Zaccai Curtis is a multi-faceted pianist for whom every side of his work gleams. Equal parts performer, composer, educator, and producer, Curtis has won himself esteem in each area as he vibrantly showcases his mastery of both the Jazz and Afro-Cuban Jazz lineages. As a composer, Curtis is a three-time ASCAP Young Jazz Composer winner, recipient of the Connecticut Commission on Tourism’s Artist Fellowship Grant and the Chamber Music America “New Jazz Works” grant. As a performer, Curtis has twice been selected for the Jazz Ambassador program by the US Department of State, and in 2020 was voted as a “Rising Star” in the DownBeat Critics’ Poll. As an educator, Curtis holds professor positions at the University of Hartford and the University of Rhode Island, and as a producer, Curtis holds a GRAMMY nomination for his work on Entre Colegas by Andy González. Now, after honing his craftsmanship in every area of musicianship, Curtis embarks on a journey near and dear to his heart with Cubop Lives!, an album that stands as the culmination of his work as a composer/arranger, performer, and educator steeped in the Afro-Cuban Jazz tradition.

Learn more about Zaccai Curtis