"Cortiñas is a highly musical and grooving drummer, as well as a laudable composer... his music is surprisingly danceable...groove-shifter, high-energy precision soloing, framed by vivid ideas. A joyful meeting of mind and spirit".

“Cortiñas' music is uplifting, robust, melodic, and gets your body moving; it's an exciting blend of the artist's musical influences from jazz and Latin America, including his native Mexico".

"The newest from Gustavo Cortiñas engages in a thrilling sleight of hand. The drummer leads out with melodies that are crisp and clear as a cloudless Summer afternoon, not to mention pretty damn catchy, to boot. But then his septet obscures the view, solos up a storm of distractions and details and fireworks, and while it all flows naturally from that original statement of melody, before too long, it’s long forgotten. Well, until they suddenly return to it, revealing that the melody was still there, all along. And the repetition of this pattern does nothing to diminish the excitement even as expectations rise. I’ve been listening to this album all year long, and it’s unlikely to drop from my listening queue any time soon."

"Informed by an adventurous blend of conventional large ensemble and avant-garde jazz modes, rock en español and folkloric ingredients, Cortiñas and his crew have created a richly detailed and provocative mosaic".

"With the cohesive and captivating Esse, Cortiñas has created superb work that balances refreshingly inventive ideas with high-caliber musicianship. This exquisite and continuously gripping record is a testament to Cortiñas’ triple threat of skills as dynamic performer, agile bandleader and brilliant composer."

"A fascinating musical realization, exploration, and distillation of the works of Hegel, Aristotle, Descartes, Plato, and other brilliant minds...statements that are both studious and thought-provoking in nature...Gustavo Cortinas has worked everything out in his musical neck of the woods."

This is a really wonderful disc, filled with some young heavy hitters from Chicago's jazz scene... Together, they make some magic on these heady compositions.

With the forward kind of thinking that tempts you to label him as Tito Puente III, you can dance, you can listen and you can enjoy this thoroughly throughout.

Gustavo Cortiñas, Mexican drummer and composer, living in Chicago, thinks and therefore is... Inspired by the philosophers from Plato to Hegel, from Aristotle to Descartes, or even Nietzsche, his jazz has the nuances and Couleurs of Mexico, Latin America: melodies, harmony, and also the Chicago swing. In any case a positive music and philosophy, joyful and septic sometimes. An ode to life ... I listen to Jazz therefore I am...

Cortiñas says his compositions here were inspired by the writings of Western philosophers - Hegel, Aristotle, and Descartes among them - with certain precepts illustrated by structural conceits, which are explained in occasionally convoluted liner notes. The clarity of the melodies and lush arrangements, however, render those underpinnings superfluous. Tunes are marked by patient attacks and painterly details, all articulated by his warm and generous band

"A lineup of only original - far from immediate stylistic pigeonholing - bound together by a thematic development which refers to ''evolution of western philosophy"...form a set of strong personality and deep expressive excavation."

This is ensemble work at the highest level. The compositions are thoughtful, engaging, and heartfelt.The tunes sound super fresh, sui generis.

Terrific drummer leads a talented sextet with alternating sax players added. The music covers a wide range and has a Latin tinge but is not what I would call Latin jazz. Mr. Cortinas does a nice job showcasing his fellow musicians with plenty of room to work out. All originals.

Gustavo Cortinas was 14 years old when he heard the musician and the music that changed his life.

"a captivating mélange of exuberant energy and sophisticated subtlety. Cortiñas deftly guides the quintet through eight of his intricately constructed compositions that allow the others ample space for spontaneous expression.. Cortiñas takes center stage with a viscerally powerful yet harmonically complex percussion... This is an auspicious and rewarding debut from a highly talented and imaginative artist. It whets the appetite for more of what Cortiñas has to deliver in his, hopefully, long and successful career."

"Gustavo Cortiñas, like McGrath, is another wonderful musician who hails from diverse performance experiences; in his case, vis-à-vis Mexico City, New Orleans and Chicago. He plays with razor-sharp instincts and employs rich colors from his kit...Cortiñas steals the show with his percussive colors."

