Hilario Durán Trio

This show presents the celebrated Cuban-Canadian piano master Hilario Durán in a trio formation honouring the music of Oscar Peterson, one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time and among Canada’s most honoured musicians. Acclaimed by some as the most outstanding jazz pianist of all time, Peterson was incredibly influential and left his mark on the Canadian jazz scene and the world stage.

The music to be performed is a compilation of Peterson’s music alongside some of Hilario’s compositions influenced by Peterson. The trio will perform tunes such as “C Jam Blues,” “Wheat Land,” “Bossa Beguine,” and “Hymn To Freedom.” The repertoire also includes music from the Cuban legend Ernesto Lecuona, arranged by Durán but through Peterson’s vision. The trio includes Durán on piano, Roberto Occhipinti on bass, and Mark Kelso on drums

About Hilario Durán

Finalist of the 2023 Toronto Arts Foundation Award, C.S.A. Nominee 2021 Achievement in Music Original Song (The Cuban Film), and winner of the Louis Applebaum Composers Award, Hilario Durán is well recognized for his piano playing and composing skills. The Cuban-born grew up in Havana in a musical family surrounded by various musical influences. His first work as a professional musician was Cuba's Los Papa Cun-Cun Ensemble. Later, in the '70s, he was Chucho Valdés' chosen successor in Cuba's most modern big band, Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna. Hilario was also a pianist, arranger, and composer of the Arturo Sandoval Group.

After making his mark in Cuba, Duran immigrated to Canada and essayed his skills as a pianist, producer, composer, arranger and musical director of remarkable virtuosity. Since then, he has made a name for himself. He is a Juno Award winner and nominee, a Grammy nominee, a multi-Canadian National Jazz Award winner and nominee, and the proud recipient of the 2007 Chico O'Farrill Lifetime Achievement Award from Latin Jazz U.S.A. for his outstanding contributions to Afro-Cuban and Latin Jazz.

Durán also won the Latin Jazz category of the Latin Awards Canada 2020 and, as director of the company ES MI MUSICA PRODUCTIONS, he won the Latin-American Award Premio a la Trayectoria for his work as an entrepreneur. Durán is one of Cuba's premier Latin jazz exponents. He immigrated to Canada in 1998 and was named one of the Ten Most Influential Hispanic Canadians in 2009.

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