Luis Bonilla

Luis Bonilla (c. 1965) is an American jazz trombonist of Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban jazz.

Bonilla is from Costa Rica and raised in California. He studied at California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelor 's degree and at the Manhattan School of Music with a master's degree in jazz and composition.

After that he worked as a freelancer and as a studio musician and played with McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie (whom he considered his mentor and with whom he toured ), Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Willie Colón and Astrud Gilberto and accompanied Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, Marc Anthony, La India, and Mary J. Blige. From 1985 he played in the orchestra by Gerald Wilson.

He made ​​several albums under his own name.

Bonilla is a member of the Mingus Big Band, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra 2009 he received a Grammy as well as the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Arturo O'Farrill of.

2010 and 2011 he won the Critics Poll of Down Beat in the Rising Star category for trombone.

He taught at the Manhattan School of Music, Temple University and the New England Conservatory of Music.

Discography

• Pasos Gigantes, Candid Records 1998
• Esucha! , Candid Records 2000
• Terminal Clarity 2007
• I talking now 2009
• Twilight 2010