José-Luis Montiel
basses, contrebasse, guitares, tres, chant, arrangeur, compositeur

Bassist, arranger, singer and song writer, José Luis Montiel started playing the guitar and the “tres cubano”, at his place of birth, Mexico city, at only 8 years of age. From the age of 15 till he was 18, he studied Latin American folklore. At the age of 19, José Luis founded the "Son Cuatro Group" as a vocalist and “tres cubano” player. Three years later he was invited to sing with the "Trabuco" orchestra directed by well-known Mexican bassist Alejandro Barrientos (†). In 1984 (self-taught) he took up playing the bass.

In 1985 he played with the “Rumba Abierta” project, a fusion of Mexican and afro-Antillean music (with this project Montiel gains recognition of other’s musicians for having become an excellent, self-taught bass player).

In 1986 he was invited by famous Mexican pianist Irving Lara to play in his orchestra "La Quemazón". This was an important step in Montiel’s professional career as a musician: Irving Lara made a school in Mexico as a Latin jazz musician. With this orchestra he had the opportunity to accompany famous artists such as: Celia Cruz, Tania Libertad, David Byrne, Mark Anthony, Gualberto Castro, Consuelito Velazquez and others. He played with the orchestra for 10 years, until 1992 when he traveleled to Spain to present his music during the Expo-Sevilla 92.

On new years eve1993, he is invited to play the bass with the Royal Moroccan Orchestra.
Between 1990 and 1997 he works in Mexico as a bassist and arranging the following projects : Banco del Ruido, Yacaré, Son de Merengue, Aché, Grupo Caliente, Rafaél Mendoza, Silvia Abalos, Rafaél Catana, Gabriela Huesca, Richard Villalon and others.

He records over 40 albums as a singer and bassist in Mexico with i.e. the following artists: Laura León, Rumba Abierta, Banco del Ruido, Grupo Caliente, Cesar Espada, Yekina Pavón, La Quemazón, Maruchy, La Nueva Familia, Leonardo Sandoval, La Banda Elastica and others.
He composed music for many theatre productions in Mexico: Lunaria, El son de la Calavera, El Principito, Que Chevere Guateque, Para cantarle a la Vida, Viernes de Dolores, Cuentos Mexicanos Costumbristas and others.

In Mexico he produced three records: for rock singer Rafaél Catana, for well-known singer and composer Rafaél Mendoza and for the theatre production of Silvia Abalos “El son de la Calavera”.
In 1994 he works with one of the most interesting singers of Mexico, even Latin America, Eugenia Leon.

In 1995 he travels to Belgium to perform with "Mezcal", a band that plays cross-over music. With this group he tours the country and records "Pajaros libres" (Free Birds).
The same year he is invited to Italy and forms both "Rumbatey" with other Latin and European musicians (quintet salsa-covers), and the orchestra “El Truco Mexicano” (9 musicians playing only original Montiel compositions).

In Italy he records several albums, i.e. "Cuba Libre", "El Tero y la Loca Band", “Camino Grande de A.L.”and produces CDs with Italian singer Laura Lorini “Shallabricche”, with Tony Bassi, with the excellent Cuban composer Clodoaldo Parada, and “Trío” Los caminantes by fabulous Peruvian singer, Marcelo Brito”…


FESTIVALS JAZZ & WORLD MUSIC :

José Luis participated in festivals both in Mexico and abroad:
GERMANY: “Minden Jazz Summer Night”, “Jazz an der Donau”, “Best of Music”, “Pallatina Festival”
BELGIUM: “Gentse Feesten”, “Brussels Jazz Marathon”, “Le Jour de la Musique”
SPAIN: “Expo-Sevilla 92”, “Harlem Jazz Club” Barcelona 2005
FINLAND: “Espoo 2002”
FRANCE: “Maison de l’Amérique Latine” (Paris), ), "XXIXe Grenoble Jazz Festival" (performing with famous saxophonist Chico Freeman), “Fête de la Musique à Paris» (3 editions). In 2004: “Les fêtes Latino-Mexicaines de Barcelonnette”
ITALY: “Festival Latino-Américando” (Viareggio), “Musica delle Radici” (Verona), “Festival Pianeta Terra” (Gallarate), “Jazz on the Coast” (Umbria), “Estate Spolentina” (Espoleto) and others.
In 1999 he played in "Viva il Jazz", the international jazz Festival of Milan and became one of the 10 finalists. In 2002 he again participated in the same Festival as a “guest musician”.
LUXEMBOURG: “Une Saison au cap Ettelbruck”
MEXICO: “Festival International Cervantino” (he played 5 at this famous music festival 5 years in a row), “Festival Vallesano”, “Festival de la Ciudad de Mexico”, “Festival del Caribe”, “Químera92”, “Químera 94” & Festivals in the Universities
THE NETHERLANDS: “17 Music Meeting”

At these Festivals he shared the stage with musicians like: Paco de Lucia, Herbie Hancock, The Manhattan Transfer, Abdullah Ibrahim, Minino Garay, Deedee Bridgewater, Steve Turre and others.

PARALLEL INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS :

BELGIUM: In 1997 Montiel came to Brussels to work with "CIPA" (International Centre of Artistic Promotion)

ITALY: From 1999 to 2002 he participated as a bassist and music producer with his own compositions and arrangements in the CD project of Joel Marquez, a Venezuelan percussionist (half of this CD was recorded in the “El Elegido Project”, Montiel’s Studio in Milan). They finished the CD in Paris. Montiel leads the band: Las Manos Calientes and his compositions are recorded in the CD “Afropolitanos”.

In 2000 he played on the Enrico Ruggeri's Cd called "L’uomo che vola". In the same year he produced the CD of salsa band: "A bailar con Rumbatey" (name of a successful salsa quintet, who his founded in company of four musicians); all income from this production was donated to the "Amici dei Deboli" (friends of people with Alzheimer). Between 1997 and the 2002 he lives in Italy where he created: his own productions house; El Elegido Project; the quintet “Rumbatey”, the trio “Te’Ome”, The Son Orchestra “El Truco Mexicano” and his own project as a bassist with his own themes.
FRANCE: José Luis worked in more 50 theatres in Paris in 2003. He played with many a jazz & salsa group of the Parisian music scene.

Today he lives in Brussels and in Italy. He is the mind behind the musical concept of “Te’Ome”; a band that fuses Mexican music with strong African “roots” and other styles such as: jazz, contemporary music, rap, funk and other Latin American rhythms. In 2004 he produced the CD of Mexican singer Silvia Abalos called: Silvia Abalos & “Te’Ome”.

Soon, his first album as a bassist and the CD “TEKNO-ZONE” of El Truco Mexicano” will be released. His project is composed by one international group of great musicians such as: Daniel “piti” Dantin from Martinique or Tonio Reina from Spain at the drums; Pieter Baert from Belgium or Frederic Locarni from France at the piano, Andrés Fernández “El Paisa” trombonist from Cuba, and at times the Venezuelan violinist David Nuñez and singer Silvia Abalos as special guests. In 2003, Montiel’s music was presented on Belgium television at “L’odyssée du Volontariat” produced by Georges Drouet, a French producer and close friend.