Columnist Joe Delaney: Piano virtuoso Ruiz settles in at Blue Note

Joe Delaney

Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 | 9:04 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at joe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4066.

Piano virtuoso Hilton Ruiz, New York City-born, of Puerto Rican descent, has few peers when it comes to combining the excitement of Afro-Caribbean rhythms with true jazz improvisation ... Performing twice a night through Saturday, Ruiz ranks as a Blue Note Las Vegas highlight, one of its strongest weeks in the club's short Las Vegas history.

A modest man, Ruiz has enjoyed the highest respect for his performance, arrangements and compositions as a sideman, soloist and leader, beginning with his first album release, "Piano Man," in 1975 ... His appearance here is in the trio format and the ticket price is a modest $20.

His original inspiration to become a pianist came at age 5 when he heard a piano solo on a television cartoon track and then learned it had been played by Duke Ellington ... At age 8, he performed in the Carnegie Recital Hall ... His earliest teachers and role models were the great Mary Lou Williams and the equally regarded Cedar Walton.

While Ruiz was studying with Williams, so was Thelonius Monk ... Still being billed as a rising young star, Ruiz has been a regular with such leaders as Mongo Santamaria, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the late Tito Puente -- impressive company ... Equally impressive are associations with trumpeters Don Cherry, Joe Newman, Freddie Hubbard and Clark Terry; heavyweights, all.

In the quarter century since that first album release, there have been at least 24 album releases under Ruiz's own name and nearly double that many as a featured sideman on albums by others ... If you haven't been to the Blue Note Las Vegas, this would be an ideal week to check it out ... If you already are a regular, you'll be there tonight or Saturday, for sure.

Weekend wrap-up

Nevada Ballet Theatre offers a confection of three one-act ballets, "Mozart to Joplin," through Sunday in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Judy Bayley Theatre ... "Yes, Virginia, Another Piano Ballet" features the music of Chopin ... "Mozart" is being premiered and "Joplin" is also new, choreographed by NBT Artistic Director Bruce Stievel.

There will be live music onstage for each of the three pieces; violins for "Mozart" and a piano for the other two ... "Joplin" celebrates the music of legendary pianist-composer Scott Joplin ... This program proves that ballet can also be great fun.

Rodgers and Hart fans should pack the Summerlin Library Theatre this weekend and next for Actors Repertory Theatre's "Beguiled Again: The Songs of Rodgers and Hart" ... Terence McNally's "Master Class," a hilarious take on the late Maria Callas, continues at the LV Little Theatre, weekends through March 3.

When the Stardust's rotating lounge stage was in operation, in the 1950s and 1960s, one of the top attractions was big-voiced Don Cornell ... His No. 1 hits include "It Isn't Fair," "I'm Yours," "I'll Walk Alone" and "Hold My Hand" ... It's good to have him back ... He will be doing one show only, 8 o'clock tonight (Texas Station), a don't-miss.

Sunset Station features Night Ranger tonight and comedian favorite Dom Irrera, doing two shows Saturday, all at Club Madrid ... Saturday is a big day for four locals -- Cholly Atkins, Bunny Briggs, Prince Spencer and Henry LeTang -- receiving honorary doctorates in the performing arts at Oklahoma City University; congratulations, all.

The 23rd annual Choreographers Showcase takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Charleston Heights Center) ..."United We Sing -- A Tribute to America," will be performed by the City of Lights Chorus, along with other top groups, 7:30 p.m. Saturday (Community College of Southern Nevada's Nicholas Horn Theatre.

Don't bet against Bones Adams in his rematch with Paulie Ayala for Ayala's super bantamweight crown, Saturday at Mandalay Bay Events Center ... The first match was really a draw.

Take along a blanket, some clothing or canned goods Monday from 2-5 p.m. to the Bootlegger restaurant and Help the Homeless with Bernie Allen and Friends; it's Allen's 86th birthday ... Make it a great day ... See you next Thursday.