Video China World Entertainment Sports Lifestyle  
 

7-year old blind jazz prodigy wows Bolivia

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail CNTV, October 18, 2012
Adjust font size:

 

Jose Andre Montano Baina is a rising star in Bolivia's music scene. But the promising jazz musician isn't any typical rockstar -- he's blind and just seven years old. At the young age of four, this musical wonder picked up the drums with astonishing proficiency and quickly moved on to the piano. By age five, he had already formed a jazz trio.

 

If his ample musical talent - unmatched by many skilled musicians two or three times his age - wasn't already enough, the fact that Montano Baina is blind just adds to his strikingly impressive resume.

Apart from being able to play any jazz song in the book with alarming ease and style, this Bolivian child prodigy has well-rounded musical taste and isn't limited to jazz.

Jose Andre Montano Baina said, "Blues, heavy metal, tango, bolero - I like everything."

He has already performed in some of the top venues in Bolivia, including the Legislative Palace, and with famous musicians like Bolivian rocker Glen Vargas. In many other ways, Montano Baina is just like other seven-year-old boys.

Jose Andre Montano Baina said, "I do homework, I play music and they accompany me on the keyboard, I do math, English, gym class - everything."

In addition to participating in regular primary school classes and activities, Montano Baina is also learning how to read Braille.

His father, Roberto Montano, is equally awed by his son's musical abilities, but says he can't take credit for passing on the love of jazz to his child.

Jose Andre Montano Baina said, "I didn't know jazz before, he got me into it. It's as if he was born with a jazz chip inside him, I don't know how to explain how it came about. Once he got a hold of it, he didn't want to give it up. He can play any music you want, but he will never stop playing jazz - jazz is his passion."

There doesn't seem to be much stopping this gifted young musician, and Bolivia and the rest of the world can expect to hear more of his scintillating sounds in the future.

 

Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter