Ruben Coca’s musical journey has taken him through vast territories—from South America to Europe, to the Caribbean coast, leading him to settle on the Hudson River shore in Brooklyn, NY. Via his original jazz and Latin jazz compositions and arrangements, Ruben seeks to be a positive force in the world, putting deep emotion into every sound he creates and gathering inspiration in the everyday—from the most earth-shattering occurrences to the most mundane. Ruben brings his best self to all he does: from performances to recording sessions to his work as a mentor of young musicians, his technical skills and creative sensibility come together to create an environment that leads to constant growth, improvement, and shared knowledge. Ruben began playing the drums at 3 years old, but he acquired his sense of rhythm at the same time that he developed a heartbeat in his mother’s womb, following his father’s steps in music, beginning his professional performing career at age 15, and leading him to pursue new knowledge, tools, and ideas at the Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico, from where he graduated in 2013.
The Ruben Coca Quartet reflects the intensity, the struggles, the joys, and the peaks and valleys of rush and calm so characteristic of New York City, where Ruben has lived for the past 10 years. Through impeccable technique and soulful rendition of each song, they help shape the audience’s journey through the different worlds in which Ruben Coca resides. The ensemble inspires listeners to pursue their own dreams and passions, never relenting to the challenges that life may bring and channeling the complexities of the human spirit into the buoyancy of music.