Luis Muñoz Awarded Grant from Belle Foundation for Cultural Development

Costa Rican composer, and long time Santa Barbara resident Luis Muñoz was awarded this month a grant from the prestigious “Belle Foundation for Cultural Development” in recognition of his previous work s a composer, and to “acknowledge people like you, who exhibit exceptional talent and potential for achievement in the arts and humanities.”

Mr. Muñoz just finished the soundtrack for “El Emigrante”, a film by Costa Rican director Mario Cardona, which opens March 6. His latest release, entitled “LUZ”, received the admiration from the Jazz media worldwide. Among many accolades, Felix Contreras from NPR Jazz placed it among the “Top 5 CDs of the Year”. Michael J West from JazzTimes Magazine, among the “Best 10 CDs of the year”. W Royal Stokes, from the Jazz Journalists Association called “LUZ” “The Best Latin Jazz CD of the Year”, Latin Jazz Network gave it “5 stars out of 5”, while the 8th Annual Jazz Critics Poll placed it at number 10 among the “Best 25 Latin Jazz CDs of the Year.”

Luis is in production of two new recordings of his compositions, one with his new Jazz Trio/Quartet, and another one in collaboration with singers from various parts of the world, including Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guyana, México and the USA, plus Osvaldo Sauma, winner of the “National Poetry Award 2013” in Costa Rica.

Mr Muñoz will be performing 3 times in Santa Barbara in the upcoming months: 2/21 at Reds , 3/13 at The Marquee and 5/18 at Soho as part of the Santa Barbara Jazz Society monthly performances.