Description
I am a drummer, composer, bandleader and educator rooted in the jazz tradition as well as the rhythms, traditions and memory of my native Mexico and Latin America. I wish to make music that tells the story of our feet: of where they are, and where they come from, and that dares suggest new ground for them to step on.
Work Sample
Desafío Candente is an audiovisual experience inspired by Eduardo Galeano's book "The Open Veins of Latin America" featuring 21 musicians and 13 guest speakers from 11 different countries. Desafío Candente explores, through fourteen programmatic compositions, the history of colonialism, imperialism, capitalism and neo-liberalism in Latin America, while taking the listener on a journey through its contrasting musical landscapes, and celebrating the resilience of its diverse communities. 14 songs, 95 minutes running time.
Kind Regards gives life through music to words that attempt to build bridges and understanding in times of borders and ignorance; words that focus on our feet and the dust on which they walk, instead of the stars under which they dream. This project features an all new band, with music and lyrics (in english and spanish) by myself. There are three songs in this link, total running time 15 minutes.
Arete from my second album, ESSE, is a song that brings together the influences of my upbringing in Mexico with my love for jazz and its tradition. 8 minute song.
I believe the music as a work sample brings together all the details of the formation of my identity, from classical music and folklore to jazz, while it also communicates my fascination with history, philosophy, and my desire to tell a story through music. A story that i hope brings us together in understanding and that challenges our notions of justice and freedom.
History
A graduate of Loyola New Orleans and Northwestern University (MM Jazz), Cortiñas has developed a successful career in the US for over a decade, leading and accompanying ensembles in renowned stages and festivals in North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. “Cortiñas' music is uplifting, robust, melodic, and gets your body moving; it's an exciting blend of the artist's musical influences from jazz and Latin America, including his native Mexico" (DOWNBEAT). This can be heard on his records as a leader, "Snapshot" (2013); "ESSE" (Origin Arts 2017) and Desafío Candente (Woolgathering Records (2021), “an ambitious work both in depth and breadth. Cortiñas draws inspiration from Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano’s iconic “The Open Veins of Latin America” in crafting 14 sublime originals. Desafío Candente is innovative, elegant, and relevant.” (Chicago Jazz Mag). During his time in Chicago, Gustavo has become one of the most sought out drummers, performing and recording with Kitt Lyles, Erik Skov, Imagery Converter, Emily Kuhn, Roy McGrath, Kyle Madsen, and the Carla Campopiano Trio, among other ensembles. Currently, with a grant from the Mexican National Endowment of the Arts (FONCA), Gustavo is working on his fourth project as a leader: Kind Regards, which features original songs composed of both lyrics and music by Cortiñas, which attempt to bridge gaps and community in today’s polarized world. Gustavo Cortiñas is a proud endorser of Canopus Drums & Bosphorus Cymbals.
Artistic Vision
My name is Gustavo Cortiñas, I am a drummer, composer, arranger, bandleader and educator. Born and raised in Mexico, son to a Uruguayan college professor and a Mexican elementary school teacher, I grew up surrounded by books of all kinds, ranging from religion and philosophy, to history, economics and art. Music was just as diverse: be it the rough voice of Chavela Vargas, Wagner’s Twilight of the Gods, or the soothing song of Edith Piaf, music of all kinds was always there. By the age of 10, I fell in love with the drums. Eventually I was seduced by the syncopated and improvised beat of Jazz. This love inspired a journey far from home that first sent me through the birthplace of jazz in New Orleans, and later drew me to Chicago, the place that I have come to call my home. It is through this journey that the foundation of my work was set. Latin American folklore, classical music, and jazz; philosophy, religion and the Latin American cry for justice.
Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise
Desafío Candente has been very successful not only in club, festival and museum performances, but also in Universities and schools, particularly those focusing on issues of justice, colonialism, Critical Race Theory, and beyond.
Name
Gustavo Cortiñas
Type
Individual Artist
Address
703 N. Ridgeway Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624
Contact Person
Gustavo Cortiñas
[email protected]
504.616.7770
Web Site
Artistic Discipline(s)
Music
- Jazz
Geographic Availability
Central Illinois
Chicago/Chicagoland
Northern Illinois
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois
Fee Ranges
$1200 - $6000
Additional Services
Demonstrations
Lectures
Master classes
Residencies
Teacher Development
Workshops
Core Audience(s)
Adult
Bilingual
- Spanish
Children
Seniors
Youth