Ruben Lopez Furst

One of the things that made Ruben Lopez Furst such a jazz legend in Argentina is that, unlike counterparts Gato Barbieri or Lalo Schiffrin, Furst opted to stay in Buenos Aires and make a name for himself at home. Although Argentina’s jazz scene at the time could scarcely support a small number of acts, Furst played for over 20 years, mainly with his own trio, and Jazz Argentino en la Universidad covers some of Furst’s strongest years in the jazz scene. This is a combination of two albums released in the late ’60s: Jazz Argentino and Jazz Argentino en la Universidad, a live show recorded in the auditorium of the Universidad Nacional de Litoral in Santa Fe, Argentina. The albums exemplify Furst’s diverse style and ability to flow from swinging piano numbers and hot jazz to more Bill Evans-style moods. Characteristic of the Argentine piano player, Furst’s style touches on moments of melodic simplicity then takes on ferociously stylish improvisations. Jazz Argentino en la Universidad is a phenomenal collection of original compositions and interpretations of other famous works that truly capture Furst’s wonderful skill as a piano player and honours one of Argentina’s most gifted jazz musicians.