Contumbao receives JUNO Awards nomination – Jazz Album: Solo

Pianist, composer, arranger Hilario Durán makes a triumphant musical homecoming on his new album Contumbao. Recorded in the historic Egrem Studios in Havana, Cuba with an all-star cast assembled for the occasion. Contumbao was released last September (2017) and has just received a JUNO Awards nomination in the Jazz Album: Solo category. The other nominees are: The Tide Turns – Brad Cheeseman; Rich in Symbols – Chet Doxas; Root Structure – Mike Downes and Ralph Bowen – Ralph Bowen.

The 47th annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week 2018 will be hosted in Vancouver from March 19 through March 25, 2018, culminating in The JUNO Awards Broadcast on CBC on Sunday, March 25 at the Rogers Arena. Tickets for the showcase, hosted by Michael Bublé, are available now!

Read what the press is saying about this nominated album. With Contumbao, Hilario Durán has created another compelling entry in a rich and rewarding discography.

“Although the brilliant, virtuoso pianist Hilario Durán might be heard in a recording studio warming up by playing a Bach Partita or one of Charlie Parker’s devilishly complex bebop pieces at breakneck speed, it is the music of Cuba that permeates his compositions. But it is because of the very fact that he is made in the image and likeness of those two grandmasters of music that he has been nicknamed ‘con tumbao’ a term that has become the title of this album, one recorded recently in the Cuba that he left behind to come to Canada many years ago.” — Raul da Gama (latinjazznet.com) — Read Full Review

“Passionate, innovative, expressive, dynamic, evocative, sophisticated, genius – superlatives consistently used to describe the towering musicality and virtuosity that is pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader, Hilario Durán. Born in Havana, Cuba and based in Toronto for the past 20 years, Durán has been wowing the world with his creative approach to Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz, one breathtaking concert after another.” — Sharna Searle (thewholenote.com) — Read Full Review

“Hilario Durán is a jazz multi-hyphenate of the highest caliber. Based in Toronto, internationally recognized jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader and college professor, lets his musical heart and soul closely connected to the land of his birth. And to celebrate this, he went to his beloved Cuba to master his latest album Contumbao. It was recorded in a 10-day period with an all-star band. Cuban piano great Chucho Valdés makes a special guest appearance, teaming with Hilario for a thrilling piano duet.” — Marlena Fitzpatrick (enclavemag.com) — Read Full Review

“After ten days the twelve tracks that became Contumbao were completed. Hilario Durán’s hand-picked quartet had reached new heights and had the ability and versatility to play a variety of African and Cuban styles. The result was a compelling and captivating album of Afro-Cuban Jazz with elements of Bembé 6X8, Güajira and Son Montuno that was enriched with that unique Tumbao. This typical Cuban ostinato melody can be found in most genres of Cuban music, and features throughout Contumbao.” — Derek Anderson (dereksmusicblog.com) — Read Full Review

“After ten days the twelve tracks that became Contumbao were completed. Hilario Durán’s hand-picked quartet had reached new heights and had the ability and versatility to play a variety of African and Cuban styles. The result was a compelling and captivating album of Afro-Cuban Jazz with elements of Bembé 6X8, Güajira and Son Montuno that was enriched with that unique Tumbao. This typical Cuban ostinato melody can be found in most genres of Cuban music, and features throughout Contumbao.” — Derek Anderson (dereksmusicblog.com) — Read Full Review