Michel Camilo

Michael Camilo is a pianist and composer from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, whose humble origins helped build the musician's unique outlook on song writing. Born into a musical family, young Camilo took an uncanny interest in an accordion at an early age, but was soon transfixed by his grandparents piano. After asking his parents to buy him one, they usurped him by sending him to the local Elementary Music School, run by the National Conservatory, before buying him his own piano. Though Camilo's first interest was in classical music, his sonic foundation was rocked after a deep immersion in jazz music. After studying for 13 years at the conservatory, Camilo moved to New York City and studied at The Julliard School, before being enlisted by Latin-jazz luminary Tito Puente to play piano for a performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1983. This sit-in provided Camilo his big break and since then he has managed to grow into one of the more respected individuals who's a formidable musical force in the Latin-leaning lazz world.