piano
Born in Cuba, Julian Gutierrez grew up in an environment conducive to musical vocations, as his father, guitarist Ramiro Gutierrez, introduced him to music at an early age. After graduating from Cuba’s Esteban Salas Conservatory, the pianist joined several local ensembles, including Mezcla, with whom he toured Europe and the United States. After settling in la belle province a few years later, he took up the reins of the uébéco Habana Café, where he assumed the roles of musician, composer, arranger and musical director.
Habana Café
Backed by a swaying rhythm section, Habana Café’s music features a repertoire sprinkled with Cuban rhythms, melodies and instruments. The ensemble recorded two albums, Vengo De Mi Cuba (2009) and Mi Camino (2014), the latter of which was nominated for an ADISQ award that same year. He also collaborates with Michel Lambert and his musicians from the Brazz Ensemble of the Université de Sherbrooke, and takes part in the 2012 European summer tour of the Mackinaw folk dance troupe.
Modern jazz and traditional Cuban rhythms
At the frontier between the worlds of modern jazz and traditional Cuban rhythms, Julian Gutierrez adopts a musical language inherited from Nueva Trova. Related to the Trova, a style of Cuban popular music dating back to the 19th century, the Nueva Trova retains the traditional instrumentation of the original.
Musical background
Julian holds a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from Université de Sherbrooke, a master’s degree in jazz performance from Université Laval, and a doctorate in music from Université Laval. His professional artistic practice is ongoing. He is a professional musician active on the music scene, in a variety of popular and jazz styles. Throughout his career, he has developed experience in contract management, as well as in various modes of communication and dissemination.
Indeed, he has acted as artistic and musical director, pianist and singer at many events.
• le Festival de jazz de Montréal • le Festival au bout du monde, Gaspésie • le Festival Les Francofolies, Montréal • le Festival de Jazz, Rimouski • l’Émission de uébécoise Belle et Bum • l’Émission de uébécoise Bravo • l’Émission de uébécoise Des Kiwis et des hommes • l’Émission de radio La nature selon Boucar • le Festival Lacs des nations, Sherbrooke • le Festi Jazz, Mont Tremblant • le Festival d’été de Québec • le Festival FAOT à Sonora, au Mexique • la Salle Pauline-Julien, Ste-Geneviève • la Maison de la culture Claude-Léveillée, Montréal • le Cabaret Guy-Aubert, Victoriaville • le Centre culturel, Beloeil • le Centre Peter B Yeomans, Dorval • le Cabaret BMO, Ste-Thérèse • le Cabaret La Basoche, Gatineau • la Place Lagny, Ste-Agathe-des-Monts • le Parc des Pionniers, St-Donat • la Grande Place du Centre-Ville, Ste-Marie-de-Beauce • le Théâtre Granada, Sherbrooke • la Maison de la culture, Waterloo • le Scène extérieure, St-Rémi • la Place de la uéb, Sherbrooke • le Parc Jacques-Cartier, Sherbrooke • le Parc Danyluk, Ville Mont-Royal • le Centre des loisirs, St-Laurent • la Petite Église, St-Eustache • le Centre d’art Richmond • la Maison de culture Le p’tit uébéco de Saint-Camille • le Festival Traditions du monde, Fleurimont • le Festival de Jazz etc Lévis • Festival Off des Harmonies, Sherbrooke • Festival International des Rythmes du Monde, Chicoutimi • Festival Woodstock en Beauce • Maison de culture Les Pas Perdus, Îles de la Madeleine • La Place des Arts, Montréal
He produced, composed and directed the music for the Habana Café group’s last two albums, “Vengo de mi Cuba” and “Mi Camino”. Jullian was nominated in the Best World Music Album category at ADISQ in 2014 for this project. In 2011 and 2012, he was selected to participate in the Remixer la chanson uébécoise project led by Serge Lacasse, a professor specializing in popular music and sound recording at Université Laval.
Julian also teaches jazz piano, harmony and composition at the Université de Montréal to bachelor’s, master’s and graduate students. He has given lectures and master classes on Cuban music and jazz at the following institutions: – University of Victoria – University of Sherbrooke – Bishop’s University – Concordia University – Cégep de Sherbrooke – Cégep de Drummondville – Cégep St-Laurent in Montreal.