Elio Villafranca with his last CD "Caribbean Tinge" - Detroit Jazz Fest now (08/31/2014)!!

Elio Villafranca Making of "Caribbean Tinge" Video Editor's Pick - DownBeat AND JazzTimes! Detroit Jazz Festival Next    Pianist Elio Villafranca & the Jass Syncopators have gained critical praise for their new CD release on Motema Music entitled Caribbean Tinge. Elio's story of growing up in Cuba and the making of Caribbean Tinge may be viewed here. Caribbean Tinge received an Editor's Pick in bothDownBeat (July digital edition) and JazzTimes (September issue). He also received two four-star reviews for separate releases in the September issue of DownBeat. Additionally, the release got a great review in All About Jazz and the Latin Jazz Corner. "Villafranca is an excellent composer and an amazingly gifted pianist who guides this incredibly tight ensemble through a program that makes you think, smile and tap your toes."  - DownBeat "Elio Villafranca and his Jass Syncopators brings stellar jazz players together with a trio of percussionists to fuse passion with complexity." - JazzTimes "Villafranca has created music, which is some of the most visionary intermixes of Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican music with American bop and swing." - All About Jazz "An heir to the great Cuban piano tradition of Chucho Valdés, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Omar Sosa, Villafranca impresses with his extraordinary technique and boundless energy at the keyboard. This is Latin jazz for the 21st century and beyond."  - New York City Jazz Record * * * On June 23, 2014, Villafranca (along with Jon Batiste and Cecile McLorin Salvant) received the first-ever Jazz at Lincoln Center Millennium Swing! Award. The award honors the three rising stars. Photo credit: Maike Schulz for JALC "The band swings hard and brings a traditional yet innovative style to the roots of jazz and Afro Caribbean music. I am profoundly moved by Elio's vision and musicianship. He is a treasured member of the family here at Jazz at Lincoln Center." - Wynton Marsalis "Elio's music is passionate.  A brand new application of ancient ways." - Chick Corea Tour Dates: August 31 - Elio Villafranca Quartet feat. Eric Alexander - Detroit Jazz Festival September 15 - Premiere of Mary Lou William's Zodiac Suite - Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, Bolivia February 20-21, 2015 - Elio Villafranca's Music of the Caribbean - Appel Room, JALC PRESS CONTACT: SCOTT THOMPSON PR - 203-400-1818 www.scottthompsonpr.com Photo credit: Maike Schulz for JALC Elio Villafranca - www.eliovillafranca.net Motema Music - www.motema.com Scott Thompson is a public relations specialist. Thompson served as Assistant Director of Public Relations for Jazz at Lioln Center for almost a decade.  For interviews and booking, contact scott@scotthompsonpr.com. www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.com jazzcaribe@hotmail.com