Essence Michel Camilo

• 1 And Sammy Walked In 05:39
• 2 Mongo's Blues (Intro) 01:30
• 3 Mongo's Blues 06:50
• 4 Liquid Crystal 06:09
• 5 Mano a Mano 05:49
• 6 Just Like You 06:48
• 7 Yes 04:24
• 8 Piece of Cake 06:08
• 9 On Fire 06:43
• 10 Repercussions 07:25
• 11 Hello & Goodbye 05:41
• Total Runtime 01:03:06

Info for Essence

For his landmark 25th album as a leader, iconic pianist, composer and bandleader Michel Camilowanted to do something truly special. That’s saying something, given that every release by the GRAMMY®, Latin GRAMMY®, and Emmy-winning Camilo is an event. But the Dominican-born pianist set out to celebrate in a big way: namely, by reconvening his all-star big band for the first time in a quarter-century to explore the full scope and breadth of his remarkable career.

Essence, out now on Resilience Music Alliance, offers exactly that: the essence of Camilo’s artistry spanning the last 40 years. The music, arranged in collaboration with trumpeter and longtime collaboratorMichael Philip Mossman, is drawn from key points along Camilo’s storied trajectory. Most of the material has only been heard in trio settings in the past, while much of it hasn’t been revisited in the studio since the original recordings. All of it, however, vividly reflects the composer’s diverse influences, bringing together the various strands of his passion for jazz improvisation, Latin roots, and classical training.

“I tried to choose music from every stage of development as a creative artist and as a composer,” Camilo says. “I picked songs that represent shifts in my career and my point of view, that showcase how I developed my sound. I’ve always thought of the trio as a mini-orchestra, so the big band is a way to celebrate my career and my journey with a group of friends creating together in the studio.”

The cover of the album references an even more basic essence, the four elements that contribute to all life on the planet – each of which is represented vibrantly in the pianist’s singular sound. “My music has the fire, of course,” Camilo explains. “The air is the space between the lines and the way we breathe together. The water comes in the flow of ideas while the earth is in the grooves, the organic way they bring you down to earth.”

While Camilo has performed his music as a featured soloist with some of the world’s most acclaimed ensembles – Danish Radio Big Band, WDR Big Band, Luxembourg Jazz Orchestra, Vienna VolksOper Big Band, Bulgarian Brass Association, countless symphony orchestras – Essence is only the third occasion on which he’s recorded with his own big band. The first was the acclaimed 1994 album One More Once, followed in 2009 by Caribe – a live recording of the same material from the pianist’s 1994 return to his native Dominican Republic.

The ensemble Camilo has assembled for Essence fits the occasion; the 18-piece band comprises a stellar group of old friends, recent collaborators, and new acquaintances culled from the foremost plays in modern jazz. The band features a woodwind section with Antonio Hart, Sharel Cassity, Ralph Bowen, Adam Kolker and Frank Basile; in addition to Mossman the trumpets include Raul Agras, John Walsh, Diego Urcola and Kali Rodriguez-Peña; while the trombone line boasts Michael Dease, Steve Davis, Jason Jackson and David Taylor.

The core of the band, as always, consists of Camilo’s remarkable rhythm section. In-demand drummerCliff Almond has worked with the pianist for nearly 30 years, appearing on many of his most beloved releases. Ricky Rodriguez is a young lion originally from Puerto Rico who has become Camilo’s bassist of choice in recent years, alongside his work with Joe Locke, Arturo O’Farrill and Dafnis Prieto, among others. The newest addition is Eliel Lazo, a Cuban percussionist and vocalist currently based in Copenhagen.

The album opens with the combustible grooves of “And Sammy Walked In” from Camilo’s 1989 album On Fire. The tune got its name from its original guest percussionist, the great Sammy Figueroa, who happened to wander into the studio during the session and ended up providing the song’s crucial element with his virtuoso conga playing. Lazo proves a worthy successor with his own solo, in conversation with Almond’s raucous work on the kit. The barn-burning title track is also revisited, with an audacious alto solo courtesy Sharel Cassity.

Figueroa is one of three master percussionists to whom Camilo pays homage on Essence. The second is the iconic Mongo Santamaría, the honoree of “Mongo’s Blues.” Santamaría took Camilo under his wing shortly after the young pianist moved to New York in 1979 and appears on Camilo’s self-titled American debut from 1988. Lazo provides a stirring introductory piece on percussion and vocals, both a lament and offering, that leads into the song, an intricate weave of blues, swing, and Afro-Cuban rhythms worth of its namesake.

Almond’s dexterous rhythms lead into the third tribute, “Repercussions,” a nod to the late, great Art Blakey. Camilo crossed paths with the head Messenger during his days as a regular at the now-defunct Upper West Side club Mikell’s in the ‘80s. “Art used to play there whenever he was in town,” Camilo recalls, “and I even sat in with him one night. He pulled me out of the crowd. It was one of the highlights of my life.”

