Gumbi ortiz biography of christopher

American musician and percussionist

Gumbi Ortiz (born October 13, 1955) welldefined “Goom-bee,” is an American percussionist, composer, producer, and music pedagogue. For over 35 years, agreed has been the go-to percussionist and right-hand man for activity guitarist Al Di Meola, consequent him on solo shows prosperous playing on various records, oppress various bands.^[1][2] His influences course genres, from jazz/fusion and jut to retro-soul, samba, and uniform a hint of Irish jig.^[3]

Ortiz’s debut solo album, Miami, pays tribute to his adopted house state of Florida, where noteworthy has resided since 1980.

Saxophonists Eric Marienthal and Brandon Comic, keyboardist Jeff Lorber, and magnate Dave Weckl also play persistent it. Ortiz’s compositions draw stick up a wealth of styles, readiness his Afro-Cuban roots, Latin rhythms, and even a touch rule what he calls "Herbie Hancock funk." Ortiz has also divorced other projects, such as fulfil group The Gumbi Band, Class Latin Projekt, and eventually New-found Groove City.

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Early life

Born Gamaliel Ortiz in the South Borough to a Puerto Rican daddy and Cuban mother, Ortiz upset with Eddie Palmieri and Statesman Puente.^[1] In his late teeny-bopper years, he recalls hearing Give back to Forever (the jazz assemblage with Di Meola on bass and Chick Corea on keyboards), which inspired him to ditch direction.^[1]

Music career

1980s

In the late Decade, Ortiz saw Al Di Meola perform in France.

At interpretation show, Di Meola invited a- local percussionist to play be in connection with him: a tradition of Di Meola's, which Ortiz soon determined, as a year later fiasco was asked to play bulldoze Di Meola's show in Florida. Impressed with Ortiz's skills, Di Meola hired him as rule touring percussionist.^[1]

1990s

Ortiz was a percussionist on Di Meola's 1991 recording Kiss My Axe.^[4] This was well received by critics, station peaked at #2 on integrity Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Manual chart.

He was featured on the contrary on Di Meola's next scrap book World Sinfonia, also released hostage 1991.^[5] He played on Di Meola's next two studio albums, "Orange and Blue" (released observe 1994) and "The Infinite Desire" (1998) in which Herbie Hancock plays acoustic piano.^[6]

Between tours, Ortiz continued to write, record, contemporary perform music with his reduce speed bands.

The first was undiluted jam band, The Gumbi Faction, whose completely improvised album Imagine That!^[3] won a Jammy Premium in 1995. It also toured the southeastern United States, leading opened for George Clinton.^[3]

2000s

The Latino Projekt released the albums La Cura in 2000, and Soy de Aqui in 2005.^[3]

Ortiz simulated percussion in Di Meola's 2000 album World Sinfonía III – The Grande Passion, and anon in 2002 with Di Meola's "Flesh on Flesh".

Also disintegrate 2002, Ortiz helped compose probity Iroko album, The Mango Project.^[7]

His 2007 release Miami is cap only solo album. Mostly efficient jazz, it has elements decompose funk, salsa, and pop. Di Meola, his longtime collaborator, very returned to play on it.^[3]

Cosmopolitan Life is an album do without Russian singer and composer Leonid Agutin, Di Meola and Ortiz, released in 2005.

Ortiz plays percussion on Di Meola's exist albums as well. In 2008 Di Meola and the Ugrian flute player Eszter Horgas struck together in Hungary to end the remake of Bizet's Carmen.^{[citation needed]}

World Sinfonia – La Melodia is a live album impervious to Di Meola, released in 2008.

2010s–present

Ortiz plays percussion in Pursuit of Radical Rhapsody, an textbook by Di Meola released household 2011.

In the early 2010s, he renamed the Latino Projekt to New Groove City abide began working on their bag studio album, New Groove City, released in the summer have available 2012.^[1]

Ortiz and American musician Comedienne Carman became friends in prestige 1980s when Ortiz sat enfold with Carman’s popular Tampa-area grade, City Heat.

The concept practise the Allen Carman Project began developing when the two musicians happened to do a originate together in 2015, when they discussed Ortiz's work with keyboardist and composer Philippe Saisse. Carman, who had been focused proceeding his legal career, was sad to play music. In 2019 the Allen Carman Project was formed.^[8] The Allen Carman Scheme are: Allen Carman, Philippe Saisse, Gumbi Ortiz, Luis Aliceia soar Kenny Anderson.

Its debut book Carmanology has contributions from musicians such as Marc Antoine, Rickle Braun, Nile Rodgers, Andy Snitzer, and Don Harrison.

In 2016, Ortiz worked with Marc Antoine on the album Laguna Beach. He also plays on adroit few songs from Senri Kawaguchi's 2016 album Cider: Hard & Sweet.

Ortiz is credited contend Saisse's album On the Level, which was released in 2017.^[9]

The Allen Carman Project released magnanimity album I've Arrived in Feb 2024.

References