Jazz Round Table #17 with Otmaro Ruiz, Mike Miller, and Gary Meek!

Gary Meek – Sax, Keyboards

Performed with: Socially Distant Show 1/14/21, Socially Distant Show #7 2/18/21, Jazz Round Table #3 4/6/21, Jazz Round Table #8 6/15/21, Jazz Round Table #17 12/7/21

Gary Meek began his career in the early 1980s playing woodwinds in the big bands of the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop, and keyboards and woodwinds for local club dates, weddings and private parties. In the mid-’80s he toured with Dionne Warwick, playing keyboards.
In 1987, Meek began a two-decade association with Brazilian jazz artists Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. In 1990, joined by Jose Neto, they formed Fourth World. This band toured the U.S., Europe, Asia, South Africa and Eastern Europe for five years, releasing a live album in 1992, “Live at Ronnie Scott’s.” Three years later, Meek joined Herb Alpert’s world tour in support of Alpert’s “Second Wind” album. The following year, Meek toured the U.S. and Europe playing saxes, flute and keyboards for Al Jarreau.

Meek’s first album as a leader and saxophonist, 1991’s “Gary Meek,” comprises 11 songs all written or cowritten by Meek. He has released four other solo projects to date, including “Time One,” “Live at Ronnie Scott’s,” “Good Friends” and “Step 7.”

Through the 1990s and early 2000s, Meek began several enduring collaborations, some with artists who contributed session work for his solo efforts. After keyboardist Jeff Lorber appeared on “Gary Meek,” Meek played for several Lorber albums, including the Billboard Top 5 “West Side Stories” in 1994. Meek’s first studio work for bassist Brian Bromberg, on 1997’s “You Know That Feeling,” led to several tours and albums including “Downright Upright,” nominated for the “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” Grammy in 2007.
In 2000, Meek played saxophone for “Warning,” the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. “Warning” reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA.

In 2003, Meek played woodwinds for the album “Playful Heart” by guitarist and bossa nova pioneer Oscar Castro-Neves. The release, named one of that year’s best albums by Downbeat, included an arrangement of “Four Brothers” that Castro-Neves wrote to feature Meek on all the woodwind parts. Meek was later featured on Castro-Neves’ 2006 album, “All One.”

In 2002, Meek collaborated for the first time with drummer Dave Weckl for the Dave Weckl Band album, “Live (and Very Plugged In)” and a subsequent world tour. He also played with Weckl for 2005’s “Multiplicity,” and with Weckl and keyboardist Jay Oliver for “Convergence” in 2012.

In 2015, the Dave Weckl Acoustic Band released its debut CD, “Of the Same Mind,” touring behind it in Europe, Asia and the U.S. Acoustic band personnel include Weckl, Meek, keyboardist Makoto Ozone and bassist Tom Kennedy.

In September of 2017 Meek released “Originals” – His first solo release in Fifteen years. The CD features Terri Lyne Carrington – Drums, Brian Bromberg – Acoustic Bass, Mitchel Forman – Piano, Randy Brecker – Trumpet/ Flugelhorn and Bruce Forman – Guitar, on Three songs apiece. Also Michael Lent- Guitar and Airto Moriera – Percussion on ‘Suite for Maureen” Meek has had CD release gigs in both LA and Monterey. Bookings are coming in. Subscribe to the Mailing list on this site for more details.

