GONZALO RUBALCABA : A Product of Cuba Without Apologies

Gonzalo Rubalcaba is a classic example of someone caught between opposing forces--in this case, the powerful Cold War tensions that still exist between Cuba and the United States.

Rubalcaba, 28, is a world-class jazz pianist with an impressive intensity and command of his instrument. He has met with high praise for nearly a decade as he’s toured Europe, South America and Canada, and his debut album, “Discovery (Live At Montreux),” has received critical acclaim in this country. But, unlike trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who defected to the United States last year, Rubalcaba has chosen to remain a Cuban citizen--even though that choice has made it impossible for him to enter the States to perform.

“I was born into Cuban society, and everything I have has been provided to me by that society,” he said, explaining his desire to remain a Cuban citizen.

“As an artist, I don’t feel strongly in favor of one system or the other,” he continued, in a phone interview from Canada, where he was on tour. “In Cuba, musicians have a certain economic security, which allows time to create music without worrying about commercial concessions. That’s good.

“Sometimes, however, when things are too easy, you don’t feel the risk and the energy of competition, and that can hold you back. Competition can produce more creativity. So the perfect way, to me, would be to find a balance between the two systems.”

In search of that balance, Rubalcaba will move to Germany later this year in hopes of easing his travel restrictions. But his dedication and belief in his native land seem unshaken.

“I intend to be a Cuban professional who happens to work within another system--the capitalist system,” he said. “Making money, after all, is not so bad. But I also intend to continue to be a Cuban, without concessions or apologies.”