The impressionistic “Liquid Crystal” shows another side of Camilo’s compositional voice and shines a spotlight on the ensemble’s youngest members, Cuban-born trumpeter Kali Rodriguez-Peña. “I wanted a Miles Davis vibe, full of long lines and atmosphere,” Camilo says. “With a name like ‘Liquid Crystal’ you expect something that flows. Kali killed it.”

The roiling “Mano a Mano” is the titled tune from Camilo’s 2011 trio album, and here provokes fiery, athletic turns from Bowen, Dease and Mossman. The same album also provides the blistering “Yes,” highlighted by Urcola’s lyrically burning trumpet. The evocative ballad “Just Like You” was originally penned for a film soundtrack, meant to evoke a sultry, mysterious film noir mood, and was reprised in trio form on 2002’s Triangulo (also the source of the smoldering “Piece of Cake”). Here it provides the perfect setting for a supple outing by Antonio Hart, a regular member of Camilo’s bands.

The album’s closing track is also its earliest; “Hello & Goodbye” reaches all the way back to Camilo’s 1985 debut, Why Not?, originally released only in Japan and not recorded again since. “I wanted to revisit some of the songs that I haven’t rerecorded over the years, take a fresh look and explore all the new ideas that we’ve discovered in them over the years,” Camilo says.

That never-ending sense of discovery lies at the essence of Camilo’s brilliant sound, which has thrilled audiences throughout four decades and, with the release of the stellar Essence, 25 albums. “Time flies when you’re having fun,” Camilo concludes.

ESSENCE marks my 25th album. This milestone recording is a celebration of the flowing dynamic creativity and interactive energy between my rhythm section and top-notch horn section, as we explore together the challenging virtuoso passages and exciting unexpected turns on some of my most well-known jazz compositions. The exhilarating "ensemble tightness” captured on these superb performances has always been an important signature element of my musical stylings. Making this special project was BIG FUN and I am really thrilled to share it with all of you! Enjoy!” - Michel Camilo

Michel Camilo, piano, bandleader, composer
Ricky Rodriguez, bass
Cliff Almond, drums
Eliel Lazo, percussion, vocals
Antonio Hart, alto saxophone, flute
Sharel Cassity, alto sax, clarinet
Ralph Bowen, tenor saxophone, flute
Adam Kolker, tenor saxophone, clarinet
Frank Basile, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Michael Philip Mossman, trumpet, flugelhorn, arranger
Raul Agras, trumpet, flugelhorn
John Walsh, trumpet, flugelhorn
Diego Urcola, trumpet, flugelhorn
Kali Rodriguez-Peña, trumpet, flugelhorn
Michael Dease, trombone
Steve Davis, trombone
Jason Jackson, trombone
David Taylor, bass trombone

Michel Camilo
was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He studied for 13 years at the National Conservatory earning a degree of Professorship in Music and at the age of 16 became the youngest member of the National Symphony Orchestra of the DR. He moved to New York in 1979 to continue his studies at Mannes and Juilliard School of Music. Since his 1985 Carnegie Hall debut he has become a prominent figure performing regularly at festivals and concert venues throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, Asia, Middle East, South America and the Caribbean.

His extensive discography has been recognized with a Grammy award, an Emmy award, three Latin Grammy awards, JazzWeek’s Artist of The Year award, four Grammy award nominations and two Premios de la Música (Spain), plus several Premios Casandra and El Soberano awards (Dominican Republic). He has recorded in Solo Piano, Duo, Trio, Sextet, Big Band and with Symphony Orchestras; as well as film soundtracks. He moves with ease between the worlds of Jazz, Latin and Classical music.

Highlights include his two-year appointment as Jazz Creative Director Chair for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, his participation at the 55th Anniversary Celebration of the Newport Jazz Festival, a five year tenure as Musical Director of the Heineken Jazz Festival (Dominican Republic), Jury President at the Montreux Jazz Solo Piano competition, as well as Jury Member at the Jacksonville Great American Jazz Piano competition, featured performances in two award winning documentary films: Calle 54 (2001) and Playing Lecuona (2015); JazzWeek Artist of the Year, Artist in Residence at the Klavier Piano Festival Ruhr, voted among Top 10 Jazz Pianists of the Year at the 69th Annual DownBeat Magazine Readers Poll, a three-year Herb Alpert Visiting Professorship at Berklee College of Music, awarded composition grants from Meet the Composer foundation and the New York State Council for the Arts (NYSCA).

He has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D’Rivera, George Benson, Tito Puente, Herbie Hancock, Tomatito, Mongo Santamaria, Joe Lovano, Arturo Sandoval, Juan Luis Guerra, Chucho Valdés, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Cachao, Hiromi, David Sánchez, Jon Faddis, George Wein, Jaco Pastorius, Gloria Estefan, Dr. Billy Taylor, Celia Cruz, Tania Maria, Enrique Morente, Katia & Marielle Labèque, Conrad Herwig, Dave Valentin, Airto & Flora Purim, Anthony Jackson, Dave Weckl, Michel Petrucciani, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Stanley Turrentine, Giovanni Hidalgo, Toots Thielemans, Patato, Michael Brecker. Randy Brecker, Ketama, Eddie Palmieri, Roby Lakatos, Eliel Lazo, Damian Draghici, Danilo Pérez, Roman Janoska and Esperanza Spalding, among many others.

