Pianist Elio Villafranca who was born in Cuba, was originally classically trained as a percussionist and composer.

He moved to the U.S. in 1995, developed into a very original pianist, worked with such notables as Pat Martino, Terell Stafford, Paquito D’ Rivera, Eric Alexander, David Murray, Wynton Marsalis, and Miguel Zenon among others, and has recorded regularly as a leader.

Despite the vintage name of his group, Elio Villafranca does not play 1920s jazz but its leader’s modern Afro-Cuban jazz originals.

Villafranca, who has his own original and virtuosic style, is joined at Dizzy’s Club for “The Source In Between” (a song that has some similarities to “Well You Needn’t”) by trumpeter Sean Jones (who takes a particularly exciting solo), tenor-saxophonist Greg Tardy, bassist Gregg August, and drummer Willie Jones III.

-Scott Yanow

Jazz on the Tube covers Cuba! See our Cuba section.

Jazz on the Tube has an entire section devoted Cuba and its music.

Details here: Jazz on the Tube – Cuba

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