"Born in Mexico City , graduated (music and philosophy) in New Orleans and a resident of Chicago, with a bag inspirations this young drummer must tow around to switch from. But kill debut CD gathers evenly across a neoneo(neo?)bop expression with absolutely respectable solo playing from the two tenors (on the switch ) laeremesteren Victor Goines and the fixed spelkompis Roy Mcgrath Music and the right crisp trumpeter Justin Copeland. The vitality is palpable, the problem (if it is a problem) is just that much an overwhelming amount of CD's are published with music of the same nature and under the same high level. It can (of course?) only be pleased system, but I just do not think that this really overpowers them. I hear music that really tells me a story that takes hold, Nack to the bone . McGrath and Copeland makes it in blues Hanaki and Goines in La Balada del León, everybody is in the ballgame with everyone regularly nodding kindly for themselves and think that there is no shit tough for it at all. And regarding our guy (see above), drum work is incidentally quite formidable."

On the eve of the Detroit Jazz Festival, Cliff Bell's will be host to an incredibly talented jazz drummer and composer, Gustavo Cortiñas. Snapshot, which he released in 2013, is his first album as bandleader and features his own compositions. The music on Snapshot incorporates several jazz traditions, from spang-a-lang swing to funky hard bop, all articulated with precision and soul.

Educated in the jazz traditions of Chicago and New Orleans, but mexican music nurtured them as well. Gustavo Cortiñas is the author of nine compositions that make up Snapshot. Melodies like Timing is Everything, Chimeras, Skepticism or Whis I Could be There Now, which demonstrate their high mastery of technique, and at the same time leave an impression of quality and flavor that become attractive under their proposal.
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Educados en una tradición del jazz originaria de Chicago y de nueva Orleans, la música mexicana también los nutre. Gustavo Cortiñas, autor de los nueve temas originales que forman el álbum. Melodías como Timing is Everything, Chimeras, Skepticism o Whis I Could be There Now, de- muestran su alta maestría téc- nica y al mismo tiempo dejan una impronta de calidad y sabor que se vuelven atractivas bajo su propuesta.

"the native mexican, US-based drummers fairly polished quintet is indebted to the hard-bop/latin-infused jazz tradition and the debut leans also in part towards something more experimental."

"To undertake the treacherous hairpin bends of the road of mastery, you have to have the right grasp, and the right craft behind you: Gustavo Cortiñas is in a good position in both cases...He has engaged in diverse engravings but here he carves out a completely unique space..His mainstream sounds virginal, because Cortiñas does everything his own way, giving his signature to each individual composition and bringing to light, although young, his capability to take the reins...he takes the reins with the seasoned skill of the bandleader, an insinuation rather than a surprise (and this is a great gift), that dominates the pace, relaunches without interrupting, and connects the momentum of the soloists, bestowing a uniform dynamic to his music. An excellent first attempt by the drummer from Mexico City, who leaves nothing to chance. Enjoy an original brand of rhythmic music, of which its kind has not been heard for a while".

"Really lush energetic and strong to do this is the drummer Gustavo Cortiñas...the whole ensemble is highlighted in playing an effective swinging rhythm, awareness of the tradition and a great melody... real skill display Gustavo's musical abilities... swings to go in style between the "rankahkosti rynkytellen" once in a while subtly kainolla devotion emotional depth of interpretation. An album of instant messaging, discovery, interpretation, timely scheduling and sharpening, it's like photography, with imagination's accuracy, randomness and color combination is a successful entity."

Review by AAJ's Florence Wetzel:
"Snapshot is a terrific release by drummer Gustavo Cortiñas, featuring a dynamic combination of musicians. In the leader's seat is Cortiñas...an intriguing combination of influences, and on Snapshot, the first release under his name, he brings these disparate worlds together beautifully...showcasing his deep knowledge of traditional jazz forms, as well as his ability to throw these structures out the window and try something new. Snapshot is full of honest music, played with exactitude and heart".
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"Snapshot es un tremendo lanzamiento del baterista Gustavo Cortiñas, acompañado de una dinámica combinación de músicos. Cortiñas es una intrigante combinación de influencias, que en Snapshot, su primer lanzamiento como lider, une estos mundos contrastantes de una manera hermosa... mostrando su profundo conocimiento de las formas tradicionales del jazz, asi como su capacidad de aventar estas forma por la ventana e intentar algo nuevo. Snapshot está lleno de música honestada tocada con exactitud y gran corazón.

