Hilton Ruiz

Latin-jazz pianist
Born May 29, 1952 in New York City, New York, USA, of Puerto Rican parentage
Died June 6, 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Hilton Ruiz was an Nuyorican jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent.
Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of five, at age eight he performed at Carnegie Hall. Ruiz studied with jazz piano great Mary Lou Williams. While still in his teens he gigged with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Newman and others.