addition to this quartet, Brown played with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and various groups led by Shepp, Cherry, Rudd, and Richmond. He has also performed and recorded with Ted Curson, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Joe Lovano, Mal Waldron, Ricky Ford, Steve Grossman, Betty Carter and the John Hicks Trio, Etta Jones and Jane Ira Bloom.
Brown has appeared on more than 200 recordings. His first recording as a leader, after nearly 40 years of performing, was published in 2003 with his group The Hear and Now featuring Dewey Redman.
