Daniel Amat
Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | INDIE
Music
Press
While many Cuban musicians follow the path of their father and grandfathers on a particular instrument, there are those who follow their own calling and play something totally different. That’s the case with renowned tresero, Pancho Amat: his son Daniel, decided to play the piano - and what a piano! On this, his first solo recording, he is evoking the likes of Lili Martínez, Ruben González and Chucho Valdes, among others. Even so, he adds a touch of his own to make this a smoking debut.
While there are a couple of classic tunes, such as “El guararey de pastora” joined by his father and “Bilongo” with a stop and go arrangement, the true gems here are his own compositions. “Lejanía” starts with a subtle piano opening while Regina Campos plays a cello before transforming the song into a nice son. While I would not call this recording Latin Jazz, it does have it’s touches of jazz as with the tune, “Una vasca en Camagüey” where alto sax player Javier Zalba delivers some nasty riffs.
But the killer cut here has to be "Tumbao del feo" where master conguero Tata Güines opens the track with his usual blistering solo (Tata has to be like 90 years old by now). He is followed by Changuito on timbales just ripping this cut apart. Here you also see Daniel playing a more aggressive style, a speed demon just tearing those keys up, while his brother José Francisco Amat keeps that bass sound tight.
Living in Spain, Daniel Amat is keeping that descarga sound alive with this recording, and I’m curious to know how Pancho Amat feels with regard to how his two sons picked up two totally different instruments from his. A smoking debut!
- Omar Walker - SalsaPower.com
The best way of saying is doing and Daniel Amat proves this statement validity in this his debut album featuring a mature pianist, who despite his youth is offering a huge world of musical experiences.....
Absorbing in a very personal way from the heritage of the greats of Cuban piano, citing Lilí Martínez, Rubén González, Rubalcaba, Chucho and others, Daniel was running through genres from Cuban rural and urban music, respecting tradition, as expert in original sources, showing the freshness and contemporaneity of his youth...
Originality and Cuban taste is flooding this Daniel Amat`s debut album, when he invites such evergreens as Tata Guines, Changuito and Pancho Amat, he is simply assuring the clearness of his path along the music world.
- Mallcubano.com
Discography
Bilbao-La Habana y Vuelta - 2010
El Piano que Llevo Dentro - 2003
Photos
Bio
Daniel Amat, Cuban pianist born in a small town of Havana called Güira de Melena. He grew up surrounded by the rhythms and harmonies of his native Cuba. From a very young age he was influenced by his father Pancho Amat, one of the most important tres players of all times, who passed him the tradition of son, trova, and rumba. While pursuing his formal studies at the National School of Music in Havana, Daniel came in contact with classical music, jazz, and the music of Latin-American composers. Years later he graduated from the National School of Music receiving a degree of classical pianist and professor. All of this allows Daniel to have a unique and authentic style where a fusion can be found between the formal elements of structure, the balance of classical music and the freedom of harmonies and styles of jazz reminding us of Oscar Peterson or Art Tatum among others. Nevertheless, his music is completely dedicated to the main genres of Cuban music such as Son, Changui, Guaguanco, and Danzon. Even though Daniel is influenced by the contemporary influences of the music of today, his style is deeply based on the roots of Cuban music thus creating a unique and authentic musical language.
Daniel has pursued his career internationally, appearing in prestigious venues thoughout Europe, Latin America. His debut CD El piano que llevo dentro (The Piano Inside of Me) received the 2005 Cubadisco prize in the Instrumental music category. Currently Daniel resides in Bilbao, Spain where he has been described by the critics as "one of the great pianists of universal jazz".
FOR BOOKINGS CONTACT:
Emerson Bran Management
(310) 295-4259
bookings@emersonbranmanagement.com
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