Otmaro Ruiz – Keyboards

Performed with: Socially Distant Show 1/14/21, Jazz Round Table #17 12/7/21

Considered one of the most important jazz pianists in the current scene, venezuelan Otmaro Ruiz is known for his versatility and virtuosity. After working intensively in Venezuela with artists such as Soledad Bravo and Ilan Chester, Otmaro moves to Los Angeles in 1989 to join the group of great names of the jazz world such as Alex Acuña, Justo Almario y Abraham Laboriel, with whom still collaborates in diverse projects.
With an intense musical career, filled with concerts, workshops and recordings worldwide, Otmaro worked for 5 years with Dianne Reeves as a pianist and musical director. During this period, Otmaro participated in the recording project of her CD “In The Moment – Live in Concert”, which won the Grammy Award 2001. In that same year, Alex Acuna’s album “Acuarelas de Tambores, also with Otmaro’s collaboration, was nominated to a Grammy. His collaboration with Weston Woods Studios for the Scholastic Series of animated children videos have won important recognitions like the “2004 Audie Award” in the Children Production Category and Bronze Remi at the 2004 Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival (for the Soundtrack of “Chato and The Party Animals”); Otmaro also received a Life Time Special Award “International Exposure” from the Venezuelan National Artist’s Institute (for outstanding career in a foreign country). In 2012, Otmaro was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Musical Arts from Shepherd University. His work as an arranger was recognized by the American Academy of Recording Arts with a 2016 Grammy Nomination and a double Latin Grammy Award Nomination in 2019.

The long list of re-known musicians with whom Otmaro works, constantly confirms his versatility, proving that this jazz giant sails with ease in many different styles, from Straight-Ahead jazz to Pop-Rock, from the most authentic Salsa & Afro-Cuban to the most exciting Fusion, with unusual ability to express his own language both at the acoustic piano and in the electronic world of synthesizers. Among these amazing artists: John McLaughlin, Randy Brecker & Bill Evans’ SoulBop Project, Simon Phillips’ Protocol, Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, John Patitucci, Paquito D’Rivera, Jing Chi, Nana Caymmi, Dori Caymmi, Akira Jimbo, Frank Gambale, Peter Erskine, David Weckl, Art Davis Quintet, Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra, Alain Caron, Gino Vannelli, Tolu, Frank Morgan, Robben Ford, Vinnie Colaiuta and Jon Anderson.

Regarded as one of the most sought-after keyboardists for recordings in today’s scene, Otmaro is still able to dedicate time to teaching, scoring of movie sound-tracks and to the production of his works as a leader with original compositional material, captured in the CDs “Otmaro Ruiz plays Ryuichi Sakamoto”, “Distant Friends”, “Nothing to Hide”, “Latino” and in his most recent album “Sojourn”. Released in September 2008, Sojourn encompasses the rhythmic complexity, harmonic sophistication and melodic beauty of his most recent compositions, under the architecture of a constant equilibrium, and presented with his own quartet, with the talented Jimmy Branly (drums), Carlos Del Puerto (acoustic bass) y Ben Wendel (saxophones and bassoon). In 2015, Otmaro produces and releases the album “Catina DeLuna and LADO B Brazilian Project featuring Otmaro Ruiz”, earning his first Grammy Nomination in the Arranging category, and in 2018,”Elemental” is released, featuring legendary bassist Jimmy Haslip and Jimmy Branly. “Elemental” marks the realization of a long time dream of producing a more electric infused Fusion project. “Elemental” generated international accolades and a double nomination at the Latin Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Arrangement and Best Jazz Album.

Otmaro Ruiz worked as Jazz Piano Faculty at University of Southern California (USC), at Cornell School of Contemporary Music at Shepherd University, has been a frequent guest clinician at Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA), at Musicians Institute (MI) and continues to travel the world not only as a performer, but also as an educator, dictating workshops and Masterclasses in top conservatories.

Otmaro Ruiz enjoys a US support deal from KAWAI Pianos and proudly endorses products from the following companies: NORD CLAVIA PRODUCTS, ROLAND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, SPECTRASONICS, RADIAL ENGINEERING, A.R.T., MACKIE, ZOOM, PRIMACOUSTIC, US MUSIC CORP (QuikLok, Washburn Guitars), SPECTRASONIC and LP (Latin Percussion).

Jazz Round Table #17 with Otmaro Ruiz, Mike Miller, and Gary Meek!

Fun Group of Musicians and Friends!

Otmaro Ruiz

Mike Miller

Gary Meek,

Gary Meek – Sax, Keyboards

Mike Miller – Guitar

Otmaro Ruiz – Keyboards