The Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quartet, Live in Munich

The Munich Summer Piano Festival was fertile ground of fans of Gonzalo Rubalcaba in the early 90s. He played in the German city a number of times both in solos and trios as well as his quartet formation, which is on display here. Having made a name for himself in the 1980s as part of the esteemed group Grupo Proyecto, Rubalcaba had become a star in his own right by the end of the decade, touring internationally and being entrusted with the keys to the grand Afro-Cuban music box. 

It was his blending of the music of his heritage with jazz fusion that cemented his reputation. His soundscapes are dazzling, alluring and continually challenging, at once accessing deep emotions and the energies that get bodies moving. Supported by the excellent Reinaldo Melian on trumpet, the perfectly-pitched bassist Felipe Cabrera and the veteran Cuban drummer Julio Barretto, Rubalcaba shows why he is, and has always been, an essential piece in international jazz.