Ernán López-Nussa Lekszycki, a distinguished Cuban pianist and composer, was born on September 10, 1958, in Havana. He is a musician who has explored various genres, with a particular emphasis on jazz.

As a child, he listened to Count Basie and Miles Davis with Winston Kelly as pianist; later, he listened to King Oliver, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Al Haig, Red Garland, and Art Tatum. He was also interested in the quartet Los Zafiros, Los Van Van, the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music, and, among Cuban pianists, especially Frank Emilio and Emiliano Salvador.

He began his musical studies at the Alejandro García Caturla Conservatory (31st Avenue and 82nd Street, Marianao, Havana) with Professor María Emma Boudet, and continued them at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory (Rastro No. 1 and Espada Street, Centro Habana, Havana) with Vivian Lamata and César López. He graduated from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) (1110 120th Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), where he received classes from Jorge Gómez Labraña.

Since his student days, Ernán began playing home-made descargas with Bobby Carcassés’s group. In 1977, he began his artistic career with the group Afrocuba, which disbanded in 1980 and reformed in 1981. During this period, he worked with singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez. He later joined Cuarto Espacio and later the group Síntesis.

In 1993, Ernán López-Nussa formed another quartet with which he participated in that year’s Jazz Plaza Festival. The group included Inor Sotolongo, percussion and vocals; Jorge Alexander (Sagua), electric bass; and Ramsés Rodríguez, drums.

He has performed with great artists such as: Arístides Soto (Tata Güines), Miguel Aurelio Díaz (Angá), Jorge Reyes, José Luis Quintana (Changuito), Alexander Brown, Pancho Terry, Alina Sánchez, Elena Burke and César López.

In 2000, he won an award in the Latin Jazz category at the Cubadisco Festival for his album Delirium. At Cubadisco 2002, he won an award in the Latin Jazz category, a Production Award, and a Grand Prize for From Habana to Río. This album featured percussionists Arístides Soto (Tata Güines), Pancho Terry, and Emilio del Monte Jr.

Among his works we can find: Amen; Archipelago; Marieta’s Blues (inspired by Marieta, by Faustino Oramas, El Guayabero); Mist in Autumn; This Has No Name; Figurations; End of the Dance; Island; Lobos’cha (inspired by Baquiana No. 5 by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos); Polkandson; Rumba for Tap Dancing; Haydn; My Land and Vinheta.

Ernán López-Nussa is an essential Latin American pianist of recent times. He distinguishes and defines the sound of a country that expresses and nourishes itself with music. Critics have hailed him as one of the great pianists who live in our Cuban music.

Discography: Cuarto Espacio (ASHE Label 1997, USA); Figuraciones (Bis Music Label 1999, Cuba); Delirium (BMG Label, 1999 Japan – Bis Music Label, 1999, Cuba); From Havana To Rio (Velas Label, 2000, Brazil – Bis Music Label, 2001, Cuba); Habana Report (Unicornio Label, 2002, Cuba – LOLA Records Label, Spain); Mano de Obra (Unicornio Label, 2004, Cuba; Pas de Trois DVD-CD Colibrí Label, 2007, Cuba); Japan Blue Note (Quartet, live Autor Label, Spain, 2008 PÓN Blue Note); New Morning (Paris, TRIO, live Autor Label, Spain, 2008).