In 1998, Mr. Camilo served as Co-Artistic Director of the 1st Latin-Caribbean Music Festival at the Kennedy Center, performing the world premiere of his Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No. 1 with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin (commissioned by the NSO). His work Rhapsody for Two Pianos and Orchestra (commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra) was performed by Katia & Marielle Labèque at Royal Festival Hall. In 2001, Mr. Camilo recorded his Piano Concerto No. 1 with the BBC Symphony conducted by Leonard Slatkin for DECCA and also played his work, as well as Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue, at the Royal Albert Hall BBC Proms in London.

In 2009, Mr. Camilo performed the world premiere of his Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No. 2 - Tenerife (commissioned by the Tenerife Auditorium) as guest soloist with the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lü Jiá.

Guest soloist engagements with prestigious Symphony Orchestras worldwide include the National (NSO), Detroit, Cleveland, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Gulbenkian, BBC, Nacional (Spain), Grant Park Festival Orchestra of Chicago, Orchestre National d’Lyon, Japan’s New World Symphony, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Arhus, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Madrid, RTVE, Barcelona, Euskadi Orkestra, Navarra, Cadaqués, Seville, Bilbao, Málaga, Galicia, Norrlands Operan, Antalya State, Magna Grecia, Royal Liverpool, Zagreb Philharmonic, Borusan Philharmonic, Evergreen, Kristiansand, Puerto Rico, Queens, Long Island, Florida, Nacional (Dom. Rep.), Andrés Segovia Chamber Orchestra, Musikkollegium Wintherthur, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Gran Canaria, Ecuador, and Indiana University Philharmonic.

Mr. Camilo has performed with conductors Leonard Slatkin, Philippe Entremont, Jesus Lopez Cobos, Gianandrea Noseda, Ernest Martinez Izquierdo, Grant Llewellyn, Adrian Leaper, Giordano Bellincampi, Lu Jia, Clark Rundell, Andres Orozco Estrada, Kevin Griffiths, Pedro Halffter, Odon Alonso, Kristjan Jaarvi, Piero Romano, Carlos Piantini, Gürer Aykal. Jose Antonio Molina and Ruben Gimeno, among many others. Besides his own Piano Concertos No. 1 & No. 2, his repertoire includes his Suite for Piano, Strings & Harp, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, VillaLobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3 and Gershwin’s Concerto in F, Rhapsody In Blue and I Got Rhythm Variations.

Special collaborations include the successful Piano & Flamenco guitar Duo Michel Camilo & Tomatito, jazz piano duets with Chucho Valdés and Hiromi, and special concerts with his own Big Band, the Danish Radio (DRBB) and WDR Big Bands, Luxembourg Jazz Orchestra and the Bulgarian Brass Association; as well as the award-winning documentary film Playing Lecuona with pianist Chucho Valdés and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

For the 2016-2017 season the Vienna Konzerthaus appointed Michel Camilo as Artist in Residency starting with a jazz concert by his Trio with the VolksOper Big Band, then in February 2017 as guest soloist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Wayne Marshall performing his Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No. 2 - Tenerife and Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue; and in May 2017 with a Michel Camilo & Tomatito concert celebrating their album Spain Forever.

In 2017, Mr. Camilo finished his new Concerto for Jazz Trio & Orchestra, a commissioned work by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Leonard Slatkin which was premiered on April 21 & 22, 2017 at Orchestra Hall in Detroit. Mr. Camilo performed at the Mannes Centennial celebration at Carnegie Hall. His Spring tour included Duo concerts with Tomatito in Finland, Turkey, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy; as well as a Tribute to Ernesto Lecuona with Chucho Valdés & Gonzalo Rubalcaba at SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco. In June, the Michel Camilo Trio performed at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival, and in July Michel Camilo & Tomatito toured the music festivals in Spain & France. Michel Camilo also performed in Solo Piano at Festival da Jazz 2017 in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

His first Live solo piano recording Live in London was recorded at The Queen Elizabeth Hall and will be released worldwide in November 2017.

Mr. Camilo’s honors include Honorary Doctorates from Berklee College of Music (Boston), Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña, UTESA University of Santiago, as well as an Honorary Professorship and Honorary Doctorate from his Alma Mater, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), Dominican Republic. He is a recipient of the Crystal Apple from the Mayor of the City of New York. The Dominican Government has awarded him its highest civilian honors: Silver Great Cross of the Order of Duarte, Sánchez & Mella, Cultural Personality award, and Knight of the Heraldic Order of Christopher Columbus.

This album contains no booklet.