Esteban Ruiz, born in Reading, PA from Puerto Rico born and raised parents, is a soon to be 17-y/o multi-instrumentalist and rising Senior at Exeter school district. His passion for music is evident in every note he plays, and his dream is to turn this passion into a lifelong career. The Berks music community has provided a nurturing environment that has allowed him to thrive and grow as an artist.
He began playing violin in the third grade, since learning the acoustic and electric bass and guitar, cuatro, mandolin, and numerous other instruments.
As bassist of So What! Band, they’ve twice won Reading Musical Foundation’s Chuck Loeb Award and are seen at multiple venues including Berks JazzFest. Esteban has won honors, grants, and merit scholarships from numerous organizations including The Reading Musical Foundation
Individually he’s in demand for gigs spanning genres from Bluegrass, 1930-40s band music, rock, and funk with multiple other groups and musicians.
Through his love of jazz and Latin Jazz, he began exploring his cultural heritage through the “Cuatro” and Latin music. He particularly enjoys the music of Tito Puente, Eddie Gomez, and Maso Rivera. Locally, among his most influential supporters for this genre is Reading musician Sergio Perez, a seasoned mentor sharing decades of invaluable musical experience and extensive knowledge of our musical heritage.
Esteban has been very active in local open mics, jams, and community events where he has had the pleasure of introducing Puerto Rico’s traditional cuatro to a variety of audiences with an overwhelming welcome. In bringing the cuatro to other audiences, Esteban serves as an ambassador for exposure to this beautiful instrument and demonstrates how it can be part of many genres. Beyond the Cuatro, he explores the traditional songs of our people through the violin, bass, and guitar.
You can check out more about Esteban on his YouTube Channel @steben7353 and Facebook page and catch up on where he’s playing next.
Palo Magazine
