Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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RUIZ, Hilton

(b 29 May 1952, NYC; d 6 June 2006) Pianist, composer, leader. Studied classical, played in solo recital at Carnegie Hall age eight; became prominent in NYC post-bop and Latin jazz: played/recorded with Ismael Rivera, Frank Foster, Charles Mingus, Roland Kirk, Roy Brooks (Ethnic Expression on Im Hotep: drummer Brooks b 3 September 1938, Detroit; with Horace Silver '59-64, played with M'Boom, Dollar Brand, many others; formed own group Artistic Truth). Own LPs include Fantasia on Denon; trio LPs Piano Man '75, New York Hilton, Excition (adding Foster on reeds, Richard Williams on trumpet), Steppin' Into Beauty '77, all on Steeplechase; Crosscurrents '84 on Stash (trio and quintet). A gig at the Village Gate '87 with Papo Lucca and Eddie Palmieri celebrated his first album on a major label: the octet Something Grand on RCA Novus included Sam Rivers, followed by El Camino, Strut, Doin' It Right and A Moment's Notice; but Novus's commitment to the music ran out in the early '90s. Manhattan Mambo and Heroes came out on Telarc, Live At Birdland on Candid; Hands On Percussion on RMM was a return to Latin roots, guests including Tito Puente and Andy Gonzalez.

He was found unconscious in Bourbon Street in New Orleans; police concluded that he had fallen, but some musicians didn't believe it and implied that the police weren't doing their job.