Latin Jazz

Suzzette Ortiz Latin Jazz Ensemble

The Suzzette Ortiz Latin Jazz Ensemble brings together the lively and vibrant rhythms of Latin jazz with original compositions, jazz standards infused with a Latin twist, and, at times, influences from world music inspired by Suzzette Ortiz’s extensive travels and musical experiences.

The ensemble is flexible and can perform in duo, trio, quartet, or quintet configurations, making it well suited for concerts, festivals, cultural events, educational programs, private engagements, and community gatherings.

Suzzette Ortiz is a pianist, composer, recording artist, educator, and advocate for music education. After a career as a teacher, she now devotes herself full-time to performing, composing, and creating meaningful musical experiences for diverse audiences. She has worked with accomplished musicians, including Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning artists, and was previously a member of a renowned salsa ensemble that received four Grammy nominations.

The ensemble features some of the region’s accomplished musicians, including:

  • Mark Beecher - Drums

  • Rubin Edwards - Bass

  • Jon Katz -Saxophone

  • Jan Jeffries - Percussion

  • Suzzette Ortiz - Piano, Composer, and Band Leader

As an educator, Suzzette is frequently invited to serve as an Artist-in-Residence throughout the Philadelphia tri-state area, where she combines performance with educational programming and community engagement. She is a published composer and recording artist and is committed to using music as a vehicle for connection, cultural understanding, and positive social change.

Suzzette is the former Artistic Director of Artistas y Musicos Latino Americanos (AMLA), a music school in Philadelphia dedicated to providing access to music education and celebrating Latin American musical traditions.

Her work also extends into the field of comfort music. As a certified music practitioner, Suzzette provides harp music at the bedside in hospitals, nursing facilities, and hospice settings, using music to create moments of peace, comfort, and connection for patients and families.

Her latest recording, Out of Thin Aires, is a collaborative project featuring Amira Dvorah; a bansuri flute and guitar player, drawing from her work in comfort music and her belief in the healing and transformative power of music.

Suzzette holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance with a minor in Composition from the Conservatory of Puerto Rico and a Master’s degree in Music Education from Temple University in Philadelphia.

Through her performances, compositions, educational programs, and community work, Suzzette Ortiz continues to demonstrate her belief that music is not only an art form, but also a powerful tool for education, healing, cultural connection, and social change.