Omar Sosa

Omar Sosa Palacios ( born April 10, 1965 in Camagüey ) is a Cuban jazz pianist and composer.

Life

Through his music interested father, a history and philosophy teacher, Omar Sosa came early in contact with various styles of music, especially classical music, jazz and Latin American music. At eight, he began himself to learn percussion and marimba. This was followed by studies at the Conservatory of Camagüey and at the Escuela Nacional de Musica and the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, where he turned from the Marimba off and playing the piano. In 1983, he finished his education and started to work with pop musicians such as Vicente Feliu and Xiomara Laugart. Later, the music of Thelonious Monk has played a determining influence. 1993 Omar Sosa moved to Quito, where he met the music of the Afro - Latin Americans of Esmeraldas and with the fusion project Entrenoz directed his first own group. After a short time in Mallorca Sosa moved in 1995 to San Francisco and soon earned a reputation in the local "Latin jazz " scene. In 1999 he moved to Barcelona.

Music

Omar Sosa's music has a wide range of styles and is characterized by multiple influences. On a foundation of Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms he processed traditional North African music, salsa, merengue, soul, funk, classical music, electronic music and avant-garde way to hip hop. With the plates Prieto (2001) and Sentir (2002 ), he started strongly with traditional African music, particularly addressing the Gnawa. In the following years he worked with various other musicians such as the percussionist Adam Rudolph, Dhafer Youssef, Steve Argüelles, Paquito D' Rivera and Dieter Ilg.

Sosa sees his music as an expression of his political and spiritual consciousness and emerges as supporters of the Cuban Santería religion also in ritual robes.

He plays solo programs and works with various ensembles from jazz trios to big bands and symphony orchestras to together. To his Quintet Afreecanos belong alongside drummer Marque Gilmore and bassist mosambikischen Childo Tomas musicians such as Mola Sylla (or Joo Kraus ), Leandro Saint- Hil and Peter Apfelbaum.

Prizes and awards

The CD Sentir was nominated for a Grammy in the category of "Best Latin Jazz Album". 2003 Sosa was honored by the Smithsonian Institution for his life's work and with From Our Mother his first work for full orchestra. 2006, the board Mulatos was again nominated for a Grammy. The arranged by Jaques Morel Tree album Ceremony, which was created with the NDR Big Band, was in 2011 awarded the ECHO Jazz as the best big-band album.

Discography

• Omar Omar (1997)
• Free Roots ( 1997)
• Nfumbe (1998)
• Spirit of the Roots ( 1999)
• Inside (1999)
• Bembón (2000)
• Prieto (2001)
• Sentir (2002) with Houssaine Kili, Martha Galarraga
• Ayaguna (2003)
• A New Life (2003)
• Pictures of Soul (2004)
• Aleatoric EFX (2004)
• Mulatos (2004)
• Ballads (2005)
• Mulatos Remix (2006)
• Live à FIP (2006)
• Promise ( 2007)
• D.O. - A Day Off (2007)
• Afreecanos (2008)
• Calma ( World Village / Harmonia Mundi, 2011)
• Eggun: The Afri - Lectric Experience ( 2013)