Review by Suono.It's Roberto Paviglianiti:
"...a lineup of nine original songs performed by a group of musicians of absolute value, both technically and expressively. Cortinas carves out few solo spaces for himself, and his musical style is mainstream jazz in the larger scheme which includes situations of great calm and elegant execution, such as Whe I leave You, but also moments with fast tempos like the beginning of Timing is Everything, capable of singling out important metronomic stress. The Latin roots of Cortiñas emerge only filigree, with references to some polyrhythmic solutions, and as a whole the album is characterized for the good flexibility of the interpreters, capable also of producing great lyricism in ballads like La balada de Leon."
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"...svolti insieme a una band di musicisti di valore assoluto, sia sotto il profilo tecnico sia espressivo. Il primo piano melodico delle composizioni è spesso a favore dei due tenoristi che si sono avvicendati durante le session di ripresa: Victor Goines e Roy McGrath, i quali garantiscono alle ambientazioni sonore una dinamica e una consistenza timbrica di spessore. Inoltre, non è da meno il chitarrista Michael Allemana, che si rivela come un'ottima soluzione alternativa alle trame formali del quintetto. Cortiñas si ritaglia pochi spazi solisti, e la sua proposta musicale si pone in un mainstream jazz dalle larghe maglie, che include situazioni pacate e di grande eleganza esecutiva, come When I Leave You, ma anche momenti fast tempo, come nell'iniziale Timing Is Everything, capaci di chiamare in causa importanti sollecitazioni metronomiche. Le origini latine di Cortiñas emergono solo in filigrana, con riferimenti ad alcune soluzioni poliritmiche, e nell'insieme l'album si distigue per la buona flessibilità degli interpreti, capaci anche di prodursi in ballate dalla grande liricità, come in La balada del León".

Review by AAJ's Dan Bilawski:
"Gustavo Cortiñas has long been a musical seeker and sponge... Now, with Snapshot, Cortiñas is using all of his hard-earned knowledge to make his own artistic statement(s)...This nine song program sheds a light on the many and varied talents of Gustavo Cortiñas... gives pause to admire the musical skills, taste, touch and compositional acumen of a fine musician. Cortiñas creates music that's driving ("Timing Is Everything"), episodic ("Skepticism") and straightforward ("Hanaki"). He can swing with the best of them, but he's not bound to the swing pulse. He's just as comfortable twisting and turning in other directions as he is delivering the old spang, spang-a-lang on his ride cymbal. Snapshot, like an actual picture, captures a specific moment in time, when Gustavo Cortiñas began to spread his musical wings and fly. Hopefully he'll remain in flight for many more musical adventures in the future."
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"Gustavo Cortiñas ha estado buscando y absorbiendo la música por un gran tiempo... Ahora, con Snapshot, Cortiñas utiliza todo el conocomiento, fruto de este gran esfuerzo para crear su propio concepto y declaración artística...Este programa de nueve piezas, nos permite apreciar los muchos y variados talentos de Gustavo Cortiñas... da una pausa para admirar las habilidades musicales, buen gusto, toque, y perspicaz composición de un refinado músico. Cortiñas crea música que es energética ("Timing Is Everything"), episódica ("Skepticism") y directa al punto ("Hanaki")... Puede swingear como los mejores, pero no esta atado por el pulso del swing. Está tan comodo dando giros y vuetas en otras direcciones como lo está al entregarnos el viejo "spang, spang-a-lang" en su ride... Snapshot, como si fuera una foto, captura el momento, en que Gustavo Cortiñas comienza a abrir sus alas y a volar. Esperemos que continúe así por muchas otras aventuras musicales en el futuro."

A shout out from Northwestern University Magazine in their alumni highlights talking about Snapshot and the Tour In Mexico!!!

