“…confident, tuneful straight-ahead jazz…” – Paul Wells, MACLEANS Magazine
Roberto Occhipinti is diversity personified. He’s won awards and acclaim as a musician, composer and record producer. Throughout his career, the Toronto-born bassist has performed in classical orchestras, jazz ensembles, Latin groups, rhythm & blues outfits and rock bands. He has worked in theatre and opera, written for radio and television, played on film soundtracks and done more recording session jobs than he can remember.
After stints with the Winnipeg Symphony, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the Canadian Opera Company, Occhipinti fell under the spell of Latin music. Playing with Memo Acevedo’s Banda Brava led saxophonist Jane Bunnett to ask him to fill in for her bass player on a tour. Occhipinti wound up going to Cuba and playing on three of Bunnett’s albums, including the Juno Award-winning Ritmo and Soul and the Grammy-nominated Alma de Santiago. Through that association, he met Cuban-Canadian pianist Hilario Durán and produced three of Durán’s albums, including the Juno-winning New Danzon.
This performance will be a standout show for the season. Roberto performs with Manuel Valera and Dafnis Prieto, award winning superstars. Not to be missed (though, if you do miss The Jazz Room show, you can catch the same group performing at Koerner Hall the next night!).
* Roberto Occhipinti — Bass
* Manuel Valera — Piano and Keys
* Dafnis Prieto — Drums
Here is Roberto with “El Negro”
