Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Grammy Award-winning Cuban jazz pianist and composer Gonzalo Rubalcaba released his 13th album, Avatar, on Blue Note, where he has recorded for nearly 20 years. Rubalcaba normally performs and records with his trio, but with this release he chose to branch out with a new quintet. He had known the musicians for a long time, but never really had the chance to perform with them. Rubalcaba, who comes from a splendid musical family in Cuba, sounds fresh and invigorating on Avatar. Rubalcaba is working with composer Anthony Davis writing an opera, Revolution of Forms, about the Cuban Revolution. The opera is being written for Placido Domingo and will be premiered by the LA opera in 2011.