Rolando LUNA, piano

He is a little unusual in the family of the great Cuban pianists, in that he came to the piano very late, when he was 15 ! After spending 3 years at the Amadeo Roldan Conservatoire, Omaro Portuondo chose him as his sideman. He then went on the road, honing his talents with various bands, from Salsa (Isaac Delgado…..) to classical music, then moving on to traditional music ( playing with Omara for 20 years and with the Buena Vista Social Club for 10 years) , not forgetting jazz, where he developed a very personal and innovative musical world of his own. The first time he took part in the Jazz Piano Solo Competition in Montreux, in 2007, he carried off both the Special First Prize, as well as the Prix du Public ! He is also in great demand in the studios of Havana, as a pianist, of course, but also for his talents as an arranger and producer. Rolando is among those pianists who are prominent in the history of Cuban music, playing in more than 200 albums in the last 20 years. It is on the strength of all these experiences, that he has been able to develop and enrich his musical universe. His inventiveness, virtuosity and musicality have made him an extraordinary pianist, who has produced veritable gems, such as in his album Alucinaciones, which came out in 2012, or in his latest double album for solo piano, Rolando’s Faces ‘2022), which delighted his fans with its delicacy. He has elaborated his immense talent through these rich compositions, with their amazing reprises, moving  between French Romanticism, the School of Russian Piano and his natural «Cubanity»! In May 2023 he will be releasing a marvellous triple album, recorded live at the Auditorium de l’Opéra in Bordeaux. On stage, Rolando charms us with his charisma, poetry  and his ever-surprising improvisations.His emotional performance will quickly make the purists forget his «organic» technique; but it remains a formidably effective means of  presenting both the music and the poetry. He is regularly invited by internationally renowned artists, in Cuba, of course, but also Brazil, Russia and France, who all recognise his skills: - Omara Portuondo «Rolando is a particularly talented and impressive pianist», Chucho Valdez «Rolando shows creativity and imagination, and a marked elegance and freshness in his playing, he has a great future », Ibrahim Maalouf «Rolando is an impressive musician, as much for his virtuosity, as for his ability to contemplate all types of music. He is one of those artists who demands close attention, and shows great promise for the future». Rolando recently appeared at «Jazz in Marciac», with fellow musicians Rodney Barretto on drums and Gaston Joya on double bass; a highly successful concert, before a full house, like the old days, and with a particularly appreciative audience. The music p^ress was full of praise for a wonderful evening - « a concert we will not forget»  (Alex Dutilh-France Musique). His latest performance, in a trio at the Auditorium de l’Opéra in Bordeaux, was much appreciated and may well result in  a live album in Spring 2023. He is equally at home playing  solo, in duo, trio and in quartet and was one of the founding members of the Cuban collective  El Comité.