Hilton Ruiz

Hilton Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) was an American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent.

Biography

Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of five. At the age of eight he performed at Carnegie Hall.

In high school Ruiz studied jazz piano with Mary Lou Williams. In 1973 he was a sideman for Roland Kirk, then later for Clark Terry. He also worked with Betty Carter, Tito Puente, and Mongo Santamaría. He co-wrote a music instruction book, Jazz and How to Play It. He appeared on the soundtrack to Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors.

On May 19, 2006, Ruiz was found unconscious on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where he had gone to promote a CD benefiting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The police filed a report that he had injured himself in an accidental fall. Ruiz was hospitalized in a coma and died without regaining consciousness a week after his 54th birthday. Ruiz was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey.

He was buried at Saint Raymond's Cemetery in New York City.

Discography

As leader

• 1975 Piano Man (SteepleChase)
• 1976 Rhythm in the House (RMM)
• 1977 Excition (SteepleChase)
• 1977 New York Hilton (SteepleChase)
• 1977 Steppin' Into Beauty (SteepleChase) released 1982
• 1981 Live at Jazz Unitè (Jazz Unite)
• 1984 Cross Currents (Vintage Jazz)
• 1988 El Camino (The Road) (Novus)
• 1989 Strut (Novus)
• 1989 Doin' It Right (Novus)
• 1991 A Moment's Notice (Novus)
• 1992 Manhattan Mambo (Telarc)
• 1992 Live at Birdland (Candid)
• 1993 Heroes (Telarc)
• 1995 Hands on Percussion (RMM)
• 1997 Island Eyes (RMM)
• 2003 Hilton Ruiz Songbook (Hilton Ruiz Music)
• 2003 Enchantment (Arabesque)
• 2004 A New York Story Hilton Ruiz Music

As sideman

With Greg Abate

• Horace is Here: A Tribute to Horace Silver (2004)

With Afro Blue Band

• Impressions (1995)

With George Coleman

• Amsterdam After Dark (Timeless, 1979)

With Art Davis

• Reemergence (1980)

With Chico Freeman

• Beyond the Rain (Contemporary, 1977)

With Dizzy Gillespie

• Rhythmstick (1990)

With Rahsaan Roland Kirk

• The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color (Atlantic, 1975)
• Other Folks' Music (Atlantic, 1976)
• Kirkatron (Warner Bros., 1976)
• The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man (Warner Bros., 1976)
• Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real (Warner Bros., 1977)

With Abbey Lincoln

• Golden Lady (1980)

With Tisziji Munoz

• Presence of Truth (1999)