Roberto Fonseca in La Villette

Lighting candles before taking his place amidst his three keyboards, Roberto Fonseca invites the audience into his home during this solo concert at Jazz à la Villette 2014. The Cuban-born pianist is a contemporary jazz genius who has developed his own musical identity, while showing how much he cares about music through sharing his tradition with the world, using props, signs and of course, a wide range of musical textures and styles. Here, Fonseca creatively uses loops with his keyboard and drum, offering a fresh take on the musical style of his homeland.

The piano genius joined the Buena Vista Social Club in 2001, and then release a very personal album in 2011: Yo. The latter revolutionized jazz. Fonseca masterfully blended genres to create his own jazz, full of lyricism, rhythmic richness and energy. In this concert, multiple influences can be found, including that of Keith Jarrett and his famous solo concerts around the world in the 70s and 80s—in Cologne, Paris, Tokyo, etc. Although these are not total improvisations but original pieces by Fonseca, his frequent use of ostinati and technical phrases reminds us of the aforementioned master.