Zaccai Curtis is one of those musicians who might not be super mainstream, but once you hear his music, you realize he’s actually really important in the jazz world right now. He’s a jazz pianist and composer who blends traditional jazz with Afro-Caribbean and Latin influences, which gives his music a unique sound that stands out from a lot of other artists.
Curtis grew up in a musical environment, and you can tell just by listening to how natural his playing feels. He doesn’t just play notes—he tells a story through his music. One thing that makes him different is how he mixes cultures into his work. His album Algorhythm, produced with his brother Luques, is a good example of this because it combines jazz with rhythms from different parts of the world, especially Latin and Caribbean styles. It’s not just random mixing either; everything feels intentional and well thought out.
Another thing that makes Zaccai Curtis interesting is that he’s not only focused on performing but also on educating others. He’s worked as a teacher and mentor, helping younger musicians understand jazz and its history. That’s important because jazz isn’t just about sounding good—it’s about knowing where the music comes from and respecting its roots. Curtis seems to really care about that, and it shows in both his playing and his teaching.
What stands out the most about him is his creativity. A lot of modern jazz artists try to experiment, but sometimes it can feel forced. With Curtis, it feels natural. He grew up listening to Eddie Palmieri, Tito Rodriguz, McCoy Tyner, and Bud Powell alongside being mentored by Eddie. With Curtis’s mix of music, Zaccai can go from smooth, calm piano sections to more complex and energetic parts without it sounding messy. It actually makes you want to keep listening and figure out what he’s going to do next.
The Hartford, CT native recently won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album along with his bandmates, Luques Curtis, Willie Martinez, Camilo Molina, and Reinaldo De Jesus. This celebration of his album, “Cubop Lives!” shows Curtis definitely has earned more attention. He represents what modern jazz can be when artists stay true to the roots of the genre but still push it forward. For younger listeners, especially people trying to get into jazz, he’s a great artist to start with because his music is both creative and accessible.
Overall, Zaccai Curtis is a talented musician who is helping keep jazz alive while also evolving it. He proves that jazz isn’t old-school music—it’s still growing, changing, and staying relevant today
Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, and Ritchie Barshaw played to a full crowd at The River Room in Willimantic on back to back July 31 and August 1 shows. In an interview with Zaccai Curtis, he described Latin jazz as an off shoot of jazz that comes out of the 1940s out of New York. Describing it as a New York city-based style of music. Zaccai described Latin Jazz as a mix of Latin rhythm, Latin music alongside mixing it with Bebop.
When asked “Do you think Latin Jazz is changing, if so, how do you see it evolving in the future what do you hope younger people take away when they hear your music.” Zaccai Curtis Replied, “Yeah I think there’s a lot of great musicians playing some good Latin Jazz” He
expressed that he thinks it is becoming more complicated and soulful adding that you find it in all of our music saying its more African Rhythm showing his deep love for Latin Jazz and his understanding of the Latin Jazz music scene.
When asked “what advice would you give to a young musician, especially those trying to create their own sound” Curtis replied, “learn an instrument” His straightforward answer has a big impact sowing how his love for instruments helped him achieve the spot he is in today.