Review by AAJ's Jack Bowers:
"A Smörgåsbord of the moods and nuances that make up the human experience... an idiosyncratic album that intrinsically fuses the personal to the universal...most listeners will empathize with this introspective music, as showcased by the interplay of his pluralistic ensemble...Their simpatico contributions create a rich and cohesive listening experience, in which each voice adds greater depth and texture...spirited brass fueled excursion...minimalist...deceptively understated yet vital touches that embelish...stylistic sophistication in Cortiñas' arrangements...propulsive rollicking drum solos...dramatic..."
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"Un Smörgåsbord de las atmósferas y sutilezas que forman la experiencia humana... un álbum idiosincrático que intrínsicamete fusiona lo personal con lo universal...la mayoría del público podrá empatizar con esta música introspectiva, como es mostrado por el interplay de este pluralista ensamble...Sus simpaticas contribuciones crean una rica y cohesiva experiencia auditiva, en la cual cada voz agrega más profundidad y textura a la música...enérgica excursión...minimalista...engañosamente discretos toques vitales que embellecen...gran sofisticación estilística el los arreglos...dramático..."

An article by Victor Vieyra Santamaría from "MIRADA SUR" on the Festival Espontáneo 2013, in San Cristóbal de las Casas, with a review of Snapshot's performance at the festival.
"from Chicago came Gustavo Cortiñas' Quartet, with a swing that slid through the different emotional states that life has given him; this quartet and each of Gustavo's compositions are a musical voyage throughout different landscapes...and what can we say of young and talented master Gustavo, who despite the fact that he moved up north, he never lost track of the roots that bind him to Mexican Culture, quite the contrary, he has become a link between contrasting musical sceneries, without mentioning the fact that he is a genius of rhythm, and talented composer, basing his performance of this memorable night on his most recent discographic production: Snapshot".
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"de Chicago llegó el cuarteto de Gustavo Cortiñas, un swing que deslizaba los diferentes estados emotivos que le ha dado la vida, así que este cuarteto y cada una de las composiciones realizadas por Gustavo son un viaje musical por distintos momentos...y qué decir del joven y talentoso maestro Gustavo, quien aunque se fue pal’ norte, nunca perdió los rumbos que lo enraízan a la cultura mexicana, por el contrario, se ha convertido en un enlazador de escenarios musicales, sin dejar de mencionar que es un genio del ritmo y un talentoso compositor, basando el concierto de esta memorable noche con las piezas de su más reciente producción discográfica: Snapshot".

Review by AAJ's Greg Simmons:
"Starting in Mexico and ending up in the Windy City via New Orleans seems as reasonable as anything else, and it does honor a time-honored jazz tradition: picking up new things in different places along the way and blending them together into something personal and unique... Snapshot features really well written music with a melodic beat, excellent individual performances, and it's rewarding to listen to.".
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"Empezando en México y terminando en la Ciudad del Viento via New Orleans, parece tan razonable como cualquier otra opción, y rinde tributo a una tradición jazzística de antaño. Gustavo recoge varias influencias en el camino y las mezcla todas para crear algo personal y único... Snapshot presenta música muy bien escrita con un beat melódico, ejecuciones individuales excelentes, y es verdaderamente enriquecedor escucharlo".

“Really slick. First class stuff. Great tunes.
All the solos are easy smooth and not show off shit. Everybody is one for the music on this record. There is a tremendous amount of dedication and surrender to the music here as the band moves as one collective through the orchestral nature of this music… a very colorful and emotional musical trip... There is no one player that is better than another, they all together make the great musician who plays this music..."
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“Ingenioso, material de primera clase. Grandes composiciones. Todos los solos fluyen suavemente y sin ostentar. Todos son uno por la música en este disco. Hay una tremenda dedicación y entrega a la música mientras en conjunto se mueve como un colectivo a través de la naturaleza orquestal de esta música. Un viaje musical muy colorido y emotivo... No existe un interprete mejor que otro, sino que juntos forman al gran artista que interpreta esta música..."
Johnny Vidacovich

Article by Jorge Ricardo of Mexico's Reforma, published July 2nd 2013.
"He named his debut album Snapshot: quintets, quartets, a trio and a solo performance that attempt to capture, like a "snapshot," the fleetingness of life...the result is one of those albums that you want to play back at the end of each piece...a music that is played, listened, and lived in community, that evokes collaboration, dialogue between parts, a constant push and pull, and a neverending array of possibilities that are consumed in the present through collective improvisation.".
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"Llamó Snapshot a su primer disco: quintetos, cuartetos, un trío y un solo que intentan capturar, como en una foto instantánea, la fugacidad de la vida...el resultado es uno de esos discos que uno repite apenas terminada cada pieza...una música que se toca, se escucha y se vive en comunidad, que evoca la participación en equipo, el diálogo entre partes, un constate estira y afloje, y un sinfín de posibilidades que se consumen en el presente mediante la improvisación colectiva."

