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Biography
BLP sources|date=January 2010Cleanup|date=January 2010 Michel Camilo (born April 4, 1954) is a pianist and composer from Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic . He specializes in jazz , Latin American music|Latin and European classical music|classical piano work. Camilo lists some of his main influences as Chick Corea , Keith Jarrett , Oscar Peterson , Bill Evans , and Art Tatum .
Background
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 aged 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.cite web|title =Michel Camilo: Biography|publisher=All About Jazz | url = http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php? id=3848 |accessdate =2010-05-18 Camilo comments on his first encounter with the sounds of jazz, in an interviewcite web|title =Michel Camilo: Pianist for a Golden Era |publisher=All About Jazz |first=R J |last=De Luke| url = http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php? id=1070 |date =2004-03-01|accessdate =2010-05-18 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|bop tradition, and by the contemporary jazz of Herbie Hancock , Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea . His influences at this time also included Horace Silver , Errol Garner , and the ragtime music of Scott Joplin .
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, 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 reedman 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. Suntan / In Trio had a trio with Anthony Jackson (musician)|Anthony Jackson on the bass and Dave Weckl on the drums. In 1988, Camilo debuted on a major record label, Sony Records|Sony , with the release of Michel Camilo (album)|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 .
Camilo tours extensively, and lectures in Europe, the US, and in the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico . He holds several 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.
Association with other musicians
Camilo's regular trio lineup for many years were his long-term friends Anthony Jackson (musician)|Anthony Jackson on contrabass guitar and El Negro (Horacio Hernandez) on Drum kit|drums . Charles Flores has occupied the trio's bass seat since their Grammy winning album Live at the Blue Note (Camilo)|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.
2009 - Caribe - Michel Camilo Big Band (September 15, 2009 - DVD/CD released in Spain)
2011 - Mano A Mano
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.Michelcamilo.com/ Michel Camilo: Official Website
Persondata | NAME = Camilo, Michel | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = April 4, 1954 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH =
DEFAULTSORT:Camilo, Michel Category:1954 births Category:Living people category:People from Santo Domingo Category:Latin jazz pianists Category:Post-bop pianists Category:Berklee College of Music faculty Category:Dominican Republic composers Category:Dominican Republic pianists Category:Classical pianists Category:Dominican Republic songwriters Category:Mannes College of Music alumni Category:Juilliard School alumni Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Latin Grammy Award winners
