Adrian Ruiz, D.M.A.

Adrian Ruiz, D.M.A., is the Director of Jazz Studies at St. Mary’s University, serving as the conductor of the Jazz Orchestra, coordinator of the St. Mary’s University Fiesta Jazz Festival, and professor of trumpet and composition.

In February 2021, Ruiz received a Grammy nomination in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category for Live at the Paramount with the Ruthie Foster Big Band. He has authored a series of Claudio Roditi solo transcription books, available through qPress Music Publishing.

Ruiz has performed internationally at the Guatemala, Montreux, North Sea, and Taichung Jazz Festivals. He has shared the stage with Justo Almario, Benny Benack III, Angela Bofill, Don Braden, Carmen Bradford, Tony Campise, Bryan Carter, Gary Clark Jr., John Clayton, Richie Cole, Kirk Covington, Martina DaSilva, Cornelius Eady, Ruthie Foster, Joel Frahm, Gerry Gibbs, Terry Gibbs, Greg Gisbert, Al Grey, Andre Hayward, Jon Hendricks, Vincent Herring, Conrad Herwig, Norah Jones, Will Kennedy, Shelley King, Doug Lawrence, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, Los Lobos, Jason Marsalis, Johnny Mathis, Buddy Miles, Butch Miles, James Moody, James Morrison, Michael Philip Mossman, Eddie Palmieri, Bernadette Peters, Tito Puente Jr., Rufus Reid, Graham Reynolds, Joan Rivers, Joshua Redman, John Riley, Bruce Saunders, Boz Scaggs, Maria Schneider, Mike Smith, The Temptations, Clark Terry, Jimmie Vaughan, War, Dale Watson, The Who, Mary Wilson and The Supremes, Carolyn Wonderland, and Red Young.

In addition to his performance schedule, Ruiz has presented clinics and performances at the Jazz Education Network Conference, the Iowa Music Educators Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the Texas Bandmasters Association conventions. He has served as an adjudicator at band contests and jazz festivals and has presented masterclasses at various school districts throughout San Antonio, Austin, and Des Moines, Iowa.

In May 2017, Ruiz made his recording debut as a leader with his first full-length album, Premiere: A Collection of Originals. Scott Yanow, acclaimed jazz journalist and historian, states: “Adrian Ruiz is an impressive trumpeter who makes his recording debut as a leader on Premiere. In addition to being a fine showcase for the Adrian Ruiz Quintet, Premiere: A Collection of Originals is a fun set of creative jazz that is easily recommended.”

Ruiz received his Bachelor of Music Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio, Master of Music from Texas State University, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Trumpet Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. His principal teachers were Ray Sasaki, Dennis Dotson, Jeff Hellmer, Keith Winking, Jan Roller, Andrew Gignac, and John Carroll.

Ruiz is a featured artist for Schilke Music Products Inc. in Melrose Park, Illinois.

Publications

Books

Ruiz, Adrian. 2023. Claudio!: A Note-for-Note Claudio Roditi Album Transcription. Victoria, BC, Canada: qPress Music Publishing.

Ruiz, Adrian. 2023. Milestones: A Note-for-Note Claudio Roditi Album Transcription. Victoria, BC, Canada: qPress Music Publishing.

Ruiz, Adrian. 2023. Red on Red: A Note-for-Note Claudio Roditi Album Transcription. Victoria, BC, Canada: qPress Music Publishing.

Ruiz, Adrian. 2021. Free Wheelin’: The Music of Lee Morgan: A Note-for-Note Claudio Roditi Album Transcription. Victoria, BC, Canada: qPress Music Publishing.

Ruiz, Adrian. 2021. Jazz Turns Samba: A Note-for-Note Claudio Roditi Album Transcription. Victoria, BC, Canada: qPress Music Publishing.

Ruiz, Adrian. 2021. Two of Swords: The Music of Lee Morgan: A Note-for-Note Claudio Roditi Album Transcription. Victoria, BC, Canada: qPress Music Publishing.

Albums

Premiere: A Collection of Originals, The Adrian Ruiz Quintet. Ziurga Records, 2017.

Collaborative Works

Cervantes, Marc, and Adrian Ruiz. 1995. A Study in Clifford Brown’s Transcribed Solo Patterns: For Treble Clef Instruments. New York: Charles Colin Publications.