Everything began when at the age 8 he discovered the piano. Since then, he has been virtually glued to it. Young Cuban musician Harold Lopez Nussa already has his own jazz quartet, with which he hopes to begin his professional career. His first CD -Canciones, recorded under the Colibri label, was just released on Havanas Abdala Studios.

Just a few days ago, Harold gave his first concert at the Amadeo Roldan Theater with his group and he played some of the themes included on the disc. The son of well known percussionist Ruy Lopez Nussa and nephew of Ernan, a brilliant pianist, he moves with similar skills in the territories of classical piano, Cuban traditional and popular music, and of course jazz, a genre to which he gives a lot of importance.

"It is hard for me to define the genre of music I like best. I think I will decide on fusion jazz and classic music, although I will continue to play pop, traditional Cuban music, boleros or any other genre when invited to do so. All of them are valid as long as they are elaborated with a certain level of responsibility. The aesthetic and artistic values are what make the difference," he told Granma newspaper.

Lopez Nussa explained, "The album has 10 pieces, some are mine and the rest are classics from the Americas. I gave a lot of thought to the idea, that is, to recreate instrumental versions of different songs. Traditional and contemporary pieces by different troubadours have been included in this CD, like Contigo en la Distancia, by Cesar Portillo de la Luz, Olvido, by Matamoros, Para vivir, by Pablo Milanes, Causas y azares, by Silvio Rodriguez, Para Barbara, by Santiago Feliu, Detras del cristal, by Carlos Varela, and 11 y 6, by Fito Paez, among others, and a composition of mine, entitled Bailando Suiza, which is like a tribute to all these masterpieces in this selection."

How would you define yourself as a musician?

"Im extremely cautious, very demanding of myself. I try to make todays work better than yesterdays, to always give my best whether on stage or in my living room playing for my friends. I think that the commitment of musicians and of artists in general should be strong all moments."

What importance do you give to the professional training of a musician?

"Basically, Im a classic music pianist. Some four years ago I began to pay more attention to Cuban popular music, jazz, and fusion. I owe everything I know about piano to the school: all my rhythmic resources and forms of expression with the piano. Ive had the good fortune of having excellent professors. First, Silvia Echevarria at the elementary level, and later on, until today, Teresita Junco, one of Cubas greatest teachers of this instrument."

What do you prefer, to play or to compose?

"I have been composing for three years now, although my repertoire is quite vast and I make arrangements of classics for other instruments. To me, to compose and make arrangements is fascinating, because its a way to explore timbres of other instruments, aside from the piano. But my thing, definitively, is to play, to have a direct interaction with the public, with my instrument or with another musician, and even with myself."

Source: Nidia Crespo, Granma