Nestor Torres: Still Phoenix Rising

I met Nestor Torres back in the early '90s. He was just beginning to rise on the smooth jazz scene. His debut album, "Morning Ride," had quickly made its way to the top of Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart. In fact, he was pretty popular in Miami, which was also experiencing super growth, especially the South Beach area as a celebrity hot spot. Then, tragedy struck when Torres agreed to be on a boat during a celebrity race. The boat overturned and he was seriously injured. Imagine being a flute player and having your lungs damaged and your shoulder broken... the injuries were so severe, doctors told me he may never hold a flute again, much less play it. Well, great people rise in the face of adversity. Nestor Torres would not only hold a flute again, he would play it with the finesse, style and creativity that brought him to the forefront in the first place. "Dance of the Phoenix" was released as a triumph of the spirit as much as for its artistry. Since then, he has also released "Burning Whispers," "Talk To Me" and "Luna Latina," as well as recorded with a slew of artists, such as Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.
In 2001, he won a Grammy for "This Side of Paradise," a bittersweet victory, he says, as the award was scheduled to be presented the same day as the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Once again Torres' indelible spirit prevailed.
"But the fact that I was to receive it on 9-11 gave my work and my music a stronger sense of mission and purpose. Terrorism and violence come from ignorance, anger, arrogance and hopelessness. Music and culture inspire and empower. They soothe the human heart and enlighten the spirit. I have made it my prime point to create music and live

my life as an and a human being in a way that does just that."
In 2004, Torres released "Sin Palabras," featuring reworkings of Latin classic. Currently, he is ready to release "Dances, Prayers & Meditations for Peace," a dynamic set of tracks inspired by hopes and dreams for peace to counteract the tragedies of 9-11, the war in Iraq and the unrest that so pervades today's world.

Star - Nestor, you have been at it for quite some time, nearly two decades. As talented and remarkable as you are, you don't get the mega hype, the multi-million dollar tours... what is your motivation to keep going ... what inspires all the creativity and energy still prevalent in your compositions?
NT - People. The knowledge that my music can inspire and empower them. I get a lot of positive feedback and that is what inspires me and keeps me focused. The business aspect of it is very difficult and challenging, so it is the love of the music and its impact that keeps me going.

Star - Talk about the focus of your new CD. What prompted it?
NT - A series of events, namely 9-11. I had an opportunity to perform in front of the Dali Lama... the response was overwhelming. Everybody wanted a copy of what I did... there were 5,000 people at the event, so we decided to record it so we could share it. I really wanted to include it. I went around to several houses of worship after 9-11 and some of the compositions from