Richard Gutierrez
"I was born to and for music"
At only 15 years of age, Richard Gutiérrez, is already a gifted trumpet player with a promising future. Although still in high school, his goals are set on the artistic horizon. "I want to devote my life to music, either as a producer or as an instrumentalist. I know this is my passion and I have been surrounded by it my entire life", he relates.
In fact, he demonstrated an interest in music at a very early age in his native Miami, when he began learning to play his first instrument, the drums, at only four years of age after having received them as a gift from renowned percussionist Richard Bravo.
In those days, Richard, whose parents are both Cuban, would find himself constantly immersed in the music of the Caribbean performers and the big band orchestras where his father, prominent producer Recaredo Gutierrez worked. "I would listen to all sorts of rhythms, even those that were not from my generation, like Frank Sinatra and Latin stars like Benny Moré, Abelardo Barroso, and Dámaso Pérez Prado, among other greats.
My family tells me that I would always be creating some kind of racket around the house because I felt the need to constantly be creating diverse sounds", the young musician details with amusement. He would also obtain invaluable guidance and encouragement, in his own home, from the legendary musicians that often came to visit his father, who was in those days already heading the REGU Records label.
Moved by his marked interest and devotion to diverse musical rhythms, he would always make himself available in all of the label´s recording sessions, thus developing a sharp musical ear and a discriminating taste for the sounds of the "Big Band" orchestras. At the time, he was inspired by his close relationships to celebrated instrumentalists like Juanito Márquez, Germán Piferrer, Israel López "Cachao" and Generoso "Tojo" Jiménez, with the latter foretelling that with time he would be a promising trumpet player thanks to his natural technique and embouchure of the instrument.
"I honestly felt very fortunate to be able to be so close to them, it´s the type of opportunity many would hope for in their lives, and I learned a lot from it", Gutierrez acknowledges about his first official links to the world of music.
But it wasn´t until 2005 when he would face the challenge that would put his skills to the test: he became personally engaged in the executive production of the "Tropical Passion Show" at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. "This was a huge learning experience for him within the realm of show business management, which earned him the respect of musicians and executives alike for his high level of maturity and responsibility in all his endeavors", asserts his father; who has been Richard´s greatest role model professionally; "I would have never been able to achieve the things I have learned without him".
From the end of 2007 to the beginning of 2008, at the age of 13, he partakes in the production of the music CD "Israel Kantor y sus Boleros", an experience that he describes as "super interesting", since "it allowed me to discover that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life".
Richard has maintained a close relationship, forged in respect and admiration, with celebrated instrumentalist Adalberto Lara "Trompetica", who was responsible for giving him his very first trumpet many years earlier. "I can honestly say that I leaned towards playing the trumpet thanks to him. He is an amazing teacher and musician. He gave me personalized lessons and had an incalculable influence in what I would achieve from then on", he emphasizes.
With his musical skills well sharpened and the recommendation of "Trompetica", in 2009 he is given the opportunity of taking part in a new RG Records project titled "Impact", made up of timeless tunes performed in the traditional Big Band style. On this project, he plays the introductory parts, along with his teacher, to two immortal classics: "My Way" and "Can´t Help Falling in Love".
Throughout the production of the album, Richard forged strong bonds with talented musicians like Mike Lewis, Hilario Durán, Lulo Pérez and Jorge Arronte, all of whom expressed their admiration for his dedication to his instrument and his professionalism while recording. "I dedicated countless hours to practicing since this was my very first recording after all. But the music we achieved was incredible and we all enjoyed the process of creating the album immensely."
After being a part of this "magical" experience, Richard continues his high school studies at the Christopher Columbus high school, where he was selected to participate in the advance Concert Band class. In the meantime, he continues his musical training, perfecting his skills with the trumpet, and soon hopes to take up a second instrument, the piano, which is "another one of his great passions". "Once I feel that I am ready to play a keyboard, I would like to perform with a Symphonic orchestra, as this is one of my childhood dreams", he explains. Richard doesn´t plan to stop his musical pursuits while finishing his high school studies, "I could never do that", he explains candidly, "some people are already predestined for something when they are born and my destiny is to live to and for music".
January 2010
