Tete Montoliu

Tete Montoliu (March 28, 1933–August 24, 1997) was a jazz pianist from Catalonia, Spain. His real name was Vicenç Montoliu i Massana.

He was born blind, in the Eixample district of Barcelona, and died in the same city. He was the only son of Vicenç Montoliu (a professional musician) and Àngela Massana, a jazz enthusiast, who encouraged her son to study piano. Montoliu's first experimenting with the piano took place under the tuition of Enric Mas at the private school for blind children that he attended from 1939–1944. In 1944, Montoliu's mother arranged for Petri Palou to provide him with formal piano lessons.

From 1946 to 1953 Montoliu studied music at the Conservatori Superior de Música de Barcelona where he also met jazz musicians, and became familiar with the idiom in jam sessions. During the early stages of his career, Montoliu was particularly influenced by the music of the American jazz pianist Art Tatum, although he soon developed a distinctive style, characterised by a profound musical sensitivity and extraordinary technical skill. Montoliu began playing professionally at pubs in Barcelona, where he was noticed by Lionel Hampton on March 13, 1956. Montoliu toured with Hampton through Spain and France and recorded Jazz flamenco, setting off a prolific international career.

In the 1960s, Montoliu played in various concerts at New York and established collaborations with Elvin Jones and Richard Davis. During the 1970s, he travelled extensively throughout Europe, consolidating his reputation as a main referent in the Hard Bop movement. During the 1980s, he played in numerous concerts, collaborating with prominent jazz players such as Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, George Coleman, Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Hank Jones, Roy Hargrove, Jerry Tilitz and Jesse Davis, among others.

In 1996, shortly before his death, Spain paid public tribute to Tete Montoliu for his outstanding fifty-year career in jazz.

Vicenç Montoliu i Massana, conocido como Tete Montoliu (Barcelona, 28 de marzo de 1933 - Barcelona, 24 de agosto de 1997), fue un pianista y compositor de jazz catalan, el primero que trascendió las fronteras de España y alcanzó el nivel internacional.

Ciego de nacimiento, comenzó a tocar el piano desde su más tierna infancia, influido por una familia de gran vocación musical. Se inició en el mundo del jazz atraído por la música del maestro Art Tatum, otro gran pianista ciego.
Tete comenzó ganándose la vida tocando en pubs de Barcelona, donde sería descubierto por Lionel Hampton, quien le invitaría a sumarse a su banda de gira por Europa. A partir de este momento se sucederán las giras, las grabaciones, los recitales y los festivales, y llegará a tocar con numerosos artistas de la talla de Chick Corea, Paquito D'Rivera, Alvin Jones, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Stéphane Grappelli o Chet Baker.

Grabó un gran número de discos, de puro jazz, composiciones propias, arreglos de músicas tradicionales; solo, en colaboración (con Núria Feliu) o con su inseparable trío: el contrabajista Horacio Fumero y el baterista Peer Wyboris. En 1996, recibió un homenaje a escala nacional en el Teatro Monumental de Madrid con motivo de sus 50 años en el mundo del jazz. Tras su muerte, se creó la "Bienal Premios Tete Montoliu de Jazz".