Review by AAJ's Jeff-Dayton Johnson:
"With Snapshot, drummer Gustavo Cortiñas... a young artist seeks to craft a meaningful and representative musical statement and calling card. Snapshot is an understated and confident record... adventurous soloing and arrangements prevent things from growing dull... Cortiñas is restrained, marked by the same quiet self-assurance that imbues the record overall. He holds off from any extended soloing or overt displays of technical prowess for several tracks, preferring to lend a variety of rhythmic supports to the group performances. When he does step out front in the solo... he remains controlled and intelligent... the song and the sentiment it conveys suggest that the time is right for this solid and satisfying record."
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"Con Snapshot, el baterista Gustavo Cortiñas... un joven artista busca hacer una representativa y significativa declaración musical y tarjeta de presentación. Snapshot es un álbum sutil pero lleno de confianza... solos y arreglos aventureros evitan que se vuelva aburrido... Cortiñas es reservado, y se distingue por la misma discreta confianza que empapa todo el disco. Evita caer en solos muy largos o en exageradas demostraciones de destreza técnica por varias piezas, preferiendo prestar gran variedad de apoyos rítmicos a la ejecución del ensamble. Cuando por fin decide brincar al frente y regalarnos un solo...se mantiene controlado e inteligente...la melodía y el sentimiento que nos comunica indican como la primera pieza "Timing is Everything"que la hora es correcta para este sólido y saciante disco."

An interview with Mexico's jazz journal "Contratiempo Jazz" Talking about Gustavo's development and "Snapshot".

Review by AAJ's Jack Bowers:
"Drummer Gustavo Cortinas, leads a group of admirable musicians on his engaging debut album Snapshot... Besides playing drums, Cortinas wrote and arranged every number on Snapshot, showing impressive proficiency in those areas as well...Goines, who has performed and recorded with a galaxy of well-known artists and is a former member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Septet, displays his warmth and muscularity on three numbers...Cortinas is a splendid drummer, well-schooled (obviously) and adept with sticks, brushes and / or cymbals. He knows when to push, when to lay back and when to add buoyancy or weight to a particular passage...A further word must be said about Cortinas' writing, which is laudable throughout, especially on "Timing Is Everything," "Hanaki" and the rhythmic "Wish I Could Be There Now.""
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"El baterista Gustavo Cortiñas, dirige un grupo de admirables músicos en su cautivante album debut, Snapshot... Además de tocar la batería, Cortiñas escribió y arregló todas las piezas de Sansphot, mostrando proficiencia impresionante en estas areas también...Goines, quien ha tocado y grabado con una galaxia de artistas bien conocidos y es miembro de Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra y del septeto de Wynton Marsalis, nos muestra su calidez y muscularidad en tres piezas distintas...Cortiñas es un espléndido baterista, bien estudiado (obviamente) y agil con las baquetas, las escobillas y los platillos. Sabe cuando empujar y cuando relajar, asi como cuando agregar peso y elasticidad a pasajes específicos... Una palabra más debe agregarse sobre las composiciones de Cortiñas, laudable durante todo el disco, especialmente en "Timing Is Everything," "Hanaki" y la rítmica "Wish I Could Be There Now.""

Editor's Comments:
"Punchy, polished virtuosity from Gustavo Cortiñas and company. If this was a UK post bop band, it might consist of Clark Tracey/Nigel Hitchcock/Guy Barker."

