Diego Ramirez Trio - El Último Chilam Balam

Diego Ramirez is an exciting young jazz pianist and Mexican composer, who has played throughout Mexico for years but only recently is being exposed to audiences and musicians outside his native country. At his Premiere US Performance at the Portland Jazz Festival, the critics recently described Diego as: "spectacular", with "pianistic brilliance and staggering creative energy", "remarkable", "virtuoso!with tempestuous improvisations driven by Mexican rhythms", "exciting!extraordinary!and full of passion"!he "simply mesmerized the audience." Diego touches his audiences, playing modern or traditional jazz standards, with Latin influenced melodies and rhythms, indigenous explorations, a wide variety of his own compositions, and memorable improvisations. Listening to Diego at the piano is always a beautiful experience.
Diego Ramirez Herrera was born May 21, 1973, in Mexico City, and at age five he began to take piano lessons. He studied for ten years at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City, classes in piano and classical music with Maestros Jose Luis Arcaraz, Guillermo Salvador, and Christina de la Vega. But it was Maestra Irina Lieberman, from Czechoslovakia, who helped Diego develop his technique and musicality.

When Diego was twenty he had his first exposusre to jazz and decided to become a jazz pianist and composer. By age twenty one he was playing jazz with the original "Diego Ramirez Trio" in Cancun. Diego's music and compositions are influenced by his admiration for Mexican classical composers Silvestre Revueltas, Manuel M. Ponce, and Carlos Chavez. He was also influenced by improvisational musicians such as Miles Davis, by Leonard Bernstein, but it was Mayan music which gave birth to his original compositions.

Musical brilliance and astounding creativity are evident immediately when Diego Ramirez puts fingers to piano keys to perform the unique blend of original music he calls “Mayan Jazz”. The Mexico City born pianist and composer has toured internationally and staggered audiences with his Latin influenced, improvisational, passionate performances all along the way. Ramirez’ CD "El Ultimo Chilam Balam" received the LA Music Awards Producer's Choice for Best Jazz Album of 2008.



Tracklist:
1 Hunab Ku (El Tiempo del No Tiempo)
2 Tzolk'in
3 Pa'ax
4 Deseo Maya
5 Chokola'j
6 El Ultimo Chilam Balam
7 Ka'Kau'
8 Tlalhuehuetl John
9 Popol Vuh





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