Farewell To Hilton Ruiz
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
Jazz pianist and composer Hilton Ruiz died yesterday aged 54.
He had suffered a fall in New Orleans last month where he had travelled from his home in New Jersey to work on a Hurricane Katrina benefit project, entering a coma from which he did not regain consciousness. Born of Puerto Rican parents in New York City he appeared at Carnegie Recital Hall aged eight. While still a teenager he played with Frank Foster and Freddie Hubbard among others. In the 1970s he worked with Rahsaan Roland Kirk and also played with Charles Mingus and Betty Carter. His albums include Heroes and Manhattan Mambo.