Review of Snapshot's performance in Ex-Convento de Sto. Domingo in Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, MX, by Cristina Zenteno, of El Heraldo de Chiapas, published July 19th 2013.
"In front of a large audience, Gustavo Cortiñas' "Snapshot" performed yesterday by invitation of El Consejo Estatal para las Culturas y las Artes (Coneculta). Gustavo Cortiñas and his quartet, featuring Roy McGrath, Justin Copeland y Kitt Lyles chose to charm the stage of El Centro Cultural Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo with their sounds. The concert was little over an hour, and that was enough top send the audience home satisfied with the execution of "Snapshot," which was without a doubt a great performance of a kind and calibre that we scarcely get to witness in our state.
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"Ante un gran auditorio, se presentó ayer Snapshot de Gustavo Cortiñas...Por invitación del Consejo Estatal para las Culturas y las Artes Por invitación del Consejo Estatal para las Culturas y las Artes (Coneculta), Gustavo Cortiñas y su cuarteto integrado por Roy McGrath, Justin Copeland y Kitt Lyles escogieron el Centro Cultural Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo para deleitar con sonidos en este gran escenario de la ciudad de Chiapa de Corzo. El concierto ofrecido en la localidad chiapacorceña duró alrededor de una hora, y eso bastó para que el público se fuera satisfecho con lo ejecutado por Snapshot, que sin duda fue un gran espectáculo que, en pocas ocasiones, tenemos en nuestro estado.

Interview with Octavio Echávarri, José Fernandez Campos and Marco Durán on July 21st 2013.
"A great drummer and important character; a musician that will surely reach great heights and that will finely represent Mexican musicians around the world. His album (Snapshot) is proof of this and so are the live performances of his ensemble.".
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"Un gran baterista, un personaje importante, un músico que seguramente alcanzará alturas muy altas y va a representar a los músicos mexicanos muy bien, porque este disco (Snapshot) es una muestra de ello, y sus conciertos también lo son".

Interview by Zyunzo García Oguri posted on June 19 2013.
"A role model, both as a musician and person...Gustavo possesses the great quality of having a positive attitude and a contagious vibe, whilst remaining one of the most dedicated and disciplined people i've ever met."
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"Un ejemplo a seguir, tanto como persona como musicalmente...Gustavo posee la gran cualidad de tener una actitud positiva y una buena vibra contagiosa, a la par de ser la persona con más dedicación y disciplina musical que conozco.".

.An article by Alonso Arreola describing the Mexico Tour:.
"A mexican drummer residing in Chicago...a compatriot that we can be proud of. He visits Mexico this time around promoting his debut album as a leader "Snapshot", which features prominent jazz musicians from the music scene in the United States."
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"Un baterista mexicano avecindado en Chicago...un coterráneo del que nos podemos enorgullecer. Viene presentando su primer disco como solista, Snapshot, en el que graban ejecutantes notables de la escena estadunidense."

From Puerto Rico's "El Nievo Día" on March 15th 2013 .
A nice article about a tour I did with Roy McGrath in Puerto Rico in Spring of 2013. They talk a little bit about "Snapshot" and the 2013 Summer Mexico Tour as well.
Music is a pure craft, capable of bringing out the best in people. That complete surrender to his labor as a jazz musician is the drive behind the tour that Roy McGrath and his trio will be executingaround the country, with multiple performances in Old San Juan.
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La música es un oficio puro, capaz de hacer de la gente mejores personas. Y esa completa dedicación a su labor como saxofonista de jazz es el motor de la gira que llevará a cabo este mes por varios establecimientos del país, muchos de ellos en el Viejo San Juan.

Article by Rafael Vega curry on Puerto Rico's "El Nuevo Día" posted on May 25th 2011.
Article reviewing Roy McGrath's debut album "Long Shot":
"His debut album, "Long Shot", recorded with bassist Trey Boudreaux and drummer Gustavo Cortiñas, is a solid collection of melodies interpreted professionally, with blues feeling and notable empathy between the musicians".
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"Su primer CD, “Long Shot", grabado junto al bajista Trey Boudreaux y el baterista Gustavo Cortiñas, es una sólida colección de temas interpretados con profesionalismo, blues feeling y notable empatía entre los músicos."

Article and interview by Carl Harrison of the Loyola Maroon in New Orleans posted on April 29th 2010.
"We like to push boundaries within each other and within the music, and there's always the possibility of us sucking. But like with everything, you have put yourself out there because there is always the possibility of something great really happening" (Gustavo Cortiñas).
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"Nos gusta empujar los límites dentro de nosotros y dentro de la música, y siempre existe la posibilidad de sonar mal. Pero como con todo, debes arriesgarte porque solo así existe la posibilidad de que algo realmente grande suceda." (Gustavo Cortiñas).