Cuban-born pianist Elio Villafranca’s brand of jazz excites with its virtuosity and pulsing Latin rhythms. Villafranca was classically trained in percussion and composition in Cuba. Since his 1995 arrival in the US, he has been among the foremost pianists, composers, and bandleaders. A Grammy Award nominee, Villafranca’s recordings have been praised in the jazz press. His debut album, Incantations Encantaciones, was selected as one of JazzTimes magazine’s 50 best albums of 2003.