Biography
Heartfelt enthusiasm, energy, and excellence combined with missiological prowess, creative ingenuity, a collaborative spirit, thorough strategy, and keen business acumen are attributes beheld by José Valentino Ruiz. Ruiz is a world-renowned arts entrepreneur, multi-instrumentalist (i.e. flutist, saxophonist, bassist, vocalist, keyboardist, and percussionist), composer, producer, engineer, arts enterprise leader, and professor who currently resides in Gainesville, FL. Distinguishably, Ruiz semiotically conveys his profound love and relationship with Jesus Christ, family, and people utilizing three instruments––flute, saxophone, and bass guitar––for which he has critically re-defined its expressive boundaries, nuances, and potential. Legendary artists describe Ruiz’s artistry on bass as “Very soulful and heartfelt!” (John Patitucci) and “Amazing and incredible!” (Victor Wooten); on saxophone as “Powerful" (Carlos Fernando López) and “Openly and unequivocally speaks beyond” (Pedro Eustache); and on flute as “Playing the flute with a fire!” (Hubert Laws); and “The best improvisor on flute!” (Jim Walker).
Ruiz has earned preeminent awards in various industries, including four GRAMMY® Awards (2022 Best Latin Children’s Album, 2022 Best Christian Album in Spanish Language, 2020 Best Contemporary Classical Composition, and 2019 Best Christian Album in Spanish Language), two GRAMMY® Award Nominations (2016 Best Instrumental Album and 2015 Best Latin Jazz Album), and an EMMY® Award (2018 Best Cultural Documentary). Ruiz has also been honored with the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences' Anthem® Award (2023 Education, Art, and Culture—Strategy), Inc. Magazine's Best in Business® Award (2022 Advertising company), Inc. Magazine's Power Partner® Award (2022 B2B company), Fast Compnay's Top 10 Most Innovative Company® Award (2022 Video Agency), Global Genius® Award (2022 Outstanding Teacher Award), the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts' 2023 The Communicator® Award (Consumer Marketing & Communication: Film & Video–Use of Music), eleven Global Music® Awards (2023 Christmas Album; 2022 Contemporary Classical Album (x2); 2022 Mixed-Genre Album; 2022 Alternative Music Album; 2022 Vocal Jazz Album; 2022 Experimental Music Album; 2022 Nuevo Flamenco Album; 2022 Funk Fusion Album; 2018 Album of the Year; 2018 Meditation Music Album), fifty-three Downbeat Music® Awards (record holder and 2006––2022) (categories: Jazz Soloist, Small Jazz Group, Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist, Blues/Pop/Rock Group, Latin Group, Engineered Studio Recording, Engineered Live Recording, & Classical Soloist), the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts' Davey® Award (2022 Virtual & Remote Experiences), and three Association for Marketing & Communication Professionals' Audio Visual Arts Digital® Awards (2023 Platinum, 2023 Gold, and 2022 Gold for Long Form Music Videos). He also received the Yamaha Young Performing Artist® Award (2006 Flute), five United Kingdom's Music Industry® Awards, New Vision® Award (Bahamas International Film Festival), University of South Florida Outstanding Young Alumni® Award, Hillsborough County's (Tampa Bay) Commendation® Award for Excellence in Community Entrepreneurship, and many other peer-reviewed awards, including the Parents' Choice® Award (2017 Gold Medal for Children's Music).
Ruiz is a highly accomplished artist, producer, and entrepreneur with a diverse range of achievements in the music industry. He has produced over 140 albums, including one for GRAMMY® Hall of Famer Alex Acuña the legendary flutist Jim Walker, and for contestants on American Idol and X-Factor. As an artist, he has headlined over 1400 concerts at numerous festivals and venues, including Carnegie Hall & Tanglewood Music Center (w/ Paquito D'Rivera), Music City Center, and Coliseo de Puerto Rico. Ruiz is also a passionate missionary who has facilitated over 40 non-profit mission trips with churches to improve access to arts education resources for underserved communities in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. As a sought-after speaker, Ruiz has presented over 100 keynotes, master classes, and workshops at 50+ universities and conservatories in the USA and around the world. He shares best practices in arts business and entrepreneurship, mission-centered production and performance, and Judeo-Christian theological-philosophical-moral frameworks for artists and musicians. As an entrepreneur, Ruiz maintains ongoing joint ventures with several of the world's top-tier creative arts agencies. He serves as Resident Media Composer at Hayden5 (2009-ongoing), Global Ambassador at Worldwind Music Ltd. (2010-ongoing), and Founder & Director at JV Music Enterprises (2005-ongoing). Ruiz's impact extends beyond his industry work. He is the founding curricular designer and Program Coordinator of Music Business & Entrepreneurship at the University of Florida’s School of Music, where he leads innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives that empower students and faculty.
Ruiz has published articles highlighting his empirically-tested business, entrepreneurial, pedagogical, and innovation-improving frameworks and models in various prestigious journals, including the International Journal of Music Performative Research, International Journal of Music & Cultural Studies, International Journal of Music Entrepreneurship & Leadership, Open Journal of Music Education, International Journal of Health and Music, International Journal of Music Pedagogy, Journal of Arts Entrepreneurship Education (x2), Journal of Popular Music Education (x2), National Association for Music Education, Association for Popular Music Education (x5), International Journal of Community Music, International Trombone Journal, Voyage Magazine, Canvas Rebel Magazine, Downbeat Magazine, The Conversation, and more. His impactful research has led him to become Co-Editor for the flagship journal, Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts. Moreover, Ruiz's multi-hyphenate expertise in business, production, and leadership in improving business sustainability, scalability, visibility, and expansion within the Post-COVID multimodal creative economy has been recognized by various global media outlets such as Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, The Economist, Downbeat Magazine, New York Times, LA Times, Billboard Magazine, and Rolling Stone Magazine. He is frequently hired to consult with businesses, including sole-proprietors, partnerships, non-profits, C-corps, and S-corps, on resetting their company infrastructure to maximize multimodal marketability, increase ROI, and improve intercultural impact via products/services.
Throughout his career, Ruiz has held various entrepreneurial education appointments, including Director of Global Entrepreneurship Initiatives at Diaz Music Institute (2017-2022); Assistant Professor of Music Business, Jazz, Production, and Electric Bass Instructor at Lee University (2016-2019); Chair & Professor of Doctor of Ministry in Global Outreach program at Truth & Mercy Institute (2016-2018); Curriculum Developer & Instructor of Record of Global Music & Music Production + Sabbatical Replacement Flute Professor at the University of South Florida (2013-2016); and Music Teacher at Pepin Academies Charter School for ESE Students (2015). Ruiz's academic credentials include a BA in Music Theory, MM in Instrumental Performance, DMin in Global Outreach & Missiology, and PhD in Music Education. He credits his teachers, Dr. Kim McCormick (flute), Valerie Gillespie (saxophone), Valentin Ruiz (bass guitar, business, and entrepreneurship), Dr. Sandra Resto-Ruiz (piano and mission work), Steve Rucker (percussion), and Dr. Victor Fung (research) for investing in his calling. For more information and professional inquiries, visit: www.josevalentino.com.