Born: November 27, 1987 Primary Instrument: Flute
Flautist/composer Enrique (Kalani) Trinidad was born in Dallas Texas, November 27, 1987. At an early age, he moved to Puerto Rico with his family. He started his musical journey at the age of 9 when one day he came home with a recorder flute playing different popular songs by ear, his father, pianist Richard Trinidad noted his talent and enrolled him in formal flute lessons.
For Kalani it was evident that music was going to be important in his life and in only one year, he was playing flute in different festivals around his hometown in Carolina, Puerto Rico were he felt for the first time the love and acceptances from the audience. By the age of 14, Kalani was sharing stage with well known jazz musicians, Mario Rivera, Justo Almario, Dave Valentin, Nestor Torres, Humberto Ramirez, and Rosa Pasos among others.
He quickly gathered awards and achievements in music, winning the “Yamaha Young Performing Artist”, and on two occasions won the “Musicianship Award” from Berklee College of Music in Boston where he was also the recipient of the “Presidential Scholarship” being the first Puerto Rican to receive this great honor. The government of Puerto Rico honored Kalani with an official recognition for his accomplishments in music.
“Music is my passion; my best friend at all times, music is always in my thoughts and represent my feeling the best way possible and that is why I am a musician and I`ll always be, everything I do is in God`s hands.”
For Trinidad’s first recording “Crossing Bridges,” he brought in stellar musicians as percussionists Paoli Mejias and Alex Acuña, bassist John Benitez, and Henry Cole on drums, amongst others. The record has been well received, giving him the musical impetuous to move ahead with his musical goals.
“Kalani Trinidad is one of the brightest young stars in the Puerto Rico jazz scene today ... One may hear on his music the finesse and sensitivity of a Nestor Torres and the inventiveness and intensity of a Dave Valentin.” - Wilbert Sostre - JazzTimes
